ABSTRACT

It is rare indeed to find an environmental problem that does not have its origins in a body of scientific research. Acid rain, loss of biodiversity, global warming, ozone depletion, desertification and dioxin poisoning are all examples of problems which first began with a set of scientific observations. Ultimately, it is the scientific underpinnings of these environmental problems that lift them above most other social problems that are more dependent on morally based claims (Yearley 1992: 117).