PL-5 :: Platform for public policy to protect land and soil

The project relates to science – policy interface. It is a general problem of implementation of projects results. Usually scientific projects present conclusions without taking care of the further life of the project. There are no ideas how to implement these results. If the project should serve as a basis for certain policy, it should be performed with the clear idea of its implementation from the very beginning. It can be a general rule for all kinds of projects. But in case of land and soil protection and sustainable use it is particularly important to involve policy makers from the very beginning. They should be informed about short-term and long-term consequences of the project implementation. Sometimes the consequences appear very long after some decisions or activities. We should know long before what happens after for instance we will clean a certain area.
The platform would provide documents for policies to give evidence for certain decisions. It is evidence based policies. Documents should include scenarios of future development models with e.g. ecological criteria to show what can happen in a consequence (economic, social and environmental) of such scenario implementation.
Specific research questions:
Demand
Development of rules how to support decision making processes in the field of land and soil management. It can be based on public choice theory. Each decision is taken with the awareness what we achieve and what we lose. The reports concerning the field concerning land and soil should also present how social challenges are met or what is lost. It should be clearly expressed to the decision makers. And even better if the report is presenting what can be achieved – in a positive way.
Social challenges should be the objectives of activities in protection of soil or protection of land. Consequences of any activity should be shown in the context of social challenges. Then it is understood better by the politicians and decision makers.
It is difficult to convince authorities that construction of an object on valuable soil is threatening to this soil. Much easier is to say that it is dangerous to the inhabitants, because it is against social challenges.
What kind of roles should be developed supporting decision making processes in the field of land and soil management and planning?
Land management
Examples of good practice – reports, guidelines based on good practice. Examples of projects serving for evidence based policies.
Guidebook of good practices could present examples of good planning regarding soil management. It would show modern planning which takes into account other spheres of life.
What kind of a guidebook should be worked out of good practices presenting examples of good planning regarding soil management?