The Controversial Relationship Between Scientific Expertise and Political Discretion in Times of Climate Crisis: Who Decides on Global Warming Policies?

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between political assessments by authorities responsible for climate governance and the constraints arising from scientific expertise and technical data available to public decision-makers, also in light of the way this relationship is addressed in case law. Taking as its starting point the freedom of political authorities to interpret and implement climate stabilization commitments stemming from climate change law, the stated intent here is to outline some lines of reflection on the limits of admissibility of scientific debate in public decision-making processes on climate change.