Lesson 01. Ensure shared leadership between science and management

In most cases, the initiative for participatory assessment comes from science, because of increasingly project – and policy-oriented research funding. The risk is that science imposes its own agenda and perspective, making managers feel that they are being instrumentalised.

To avoid this risk, key management authorities should be seen as partners by the scientific community and be involved from the beginning of project development. They should be given leading roles in the structure, management and implementation of the project, to ensure shared leadership between science and management. Similar attention should be given to the role of scientists in the case where participatory assessment is initiated from the environmental management side.