An epistemological shift towards complexity: challenges for the Flemish Environmental Health Policy Arrangement PhD Kristien Stassen (HUB / VITO) & Prof. Dr. Pieter Leroy (Radboud University Nijmegen) Contact details: kristien.stassen@vito.be & p.leroy@ru.fm.nl Introduction Environmental health risks = complex, wicked, ill-defined, messy = radical uncertainty, imperfect knowledge, plurality of legitimate perspectives (controversial), multi-causality, unclear sense of all consequences and/or cumulative impact of collective action, … Complexity Beyond traditional sectoral policy arrangements Beyond traditional positivistic epistemology New arrangements in Science Policy Interface Complex problems transcend traditional policy fields Complex issues are the opposite of the modern epistemology characterized by rationality, full knowability, disciplinary reductionism Because science as the primary source of legitimacy for policy arguments have been questioned in case of complexity Complexity of environmental health risks challenges traditional boundaries and stimulates cross-boundary arrangements at three levels: between scientific disciplines, between policy fields and between science and policy. Complexity asks for new epistemological and methodological tools and novel institutions because boundary work takes place in institutions, organizations or networks and is done with assistance of tools. Research question How does boundary work between science and politics on the one hand and the environmental and health policy domains on the other hand have been influencing the development and characteristics of organizational institutions and methodological tools in the Flemish environmental health science policy arrangement over the last few decades? Goal Analyses of the Flemish environmental health science policy arrangement – based on the policy arrangement approach (actors, discourses, rules of the game and resources) - over the last three decades, trying to explain its changes and continuities and to assess their effectiveness when it comes to deal with complexity. Methodology Single case-study approach based on qualitative data-triangulation: document analyses, interviews and participated observation. Preliminary results In Flanders, an epistemological and organisational renewal was induced by a dioxin crisis related to incinerators located in residential areas. The Flemish Environmental Health Network, including the Flemish Centre of Expertise on Environment and Health and Local Environmental Health Officers, are examples of new organizational institutions to realize boundary work between science and politics and between environment and health. An other part of this renewal is the development of new tools and methodologies, e.g. human biomonitoring programme, action plan, risk communication guideline, … Phased action-plan: translation of biomonitoring results into policy priorities and measures Human biomonitoring programme: comparison of exposure and health effects due to environmental pressure associated with different area types (rural, urbanized, industrialized, …) and age groups (newborn babies, adolescents and adults) Ministry of Environment & Ministry of Public Health Flemish Centre on Expertise for EH Local Environmental Health Officers Policy relevant scientific support group consisting of all Flemish universities and two research institutes Contact point for intermediaries, citizens, local authority, … Cell Environment and Health Divison of Public health Surveillance Environmental Health Section Risk communication guidelines: principles differences in risk perceptions all forms of knowledge are relevant scientific controversies/uncertainties are inevitable Flemish Environment and Health Network