Knowledge counts for something! Science and the construction of the United Nations climate policy

Abstract

The author focuses on the collective knowledge that inspires the United Nations to address the global climate crisis. The documentation of this institution, which is the source base of the article, shows the penetration of scientific knowledge into the sphere of political decision-making. The author outlines the state of current scientific knowledge in the field of climate change and its reflection contained in institutional documentation. This approach is in its foundations based on the social constructivist research premise, which takes as fact the inseparability of ideas and interests in the formation of contemporary international relations. Knowledge created always in a specific social context enters into interrelationships with social processes, of which political decision-making is only one element. Climate discourse within the UN and specialized organizations is thus embedded in the contextual framework created by expert knowledge. Policy makers therefore refer to knowledge to legitimize their decisions, even though they are ultimately responsible for their consequences.