Rethinking the Role of Science in Society? Groundwater Science, Critical Reflections and Learnt Lessons

Abstract

The need to rethink the role of groundwater science in risk assessment and society results of a joint reflection between a sociologist and a hydrogeologist and arises from a research collaboration in a long-term highly contaminated area. The objective is to bridge social and natural sciences in the reflection of ethical questions and their implications for technical reporting, scientific production and societal impacts. The authors aim to understand the various social, economic and political components of long-term hydrogeological investigations and to test the application of ethnographic methodology in ethical issues. The investigation addresses three experiences that pose ethical challenges: the access and use of public domain monitoring data; the dissemination of scientific research data and its controversial character; and the lessons and necessary connections between scientific results, policy regulation and the design of water governance programs. Ethical issues should be addressed by the scientific community as are technical results discussed and scrutinized in conferences and scientific papers. In the framework of hydrogeological investigations in contaminated areas, ethics should help scientists to move from the present situation (based on science) to what should be in the future (based on environmental, human health and societal protection goals).