IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/forpol/v180y2025ics1389934125001789.html

The influence of science within forest policy making - the case of payments for forest ecosystem services for climate-adapted forest management in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Schaefers, Tabea V.
  • Krott, Max
  • Kirchner, Michael

Abstract

Forest science provides extensive scientific information. Its influence on forest-related political decision-making, however, has often proved to be negligible. For this reason, a case study on the payment of forest ecosystem services (PFES) in Germany examines the extent to which other factors influence the political knowledge transfer process and demonstrates, through a power-based definition of actors, the opportunities for political influence of researchers in the political process. An innovative approach for a quantitative analysis of political influence is employed, consisting of the four elements “coercion”, “(dis-) incentives”, “dominant information”, and “scientific information”. Using the newly introduced terms “focused interest” and “focused influence”, a differentiated analysis of the political influence of actors in relation to political issues is enabled. It becomes evident that the use of political influence resources by actors varies between political issues. For greater political impact of scientific information, a stronger consideration of the individual roles of actors and issues is recommended. The study further positions the augmented actor-centered power (ACP) framework vis-à-vis broader power theories and other ACP scholarship, highlighting its distinct suitability for tracing influence in forest policy making.

Suggested Citation

  • Schaefers, Tabea V. & Krott, Max & Kirchner, Michael, 2025. "The influence of science within forest policy making - the case of payments for forest ecosystem services for climate-adapted forest management in Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:180:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125001789
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103599
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934125001789
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103599?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Berning, Laila & Sotirov, Metodi, 2024. "The coalitional politics of the European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    2. Ramirez, Luisa F. & Belcher, Brian M., 2020. "Crossing the science-policy interface: Lessons from a research project on Brazil nut management in Peru," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. Elsasser, Peter & Rock, Joachim & Rüter, Sebastian, "undated". "Ein Vergleich unterschiedlicher Vorschläge zur Honorierung der Klimaschutzleistung der Wälder," Thünen Working Paper 305678, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    4. Göhrs, Max & Krott, Max & Hubo, Christiane, 2022. "Political parties as allies for the forestry sector: A case study from Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    5. Juerges, Nataly & Newig, Jens, 2015. "How interest groups adapt to the changing forest governance landscape in the EU: A case study from Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 228-235.
    6. Kirchner, M., 2025. "From narrative to actions: Theoretical framework for the integration of reframed narratives into New Zealand's agricultural policy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    7. Stevanov, Mirjana & Krott, Max, 2021. "Embedding scientific information into forestry praxis: Explaining knowledge transfer in transdisciplinary projects by using German case," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    8. Schusser, Carsten & Krott, Max & Movuh, Mbolo C. Yufanyi & Logmani, Jacqueline & Devkota, Rosan R. & Maryudi, Ahmad & Salla, Manjola, 2016. "Comparing community forestry actors in Cameroon, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal and Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 81-87.
    9. Prabowo, Doni & Maryudi, Ahmad & Imron, Muhammad A. & Senawi,, 2016. "Enhancing the application of Krott et al.'s (2014) Actor-Centred Power (ACP): The importance of understanding the effect of changes in polity for the measurement of power dynamics over time," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 184-186.
    10. Dobšinská, Zuzana & Živojinović, Ivana & Nedeljković, Jelena & Petrović, Nenad & Jarský, Vilém & Oliva, Jiří & Šálka, Jaroslav & Sarvašová, Zuzana & Weiss, Gerhard, 2020. "Actor power in the restitution processes of forests in three European countries in transition," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    11. Sotirov, Metodi & Memmler, Michael, 2012. "The Advocacy Coalition Framework in natural resource policy studies — Recent experiences and further prospects," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 51-64.
    12. Liqing Peng & Timothy D. Searchinger & Jessica Zionts & Richard Waite, 2023. "The carbon costs of global wood harvests," Nature, Nature, vol. 620(7972), pages 110-115, August.
    13. Ortwin Renn, 2001. "The role of social science in environmental policy making: Experiences and outlook," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(6), pages 427-437, December.
    14. William R. Moomaw & Beverly E. Law, 2023. "A call to reduce the carbon costs of forest harvest," Nature, Nature, vol. 620(7972), pages 44-45, August.
    15. Elsasser, Peter & Köthke, Margret & Dieter, Matthias, "undated". "Ein Konzept zur Honorierung der Ökosystemleistungen der Wälder," Thünen Working Paper 307495, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    16. Thomas, Annika & Hubo, Christiane, 2024. "Multiple crises as a policy window for forest and nature a power-analysis from Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    17. Krott, Max & Bader, Axel & Schusser, Carsten & Devkota, Rosan & Maryudi, Ahmad & Giessen, Lukas & Aurenhammer, Helene, 2014. "Actor-centred power: The driving force in decentralised community based forest governance," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 34-42.
    18. Juerges, Nataly & Arts, Bas & Masiero, Mauro & Başkent, Emin Z. & Borges, José G. & Brodrechtova, Yvonne & Brukas, Vilis & Canadas, Maria João & Carvalho, Pedro Ochôa & Corradini, Giulia & Corrigan, E, 2020. "Integrating ecosystem services in power analysis in forest governance: A comparison across nine European countries," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    19. Hubo, Christiane & Krott, Max, 2013. "Conflict camouflaging in public administration — A case study in nature conservation policy in Lower Saxony," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 63-70.
    20. Peter Weingart, 1999. "Scientific expertise and political accountability: paradoxes of science in politics," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 26(3), pages 151-161, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Weiye & Zhai, Daye & Li, Xinyang & Fang, Haowen & Yang, Yuanyuan, 2024. "Conflicts in mangrove protected areas through the actor-centred power framework - Insights from China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    2. Brodrechtova, Yvonne, 2024. "Assessing actor power in the trade-offs between ecosystem services affecting forest management – A case study from Central Slovakia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    3. Susanti, Ari & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2016. "Development narratives, notions of forest crisis, and boom of oil palm plantations in Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 130-139.
    4. Rahman, Md Saifur & Sarker, Pradip Kumar & Sadath, Md. Nazmus & Giessen, Lukas, 2018. "Policy changes resulting in power changes? Quantitative evidence from 25 years of forest policy development in Bangladesh," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 419-431.
    5. Sprinz, Detlef F. & Schaefers, Tabea V. & Lenk, Freya & Krott, Max, 2024. "Forecasting forest-related political decisions in a climate-constrained world – The remuneration of forest ecosystem services in Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Mijailoff, Julián Daniel & Giessen, Lukas & Burns, Sarah Lilian, 2023. "Local to global escalation of land use conflicts: Long-term dynamics on social movements protests against pulp mills and plantation forests in Argentina and Uruguay," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Kleinschmit, Daniela & Böcher, Michael & Giessen, Lukas, 2016. "Forest Policy Analysis: Advancing the analytical approach," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 1-6.
    8. Thomas, Annika & Hubo, Christiane, 2024. "Multiple crises as a policy window for forest and nature a power-analysis from Germany," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    9. Prabowo, Doni & Maryudi, Ahmad & Senawi, & Imron, Muhammad A., 2017. "Conversion of forests into oil palm plantations in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Insights from actors' power and its dynamics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 32-39.
    10. Kirchner, M., 2025. "From narrative to actions: Theoretical framework for the integration of reframed narratives into New Zealand's agricultural policy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    11. Lukas Giessen & Pradip Kumar Sarker & Md Saifur Rahman, 2016. "International and Domestic Sustainable Forest Management Policies: Distributive Effects on Power among State Agencies in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-28, April.
    12. Zhao, Jiacheng & Zhang, Pei & Tian, Feng & Shi, Weiping, 2025. "Enhancing actor-centered power theory through actor typology: Insights from community-based conservation in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    13. Fatem, Sepus M. & Awang, San A. & Pudyatmoko, Satyawan & Sahide, Muhammad A.K. & Pratama, Andita A. & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2018. "Camouflaging economic development agendas with forest conservation narratives: A strategy of lower governments for gaining authority in the re-centralising Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 699-710.
    14. Md Saifur Rahman & Md Faisal Abedin Khan & Lukas Giessen, 2024. "Analysing policy changes for achieving sustainable development goals: Insights from forest, environment and climate change action plan in Bangladesh," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(2), pages 508-524, May.
    15. Zhang, Pei & Zhao, Jiacheng & Krott, Max, 2023. "Strictest nature conservation: China's national park policy underpinned by power shift and turf dynamic," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    16. Long, Hexing & de Jong, Wil & Yiwen, Zhang & Liu, Jinlong, 2021. "Institutional choices between private management and user group management during forest devolution: A case study of forest allocation in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    17. Gakou-Kakeu, Josiane & Di Gregorio, Monica & Paavola, Jouni & Sonwa, Denis Jean, 2022. "REDD+ policy implementation and institutional interplay: Evidence from three pilot projects in Cameroon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    18. Juerges, Nataly & Arts, Bas & Masiero, Mauro & Başkent, Emin Z. & Borges, José G. & Brodrechtova, Yvonne & Brukas, Vilis & Canadas, Maria João & Carvalho, Pedro Ochôa & Corradini, Giulia & Corrigan, E, 2020. "Integrating ecosystem services in power analysis in forest governance: A comparison across nine European countries," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    19. Nantongo, Mary & Vatn, Arild & Vedeld, Paul, 2019. "All that glitters is not gold; Power and participation in processes and structures of implementing REDD+ in Kondoa, Tanzania," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 44-54.
    20. Sapkota, Prativa & Keenan, Rodney J. & Ojha, Hemant R., 2018. "Community institutions, social marginalization and the adaptive capacity: A case study of a community forestry user group in the Nepal Himalayas," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 55-64.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:180:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125001789. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/forpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.