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Paper short abstract

This paper explores the issues of trust in, and governance of Science-for-Policy ecosystems. What to trust and the issue of persisting scientific dissent and uncertainty? and who to trust amidst misleading populistic science communication and interest-based strategic use of scientific knowledge?

Paper long abstract

Key words: Science-for-Policy, Scientific Expertise, Trust, Anticipatory Governance.

Scientific advice is more entangled than ever with value‑laden policy decisions, yet the conditions that sustain trust have grown fragile. Policymakers depend on science to render complex problems actionable (e.g., climate risk, pandemics), but institutional pressures—reproducibility concerns, metrics‑driven knowledge production, strategic use of expertise, and the populistic spread of disinformation—undermine public confidence. This paper tackles the following guiding question: How can trust in science‑for‑policy ecosystems be understood and institutionally strengthened under conditions of uncertainty, scientific dissent, and public contestation?

We make three contributions. First, we advance a clarified conceptualisation of trust for the science‑policy interface that integrates cognitive, relational, and procedural dimensions. Second, we link these dimensions to governance principles and to distinct ‘objects of trust’ across the ecosystem. Third, we offer a collaborative science-policy-society agenda that couples quality assurance and anticipatory governance with inclusive knowledge brokerage.