Amid the Ecological Crisis: Post-Normal Science and the Limits of Technocratic Sustainability Governance

In the context of accelerating ecological crises, scientific knowledge is increasingly expected to guide urgent policy decisions under conditions of uncertainty, contested values, and high societal stakes. Conventional models of scientific expertise, which prioritize prediction, optimization, and technical certainty, are often ill-suited to address the complexity of sustainability challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and development transitions. This paper examines the relevance of Post-normal science (PNS) as a conceptual framework for understanding the evolving relationship between science, policy, and governance. Rather than viewing uncertainty as a temporary deficit to be eliminated through better data or models, PNS recognizes uncertainty as an inherent feature of complex socio-ecological systems. The paper argues that many failures in sustainability governance stem not from insufficient scientific knowledge, but from the misapplication of “normal science” approaches to post-normal conditions. By situating PNS within contemporary debates on sustainability governance and intergovernmental science–policy processes, particularly those associated with United Nations–led frameworks and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the paper highlights the need for reflexive, inclusive, and ethically grounded approaches to knowledge production. It concludes that PNS does not replace conventional science, but complements it by broadening the scope of legitimate expertise and re-centering responsibility and deliberation in sustainability governance.