Geographical ignorance: The vital role of geographic knowledge for decision-makers

The ongoing environmental, social, and cultural problems in today’s world indicate that geographic knowledge (GK) is not given sufficient importance by decision-makers. On the other hand, decision-makers, when making crucial decisions that impact competitiveness, economic well-being, and environmental stability, face significant risks and potential costs due to gaps in GK and a lack of awareness. In this context, this article presents a theoretical investigation that underscores how GK can assist decision-makers in achieving success in their decisions. We characterize GK with a mindset emphasizing the complex spatial system connections and the significant role of space in decision-making processes. The article discusses this topic at the local-regional, national, and international scales. As a result, we argue that addressing the knowledge gaps of decision-makers is impactful in enhancing their capacity to understand the mutual relationships among environmental dynamics at various scales and enables the synthesis of economic, political, social, and cultural mechanisms within human society. Considering the support of theory for empirical studies, we hope that this study will also support empirical research related to planning. Overcoming challenges requires a holistic approach that not only equips decision-makers with GK but also enables its effective implementation throughout the planning process.