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Siegel KJ, Cavanaugh KC, Dee LE. Balancing multiple management objectives as climate change transforms ecosystems. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:381-395. [PMID: 38052686 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
As climate change facilitates significant and persistent ecological transformations, managing ecosystems according to historical baseline conditions may no longer be feasible. The Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework can guide climate-informed management interventions, but in its current implementations RAD has not yet fully accounted for potential tradeoffs between multiple - sometimes incompatible - ecological and societal goals. Key scientific challenges for informing climate-adapted ecosystem management include (i) advancing our predictive understanding of transformations and their socioecological impacts under novel climate conditions, and (ii) incorporating uncertainty around trajectories of ecological change and the potential success of RAD interventions into management decisions. To promote the implementation of RAD, practitioners can account for diverse objectives within just and equitable participatory decision-making processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Siegel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Kyle C Cavanaugh
- Department of Geography, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Laura E Dee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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2
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Cairney P, Timonina I, Stephan H. How can policy and policymaking foster climate justice? A qualitative systematic review. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2023; 3:51. [PMID: 38106639 PMCID: PMC10724653 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.15719.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Background Climate change research has established general requirements for policy and policymaking: transformational changes in policy and policymaking to foster 'climate justice', including a 'just transition' or movement towards environmental sustainability with equitable processes and outcomes. However, there is a major gap between these requirements and actual policies and policy processes. We identify how researchers use policy theories to understand this gap. Methods We conducted a qualitative systematic review (2022) to identify peer reviewed journal articles on climate change, policy, justice, and equity in three databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Proquest). Each article had to provide a non-trivial reference to policymaking concepts or theories. We used an immersive and inductive approach to identify key themes and show how the use of policy concepts and theories informs climate change research. Results A total of 108 texts meet the inclusion criteria (with some bias towards Global North research since all texts are in English). Most provide general definitions of climate justice, require fair outcomes and processes, and list what is required to meet those aims. However, they also identify unjust processes and outcomes in relation to who is recognised, gets to define the problem, and wins or loses from solutions. Researchers contrast their preferred social justice approach (informing 'civic environmentalism) to a dominant neoliberal approach (corresponding to weak 'ecological modernization'). Conclusions Researchers focus on what they need from policy and policymaking to produce climate justice. Few engage meaningfully with policy theories to describe how policymaking actually works. More engagement would help to set meaningful expectations regarding policy change and avoid a needless tendency to treat policymaking like a 'black box'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Cairney
- History, Heritage, and Politics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirling, FK94LA, UK
| | - Irina Timonina
- History, Heritage, and Politics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirling, FK94LA, UK
| | - Hannes Stephan
- History, Heritage, and Politics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Stirling, FK94LA, UK
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3
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O’Brien K, Carmona R, Gram-Hanssen I, Hochachka G, Sygna L, Rosenberg M. Fractal approaches to scaling transformations to sustainability. AMBIO 2023; 52:1448-1461. [PMID: 37204667 PMCID: PMC10406776 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01873-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Responses to sustainability challenges are not delivering results at the scale and speed called for by science, international agreements, and concerned citizens. Yet there is a tendency to underestimate the large-scale impacts of small-scale, local, and contextualized actions, and particularly the role of individuals in scaling transformations. Here, we explore a fractal approach to scaling sustainability transformations based on "universal values." Universal values are proposed as intrinsic characteristics that connect humans and nature in a coherent, acausal way. Drawing on the Three Spheres of Transformation framework, we consider how enacting universal values can generate fractal-like patterns of sustainability that repeat recursively across scales. Fractal approaches shift the focus from scaling through "things" (e.g., technologies, behaviors, projects) to scaling through a quality of agency based on values that apply to all. We discuss practical steps involved in fractal approaches to scaling transformations to sustainability, provide examples, and conclude with questions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen O’Brien
- Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1096, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Rosario Carmona
- Transformative Change Network at University of Oslo, Pedro Torres 460 apt. 405, 7790634 Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Gail Hochachka
- Forests and Communities in Transition (FACT) Lab, Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
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4
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Loos J, Benra F, Berbés-Blázquez M, Bremer LL, Chan KMA, Egoh B, Felipe-Lucia M, Geneletti D, Keeler B, Locatelli B, Loft L, Schröter B, Schröter M, Winkler KJ. An environmental justice perspective on ecosystem services. AMBIO 2023; 52:477-488. [PMID: 36520411 PMCID: PMC9849542 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01812-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mainstreaming of ecosystem service approaches has been proposed as one path toward sustainable development. Meanwhile, critics of ecosystem services question if the approach can account for the multiple values of ecosystems to diverse groups of people, or for aspects of inter- and intra-generational justice. In particular, an ecosystem service approach often overlooks power dimensions and capabilities that are core to environmental justice. This article addresses the need for greater guidance on incorporating justice into ecosystem services research and practice. We point to the importance of deep engagement with stakeholders and rights holders to disentangle contextual factors that moderate justice outcomes on ecosystem service attribution and appropriation in socio-political interventions. Such a holistic perspective enables the integration of values and knowledge plurality for enhancing justice in ecosystem services research. This broadened perspective paves a way for transformative ecosystem service assessments, management, and research, which can help inform and design governance structures that nourish human agency to sustainably identify, manage, and enjoy ecosystem services for human wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Loos
- Faculty of Sustainability, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
- Faculty of Sustainability, Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Felipe Benra
- Department of Ecosystem Services, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Straße 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marta Berbés-Blázquez
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Leah L. Bremer
- University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
- Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
| | - Kai M. A. Chan
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 Canada
| | - Benis Egoh
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, 3219 Croul Hall, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Maria Felipe-Lucia
- Department of Ecosystem Services, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Davide Geneletti
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Bonnie Keeler
- Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Twin Cities, Institute On the Environment, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Bruno Locatelli
- Forests and Societies, Cirad, University of Montpellier, TA C-105 / D, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Lasse Loft
- Working Group Governance of Ecosystem Services, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Barbara Schröter
- Working Group Governance of Ecosystem Services, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Eberswalder Str. 84, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
- Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund University, Box 170, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Matthias Schröter
- Faculty of Sustainability, Social-Ecological Systems Institute, Leuphana University, Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Klara J. Winkler
- Department for Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, 21,111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X3V9 Canada
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5
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Sarku R, Tauzie M, Whitfield S. Making a case for just agricultural transformation in the UNFCCC: An analysis of justice in the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.1033152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionFrom 2018 to 2022, the Koronivia Joint Working Group on Agriculture (KJWA) was the key forum for debating global agricultural change and integrating agricultural transformation priorities into the mechanisms of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As a forerunner to the landmark decision at COP27 to initiate the Sharm El-Sheik Joint Work on Implementation of Climate Action on Agriculture and Food Security, it provided an opportunity to further the (as yet underdeveloped) discourse around social transformation and just transformation in agriculture. At the conclusion of this 4 year process, we ask: to what extent and in what ways has a just agricultural transformation been envisioned within the Koronivia Joint Working Group on Agriculture and what are the implications for the Sharm El-Sheik Joint Work on Implementation?MethodsThe paper presents a textual analysis of 155 written submissions, workshops, and concluding statements from across the full programme of KJWA workshops, meetings, and consultations.ResultsWe find that references to just transformations in agriculture within KJWA are largely implicit, but not absent. We argue that justice has been most obvious and evident when it comes to discussion about who is (and where are) the most vulnerable to climate change and variability, and how access to climate smart technologies and information is distributed. Less evident have been discussions about just representation in the governance and visioning of agricultural transformation, and there have been few explicit appeals to address the historical injustices that have shaped agricultural and rural livelihoods in the Global South.DiscussionWe argue that following its conclusion, there is a danger that the outcomes of KJWA become reduced to a focus on the scaling up of a techno-centric vision of agricultural transformation. To counter this, there is need for ongoing dialogue to develop a shared and more complete understanding of justice that should be central to how agricultural transformation is integrated into the UNFCCC. We highlight some recommendations of how a justice agenda could be taken forward under the Sharm El-Sheik Joint Work on Implementation.
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Billi M, Zurbriggen C, Morchain D. Editorial: Discussing structural, systemic and enabling approaches to socio-environmental transformations: Stimulating an interdisciplinary and plural debate within the social sciences. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:968018. [PMID: 36061263 PMCID: PMC9434825 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.968018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Billi
- Department of Rural Management and Innovation, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center for Climate and Resilience Research, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Transdisciplinary Systemic Research Hub (NEST.R3), Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristina Zurbriggen
- Instituto de Ciencia Política, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- South American Institute for Resilience and Sustainability Studies (SARAS), Maldonado, Uruguay
| | - Daniel Morchain
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, United States
- International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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7
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Just Transitions for Oil and Gas Regions and the Role of Regional Development Policies. ENERGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/en15134834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The oil and gas industry is a major economic driver in many regions and countries, providing workers with well-paid jobs and spurring investments and economic growth. The need to transition these industries in order to meet climate commitments presents a major challenge. How can the costs and risks to workers and communities of the transition be mitigated? How can stakeholders be included in decisions that impact them? How do transitions impact the broader economy of these regions and what are they transitioning to? Importantly, how can regional development policies support this process? This comparative policy review explores just transition management in three oil and gas dependent regions that have signified the need to transition away from the oil and gas sector, i.e., Taranaki (New Zealand), the northeast of Scotland, and the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark, drawing out key lessons and leading practices. These cases are positioned within an empirically grounded, conceptual framework of national and regional just transition policies.
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Fisher E, Brondizio E, Boyd E. Critical social science perspectives on transformations to sustainability. CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 2022; 55:None. [PMID: 35712643 PMCID: PMC9097957 DOI: 10.1016/j.cosust.2022.101160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article introduces a special issue on the contribution of social science to addressing transformations to sustainability. Articles underline the importance of embracing theoretically rooted, empirically informed, and collaboratively generated knowledge to address sustainability challenges and transformative change. Emphasis is placed on the role of the social sciences in elaborating on the politicisation and pluralisation of transformation processes and outcomes, helping situate, frame, reflect and generate societal action, while acknowledging the complexity of societal transformation in different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Fisher
- Nordic Africa Institute, Box 1703, Uppsala, SE-795147, Sweden
| | - Eduardo Brondizio
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University Bloomington, Student Building 130701 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-7100, USA
| | - Emily Boyd
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund University, Box 170SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
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9
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Froese GZL, Ebang Mbélé A, Beirne C, Atsame L, Bayossa C, Bazza B, Bidzime Nkoulou M, Dzime N'noh S, Ebeba J, Edzidzie J, Ekazama Koto S, Imbomba S, Mandomobo Mapio E, Mandou Mabouanga HG, Mba Edang E, Landry Metandou J, Mossindji C, Ngoboutseboue I, Nkwele C, Nzemfoule E, Sala Elie B, Sergent A, Poulsen JR. Coupling paraecology and hunter GPS self‐follows to quantify village bushmeat hunting dynamics across the landscape scale. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Graden Z. L. Froese
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
- Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale (IRET/CENAREST) Libreville Gabon
| | - Alex Ebang Mbélé
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
- Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) Libreville Gabon
| | - Christopher Beirne
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
| | - Lucie Atsame
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
| | | | - Blaise Bazza
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
| | | | | | - Jovin Ebeba
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
| | | | | | - Serge Imbomba
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christ Nkwele
- Nsombou Abalghe‐Dzal Association (NADA) Makokou Gabon
| | | | | | | | - John R. Poulsen
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina USA
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Bentz J, O’Brien K, Scoville-Simonds M. Beyond "blah blah blah": exploring the "how" of transformation. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2022; 17:497-506. [PMID: 35282642 PMCID: PMC8897973 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-022-01123-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Calls for transformations are clear and multiple pathways and alternative visions for the future have been defined. Yet, there is very little shared understanding of how such transformations come about and how knowledge-action gaps will be filled. This Special Feature focuses on how we can go beyond talking about transformation-the "blah blah blah"-and moving toward action for results. It does so by distinguishing between the means of transformation and the manner of transformation, two key dimensions to answering the question of "how." The means can be understood as the many solutions, technical and practical methods, or actions that are presented as significant to transformative change. The manner, in contrast, represents the ways in which something is done, i.e., ways of acting. It describes the core values, principles, qualities, and relationships that not only underpin and motivate transformative change, but shape the process. Integrating rather than conflating the means and the manner is important to better understand how transformations come about. We then present insights from the collection of papers that focus on the "how" of transformation. The papers describe different ways of integrating the means and the manner in transformation processes. We have organized them thematically as follows: papers that draw on the integration of meaning making, the integration of learning and listening, and the integration of different ways of being and becoming. Drawing on both science and alternative ways of knowing, they weave together new narratives and stories about nature, society, and the future, inviting us to embark on the journey of creating sustainability pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Bentz
- CICS.NOVA Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences, Colégio Almada Negreiros, University Nova Lisboa, Campus de Campolide, 1070-312 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (ce3c), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, Building C1, 4th Floor, Room 38, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Karen O’Brien
- Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1097, 0318 Oslo, Norway
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Five Practices for Building Local Capacity in Sustainability-Driven Entrepreneurship for Place-Based Transformations. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14053027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in how entrepreneurship animates deliberate sustainability transformations across societal levels. Few studies, however, have provided an empirically grounded account of practices employed by sustainability-driven entrepreneurial organizations for sustainability transformations. We address this gap by applying the critical Human Resource Development (CHRD) framework to identify practices for developing organizational and community capacity conducive to sustainability transformations in two cases of sustainability-driven entrepreneurship in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil. We used case study methodology to identify five practices by conducting a reflexive thematic analysis with qualitative data from key informant interviews, documents, and secondary sources. Our results show that each practice was strongly oriented by relational values of care and social–ecological systems thinking. Both humans and nonhumans were taken as stakeholders who participate in and benefit from practices. Caring for the local place, place-based learning, and regenerative organizing appeared to be relevant for learning and development interventions that imparted significant changes in the local social–ecological context. We updated the CHRD framework to incorporate a nonhuman dimension and highlight caring, place-based learning, and regenerative organizing as essential areas of engagement in which HRD practices in support of place-based sustainability transformations occur.
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Eaton WM, Burnham M, Robertson T, Arbuckle JG, Brasier KJ, Burbach ME, Church SP, Hart-Fredeluces G, Jackson-Smith D, Wildermuth G, Canfield KN, Córdova SC, Chatelain CD, Fowler LB, Hendawy MMZE, Kirchhoff CJ, Manheim MK, Martinez RO, Mook A, Mullin CA, Murrah-Hanson AL, Onabola CO, Parker LE, Redd EA, Schelly C, Schoon ML, Sigler WA, Smit E, van Huysen T, Worosz MR, Eberly C, Rogers A. Advancing the scholarship and practice of stakeholder engagement in working landscapes: a co-produced research agenda. SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL PRACTICE RESEARCH 2022; 4:283-304. [PMID: 36407755 PMCID: PMC9651121 DOI: 10.1007/s42532-022-00132-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Participatory approaches to science and decision making, including stakeholder engagement, are increasingly common for managing complex socio-ecological challenges in working landscapes. However, critical questions about stakeholder engagement in this space remain. These include normative, political, and ethical questions concerning who participates, who benefits and loses, what good can be accomplished, and for what, whom, and by who. First, opportunities for addressing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion interests through engagement, while implied in key conceptual frameworks, remain underexplored in scholarly work and collaborative practice alike. A second line of inquiry relates to research-practice gaps. While both the practice of doing engagement work and scholarly research on the efficacy of engagement is on the rise, there is little concerted interplay among 'on-the-ground' practitioners and scholarly researchers. This means scientific research often misses or ignores insight grounded in practical and experiential knowledge, while practitioners are disconnected from potentially useful scientific research on stakeholder engagement. A third set of questions concerns gaps in empirical understanding of the efficacy of engagement processes and includes inquiry into how different engagement contexts and process features affect a range of behavioral, cognitive, and decision-making outcomes. Because of these gaps, a cohesive and actionable research agenda for stakeholder engagement research and practice in working landscapes remains elusive. In this review article, we present a co-produced research agenda for stakeholder engagement in working landscapes. The co-production process involved professionally facilitated and iterative dialogue among a diverse and international group of over 160 scholars and practitioners through a yearlong virtual workshop series. The resulting research agenda is organized under six cross-cutting themes: (1) Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; (2) Ethics; (3) Research and Practice; (4) Context; (5) Process; and (6) Outcomes and Measurement. This research agenda identifies critical research needs and opportunities relevant for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers alike. We argue that addressing these research opportunities is necessary to advance knowledge and practice of stakeholder engagement and to support more just and effective engagement processes in working landscapes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42532-022-00132-8.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anne Mook
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
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13
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Vogel C, O’Brien K. Getting to the heart of transformation. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2022; 17:653-659. [PMID: 34413905 PMCID: PMC8363857 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-021-01016-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate change, biodiversity loss, the COVID-19 pandemic, and growing inequity and poverty are some of the key global challenges facing us today. These multiple and interacting crises have elicited growing appeals to the need for transformation. Yet while the scholarly literature on transformations is expanding rapidly, the concept risks becoming an empty buzzword or an alibi for superficial interventions and business-as-usual responses within research, policy and practice communities. In this perspective, we look more closely at what is needed to generate the deep and enduring changes that are called for to address multiple, interacting challenges. We do this by focusing on the prefix 'trans-', which signifies moving "across, over, or beyond" the current state of affairs, and we consider how the potential for equitable and sustainable transformations lies in our capacity to transcend entrenched boundaries and limits. Focusing on transdisciplinary, transgressive, and transcendent approaches, we reflect on how individuals, groups, and organizations can plant seeds and help to nurture the potential for radical transformative change at all scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coleen Vogel
- Global Change Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, P. Bag 3, Wits University, 2050 South Africa
| | - Karen O’Brien
- Department of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1097, 0318 Oslo, Norway
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14
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Thinking Like a Mountain: Exploring the Potential of Relational Approaches for Transformative Nature Conservation. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132212884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Building on a review of current mainstream paradigms of nature conservation, the essence of transformations necessary for effective and lasting change are presented—namely, convivial solutions (or ‘living with others’), in which relationality and an appreciation of our interdependencies are central, in contrast to life-diminishing models of individualism and materialism/secularism. We offer several areas for improvement centred on regenerative solutions, moving beyond conventional environmental protection or biophysical restoration and focusing instead on critical multidimensional relationships—amongst people and between people and the rest of nature. We focus, in particular, on the potential of people’s values and worldviews to inform morality (guiding principles and/or beliefs about right and wrong) and ethics (societal rules defining acceptable behaviour), which alone can nurture the just transformations needed for nature conservation and sustainability at all scales. Finally, we systematize the potential of regenerative solutions against a backdrop of relational approaches in sustainability sciences. In so doing, we contribute to current endeavours of the conservation community for more inclusive conservation, expanding beyond economic valuations of nature and protected areas to include more holistic models of governance that are premised on relationally-oriented value systems.
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Crausbay SD, Sofaer HR, Cravens AE, Chaffin BC, Clifford KR, Gross JE, Knapp CN, Lawrence DJ, Magness DR, Miller-Rushing AJ, Schuurman GW, Stevens-Rumann CS. A Science Agenda to Inform Natural Resource Management Decisions in an Era of Ecological Transformation. Bioscience 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Earth is experiencing widespread ecological transformation in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems that is attributable to directional environmental changes, especially intensifying climate change. To better steward ecosystems facing unprecedented and lasting change, a new management paradigm is forming, supported by a decision-oriented framework that presents three distinct management choices: resist, accept, or direct the ecological trajectory. To make these choices strategically, managers seek to understand the nature of the transformation that could occur if change is accepted while identifying opportunities to intervene to resist or direct change. In this article, we seek to inspire a research agenda for transformation science that is focused on ecological and social science and based on five central questions that align with the resist–accept–direct (RAD) framework. Development of transformation science is needed to apply the RAD framework and support natural resource management and conservation on our rapidly changing planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley D Crausbay
- Conservation Science Partners, Fort Collins, Colorado, and is a consortium partner for the US Geological Survey's North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Helen R Sofaer
- US Geological Survey Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawai'i, United States
| | - Amanda E Cravens
- US Geological Survey's Social and Economic Analysis Branch, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | | | - Katherine R Clifford
- US Geological Survey's Social and Economic Analysis Branch, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - John E Gross
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | | | - David J Lawrence
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Dawn R Magness
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Soldotna, Alaska, United States
| | | | - Gregor W Schuurman
- US National Park Service Climate Change Response Program, in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Camille S Stevens-Rumann
- Forest and Rangeland Stewardship Department and assistant director of the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
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Short RE, Gelcich S, Little DC, Micheli F, Allison EH, Basurto X, Belton B, Brugere C, Bush SR, Cao L, Crona B, Cohen PJ, Defeo O, Edwards P, Ferguson CE, Franz N, Golden CD, Halpern BS, Hazen L, Hicks C, Johnson D, Kaminski AM, Mangubhai S, Naylor RL, Reantaso M, Sumaila UR, Thilsted SH, Tigchelaar M, Wabnitz CCC, Zhang W. Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems. NATURE FOOD 2021; 2:733-741. [PMID: 37117475 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-021-00363-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture (SSFA) provide livelihoods for over 100 million people and sustenance for ~1 billion people, particularly in the Global South. Aquatic foods are distributed through diverse supply chains, with the potential to be highly adaptable to stresses and shocks, but face a growing range of threats and adaptive challenges. Contemporary governance assumes homogeneity in SSFA despite the diverse nature of this sector. Here we use SSFA actor profiles to capture the key dimensions and dynamism of SSFA diversity, reviewing contemporary threats and exploring opportunities for the SSFA sector. The heuristic framework can inform adaptive governance actions supporting the diversity and vital roles of SSFA in food systems, and in the health and livelihoods of nutritionally vulnerable people-supporting their viability through appropriate policies whilst fostering equitable and sustainable food systems.
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Pettersson HL, Quinn CH, Holmes G, Sait SM, López-Bao JV. Welcoming Wolves? Governing the Return of Large Carnivores in Traditional Pastoral Landscapes. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.710218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolf populations are recovering across Europe and readily recolonize most areas where humans allow their presence. Reintegrating wolves in human-dominated landscapes is a major challenge, particularly in places where memories and experience of coexistence have been lost. Despite the observed expansion trends, little has been done to prepare communities for the return of these apex predators, or to understand what fosters and perpetuates coexistence. In this study, we present a theoretical framework for resilient coexistence based on four conditions: Effective institutions, large carnivore persistence, social legitimacy, and low levels of risk and vulnerability, nested within the social-ecological systems (SES) concept. To empirically show how the conditions can be manifested and interconnected, and how this knowledge could be used to improve local coexistence capacities, the framework is applied in a case study of human–wolf relations in Spain. We examined three traditionally pastoral landscapes at different states of cohabitation with wolves: uninterrupted presence, recent recolonization, and imminent return. We found that both the perceptions of wolves and the capacity to coexist with them diverged across these states, and that this was largely determined by a diversity of vulnerabilities that have not been recognized or addressed within current management regimes, such as economic precarity and weak legitimacy for governing institutions. Our results illustrate the importance of working in close contact with communities to understand local needs and enhance adaptive capacities in the face of rural transitions, beyond those directly related to wolves. The framework complements emerging tools for coexistence developed by researchers and practitioners, which offer guidance on the process of situational analysis, planning, and resource allocation needed to balance large carnivore conservation with local livelihoods.
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Blythe J, Baird J, Bennett N, Dale G, Nash KL, Pickering G, Wabnitz CCC. Fostering ocean empathy through future scenarios. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Blythe
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
| | - Julia Baird
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
- Department of Geography and Tourism Studies Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
- Sustainability Research Centre University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore DC QLD Australia
| | | | - Gillian Dale
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
| | - Kirsty L. Nash
- Centre for Marine Socioecology University of Tasmania Hobart TAS Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Hobart TAS Australia
| | - Gary Pickering
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
- Sustainability Research Centre University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore DC QLD Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
- Department of Psychology Brock University Saint Catharines ON Canada
| | - Colette C. C. Wabnitz
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions Stanford University Stanford CA USA
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Hochachka G. Finding shared meaning in the Anthropocene: engaging diverse perspectives on climate change. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE 2021; 17:519-539. [PMID: 34109000 PMCID: PMC8178671 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-021-00965-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The scientific evidence of climate change has never been clearer and more convergent, and calls for transformations to sustainability have never been greater. Yet, perspectives and social opinions about it remain fractured, and collaborative action is faltering. Climate policy seeks to forge a singular sense of climate change, dominated by an 'information deficit model' that focuses on transferring climate science to the lay public. Critics argue that this leaves out certain perspectives, including the plurality of meanings uncovered through participatory approaches. However, questions remain about how these approaches can better account for nuances in the psychological complexity of climate change, without getting stuck in the cul-de-sacs of epistemological relativism and post-truth politics. In this paper, I explore an approach through which we might find shared meaning at the interface of individual and collective views about climate change. I first present a conceptual framework that describes five psychological reasons why climate change challenges individual and collective meaning-making, and also provides a way to understand how meaning is organized within that. I then use this framework to inform the use of photo voice as a transformative (action-research) method, examining its ability to overcome some of the meaning-making challenges specific to climate change. I discuss how participants from a coffee cooperative in Guatemala reflected first on their own climate meanings and then engaged in a meaning-making process with other actors in the coffee value chain. Findings suggest a psychosocial approach to climate engagement-one that engages both subjectively and intersubjectively on the complexities unique to climate change-is helpful in acknowledging an ontological pluralism of 'climate changes' amongst individuals, while also supporting a nexus-agreement collectively. This may in turn contribute to a more effective and ethical process of transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Hochachka
- Department of Sociology and Human Geography, Faculty of Social Science, University of Oslo, Postbloks 1096, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
- Present Address: 5613 Montgomery Place, Vancouver, BC V6T 2C8 Canada
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Yang X, Lo K. Environmental health research and the COVID-19 pandemic: A turning point towards sustainability. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111157. [PMID: 33887273 PMCID: PMC8542966 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Based on a review of COVID-19 research from an environmental health perspective, this study theorizes the interdependence of the society, environment and health, and presents an integrated framework for environmental health problems arising due to COVID-19. Five guiding principles are proposed for conducting environmental health research, including employing a transdisciplinary approach, embracing complexity and uncertainty, addressing vulnerability, boosting resilience and promoting sustainable development. This study propagates that the pandemic could be an opportunity for sustainable transformation, wherein visionary leadership that facilitates sustainability policies based on environmental health science is required. This study can serve as a consolidated guide for professionals and stakeholders who conduct environmental health research in this challenging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Yang
- David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Kevin Lo
- David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
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21
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How Do We Manage a Just Transition? A Comparative Review of National and Regional Just Transition Initiatives. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13116070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The concept of a ‘just transition’ encompasses political and policy imperatives to minimize the harmful impacts of industrial and economic transitions on workers, communities, and society more generally, and to maximize their potential benefits. This imperative has gained heightened importance as governments commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A wide range of policies, strategies and initiatives have been adopted by national and regional governments to facilitate and help manage a just transition. It is a concept that is increasingly being put into practice. This scoping study identifies and compares strategies, policies, and practices that are presently being implemented in order to manage a just transition across 25 countries and 74 regions alongside European Union-level policies. This work develops a typology of policy instruments to manage just transitions and identifies implementation gaps and leading practices.
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Engen S, Hausner VH, Gurney GG, Broderstad EG, Keller R, Lundberg AK, Murguzur FJA, Salminen E, Raymond CM, Falk-Andersson J, Fauchald P. Blue justice: A survey for eliciting perceptions of environmental justice among coastal planners' and small-scale fishers in Northern-Norway. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251467. [PMID: 33984019 PMCID: PMC8118289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocean-based economic development arising from an increasing interest in the 'blue economy' is placing ecosystems and small-scale fisheries under pressure. The dominant policy response for dealing with multiple uses is the allocation of coastal space through coastal zone planning (CZP). Recent studies have shown that the rush to develop the blue economy and regulate coastal activity can result in social injustices and the exclusion of less powerful and unrecognized groups (e.g., small-scale fishers, women, Indigenous peoples and youth). To achieve a primary goal of the 2030 sustainable development agenda to "leave no one behind", it is important to understand the implications of coastal planning and development for these groups. Here, we present a social survey protocol for examining perceptions of justice related to small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the context of the blue economy in coastal areas. Specifically, we designed the survey instrument and sampling protocol to assess whether decisions about the use of the coastal zone over the last five years have i) followed principles of good governance, ii) recognized fishers' knowledge, culture and rights and iii) been attentive to impacts of changed coastal zone use on fisheries. The survey will engage coastal planners (N = app. 120) and fishers (N = app. 4300) in all the coastal municipalities (N = 81) in Northern-Norway. The sampling protocol is designed to ensure representation of different sectors of society, including those defined by gender, age, ethnicity and occupation (e.g., small-scale fishers, large-scale fishers, coastal planners).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Engen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Vera Helene Hausner
- UIT–The Arctic Sustainability Lab, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Georgina G. Gurney
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Rose Keller
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Lillehammer, Norway
| | | | | | - Emma Salminen
- UIT–The Arctic Sustainability Lab, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christopher M. Raymond
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Economics and Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Per Fauchald
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
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Abstract
Climate change, biodiversity loss, and other major social and environmental problems pose severe risks. Progress has been inadequate and scientists, global policy experts, and the general public increasingly conclude that transformational change is needed across all sectors of society in order to improve and maintain social and ecological wellbeing. At least two paths to transformation are conceivable: (1) reform of and innovation within existing societal systems (e.g., economic, legal, and governance systems); and (2) the de novo development of and migration to new and improved societal systems. This paper is the final in a three-part series of concept papers that together outline a novel science-driven research and development program aimed at the second path. It summarizes literature to build a narrative on the topic of de novo design of societal systems. The purpose is to raise issues, suggest design possibilities, and highlight directions and questions that could be explored in the context of this or any R&D program aimed at new system design. This paper does not present original research, but rather provides a synthesis of selected ideas from the literature. Following other papers in the series, a society is viewed as a superorganism and its societal systems as a cognitive architecture. Accordingly, a central goal of design is to improve the collective cognitive capacity of a society, rendering it more capable of achieving and sustainably maintaining vitality. Topics of attention, communication, self-identity, power, and influence are discussed in relation to societal cognition and system design. A prototypical societal system is described, and some design considerations are highlighted.
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Marginalized Small-Scale Farmers as Actors in Just Circular-Economy Transitions: Exploring Opportunities to Circulate Crop Residue as Raw Material in India. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su122410355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Facing substantial sustainability challenges, sustainable transitions to circular systems are increasingly called for. The use of biomass to produce textile fibers is a niche that could contribute to a circular textile system. In this niche, farmers supplying biomass would play a crucial role. Through a literature review, we argue in this article that farmers are important actors in this context, but their agency is limited by numerous institutional factors, such as cultivation practices, labor markets, and information systems. These factors together can create an institutional void, which can hamper both the agency of farmers and their ability to participate, as well as the justness of the niche. The void’s strength depends on the institutional interface a farmer is subjected to. Before just transitions to circular systems can occur, marginalized actors’ agency and ability to participate in the niche, in a just way, must be improved, by decreasing the strength of the institutional void.
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Tadaki M, Sinner J, Šunde C, Giorgetti A, Glavovic B, Awatere S, Lewis N, Stephenson J. Four propositions about how valuation intervenes in local environmental politics. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bruce Glavovic
- School of People, Environment and Planning Massey University Palmerston North New Zealand
| | - Shaun Awatere
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Nick Lewis
- School of Environment University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Janet Stephenson
- Centre for Sustainability University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
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Science-Driven Societal Transformation, Part II: Motivation and Strategy. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12198047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate change, biodiversity loss, and other well-known social and environmental problems pose grave risks. Progress has been insufficient, and as a result, scientists, global policy experts, and the general public increasingly conclude that bold change is required. At least two kinds of bold change are conceivable: reform of existing societal systems (e.g., financial, economic, and governance systems), including their institutions, policies, and priorities; and transformation, understood here as the de novo development of and migration to new and improved systems. The latter has barely been explored in the scientific literature and is the focus of this concept paper. The main theses explored are that transformation is prudent, given risks, attractive, given potential benefits, and achievable, given political, social, and financial constraints. A body of literature is cited in support, but that body is necessarily small given the novelty of the topic. In particular, there are almost no papers in the scientific literature addressing the “how to?” of transformation, a central theme of this paper. Thus, this paper serves in part to raise topics and bring attention to possibilities and new directions.
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Abstract
Humanity faces serious social and environmental problems, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Increasingly, scientists, global policy experts, and the general public conclude that incremental approaches to reduce risk are insufficient and transformative change is needed across all sectors of society. However, the meaning of transformation is still unsettled in the literature, as is the proper role of science in fostering it. This paper is the first in a three-part series that adds to the discussion by proposing a novel science-driven research-and-development program aimed at societal transformation. More than a proposal, it offers a perspective and conceptual framework from which societal transformation might be approached. As part of this, it advances a formal mechanics with which to model and understand self-organizing societies of individuals. While acknowledging the necessity of reform to existing societal systems (e.g., governance, economic, and financial systems), the focus of the series is on transformation understood as systems change or systems migration—the de novo development of and migration to new societal systems. The series provides definitions, aims, reasoning, worldview, and a theory of change, and discusses fitness metrics and design principles for new systems. This first paper proposes a worldview, built using ideas from evolutionary biology, complex systems science, cognitive sciences, and information theory, which is intended to serve as the foundation for the R&D program. Subsequent papers in the series build on the worldview to address fitness metrics, system design, and other topics.
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Cisneros‐Montemayor AM, Crosman KM, Ota Y. A green new deal for the oceans must prioritize social justice beyond infrastructure. Conserv Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Andrés M. Cisneros‐Montemayor
- Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Program, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Katherine M. Crosman
- Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center EarthLab University of Washington Seattle Washington
| | - Yoshitaka Ota
- Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center EarthLab University of Washington Seattle Washington
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J. Ingram
- African Forest Ecology Group, Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
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Environmental Justice in The Netherlands: Presence and Quality of Greenspace Differ by Socioeconomic Status of Neighbourhoods. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12155889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Making our cities more sustainable includes the need to make the transition a just one. This paper focuses on distributive justice with regard to greenspace in cities. Urbanisation and densification will likely result in less greenspace in urban residential areas, especially in deprived neighbourhoods. This is a threat to the aim of healthy and liveable cities, as greenspace has positive effects on human health and well-being. In this study, we show that in The Netherlands, neighbourhoods with a low socioeconomic status already tend to have a lower presence and quality of greenspace than those with a high socioeconomic status. This outcome is independent of the greenness metric that was used. However, depending on the precise greenness metric, socioeconomic differences in greenness between neighbourhoods are smaller in highly urban municipalities than in less urban municipalities, rather than larger. The paper discusses the implications of these outcomes for policy and planning regarding urban greenspace.
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Beyond the Indicators: Improving Science, Scholarship, Policy and Practice to Meet the Complex Challenges of Sustainability. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12020578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many teams have developed a wide range of numerical or categorical indicators of progress in the implementation of the SDG targets. But these indicators cannot identify why target goals have not been accomplished, whether or how they do or do not do justice to the social and cultural context in which they are applied, and how newly emerging social dynamics affect indicators. Nor do they provide means for resolving conflicting values and making balanced trade-offs. Our starting point in examining why we have not been successful in progressing towards sustainability is that the sustainability conundrum is primarily a societal, rather than an environmental problem. Our present emphasis is to maintain our way of life while minimizing its impact, hoping that such a minimization strategy would make the world more sustainable. Reducing for example the extent of pollution but keeping the same industries alive would not be sufficient for a transformation towards sustainability. Instead we should ask “How did we come to this point and what practices, in our societies and in our science, need to change to make progress towards sustainability?” To answer these questions, one needs to go much further back than usual in the history of western societies to identify the societal, scientific, technological and environmental co-evolutionary dynamics that have brought us to the current conundrum. And the fact that most societal challenges are of the “wicked” kind, as well as the need to decide among many societal options and many future pathways that may lead to positive results require that we seriously engage in using “Complex Systems” approaches. It is up to our scientific community to identify these pathways, and we need to move fast!
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Sustainable agriculture: Recognizing the potential of conflict as a positive driver for transformative change. ADV ECOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Curry OS, Hare D, Hepburn C, Johnson DDP, Buhrmester MD, Whitehouse H, Macdonald DW. Cooperative conservation: Seven ways to save the world. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver S. Curry
- Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary AnthropologyUniversity of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Darragh Hare
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell University Ithaca New York
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of ZoologyUniversity of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney Oxford UK
| | - Cameron Hepburn
- Smith School of Enterprise and the EnvironmentUniversity of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | | | - Harvey Whitehouse
- Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary AnthropologyUniversity of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of ZoologyUniversity of Oxford, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney Oxford UK
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Abstract
This paper recalls the development of the German lignite regions Rhineland and Lusatia since 1945 to allow for a better understanding of their situation in 2019. We analyze their economic resilience, defined as adaptive capacity, using Holling’s adaptive cycle model. We find that the Rhineland is currently in the conservation phase, while Lusatia experiences a reorganization phase following the economic shock of the German reunification. Key policy recommendations for the upcoming coal phase-out are to foster innovation within the Rhineland’s infrastructures to avoid overconnection, and to expand digital and transportation infrastructure in Lusatia so that the structurally weak region can enter the exploitation phase. Future policymaking should take into consideration the differences between the two regions in order to enable a just and timely transition during which lasting adaptive capacity can be built.
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