Out of the monkey trap

Mission driven research as leverage for societal transformation

Anne SnickIndependent researcher in SAPIRRKU Leuven, May 7th 2019

Societal transformation: a role for universities?

16-year old Greta Thunberg nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

www.bbc.com www.hln.be

Caught between “(not) feeling the pain” and “(no more) time to react”?

Temp Planetary & societal suffering Chances to avoid it1°C Extreme weather – water scarcity – food crops in decline –

massive fires – sea water infiltrates soil – climate migration(irreversible)

1,5°C Reinforcing climate mechanisms start kicking in

2°C Greenland ice melts – sea level 7,5m up – water supplies imperilled – massive (planned?) migration – 1/3 species lost

93% chance if we reduceCO2 with 60% by 2030

and 100% by 20503°C Soil releases carbon – food production declines irreversibly Small once past 2°C

4°C Permafrost thaw – sea level 50m up – food production crashes Very small

5°C Rainforests become deserts – continents largely submerged Negligable

6°C 95% of species gone (Permian-like extinction) – only fungi survive Zero by 2200 (?)

The planetary dashboard: the bigger picture

igbp.net

Socio-economic trends Earth system trends

Holocene

Anthropocene

https://wattsupwiththat

igbp.net

Reports since 1962 Rockström et al. 2009

The monkey trap

Universities established in Holocene conditions

R&I paradigm rootedin time and scale of (relative) stability

Anomaliesreveal limitsof paradigm

Deep cultural narratives shape paradigms

Ptolemean‘scientific progress’

Copernicus, Kepler & Galilei ‘paradigm shift’

Man as “master of nature” (by godly mandate)

Man

Earth

€

The monkey trap: deeply embedded belief patterns

“Man & nature”

“Scientifictruth”

“Human destiny”

www.flaticon.com

Mission driven R&I as the way out?

Strong RRI for sustainable development goals

Non-linear complexity: unforeseen outcomes(= ‘anomalies’)

Antibiotics(technology with

narrow risk analysis)

Fightingdisease

Systemic health hazard

Prescription & consumption

patterns (business model - culture)

Immune system -

Ground water infiltration

Superbugs +

Value(s) & narratives

Institutions & legislation

(Scarce) money design

From linear to circular ‘growth’

Stated new goal Same value narrative Anomalie

Sun

Markets

Legislation

PoliciesMoney system

Technology

Corporatesectors

Infra-structure

ACCESS & ALLOCATION PROCESSES

Entropy

Self-organisingHabits

History

Dreams Self-others

Identity

Security

Language

Culture

VALUES & NARRATIVE

PROCESSESEthics

Human brain

Rare metals

Fossil fuels

Fertilesoils

Stableclimate

Bio-diversity

Oceans

Forests & Food

Clean air

BIOPHYSICAL PROCESSES

Micro-organisms

Map of theAnthropocene

Human development

Under what conditions can Mission Oriented R&I contribute to sustainable human development?

BIOPHYSICAL PROCESSES

VALUES & NARRATIVES

ACCESS & ALLOCATION PROCESSES

Ethics & values Embracecomplexity

Strong RRI in praxis

How to avoid school strike? 1. Build bridges across faculties & groups2. Start reading groups & discuss ‘deep’ beliefs3. Confront ‘self-evident views’ with anomalies4. Explore adaptive narratives & metaphors

BIOPHYSICAL PROCESSES

VALUES & NARRATIVES

ACCESS & ALLOCATION PROCESSES

Anthropocene

How to avoid ‘academic’ school strike? (ctd)5. Learn from emerging alternatives (TAPAS)6. Make alternative framings visible7. Join forces with ‘hummingbirds fighting fire’8. Lobby for new paradigm & strong RRI

“Emergence occurs as variables cometogether with increasing regularity until …

they form new and relatively stable patterns.”

Waddell, S. “Change for the Audacious.”