Date post: | 31-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | rashad-herring |
View: | 18 times |
Download: | 1 times |
Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence Neil DaviesUniversity of California BerkeleyGump South Pacific Research Station
Moorea, French Polynesia
Green Growth Investment Forum, Brussels 6-7.10.11EMBASSIES OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES & MISSIONS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION Commonwealth of Dominica St Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia St Vincent & the Grenadines
Small Islands, Big Science? Trend towards mega projects:
European Southern Observatory, Chile
CERN Large Hadron Collider National Ecological Observatory
Network, USA Human Genome Project
What role for small islands?
Credit: Popular Science magazine
21st Century’s Grand ChallengeFostering a transition toward patterns of development that promote human well-being while conserving the life support systems of the planet
- Toward a Science of Sustainability* (Clark & Levin, 2010)
* An NSF funded workshop
Sustainability ResearchEmploy the scientific method to study human-environment interactions
TranslationRender research discoveries actionable for specific practitioners in particular places
InnovationHarness scientific knowledge and knowledge of practice to develop novel solutions
Sustainability ScienceCan small islands become Centers of Excellence?
Research
Translation
Innovation
Small Island Characteristics Geographically defined and politically
autonomous socio-ecosystems Enormous within and between archipelago diversity,
but all islands face common challenges Very dependent on fossil fuels and imported goods High cost electricity and transport (limited exports) Abundant renewable resources but small internal
markets and limited capital Telecommunications rapidly reducing isolation Very vulnerable to climate change
Scales of Sustainability
Big Island Small Island
Islands as Model Ecosystems Sustainability Science Observatories:
Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Non-Renewable Resources, and Urbanization
Place-based comparative studies Among islands, combining “WEHAB+” data with
scientific models of change (local and global) Develop and test predictive models
Maximize productivity, spur innovation Enhance resilience to external shocks
Turning Weakness to Strength? Islands could
Become key supplier of the long-term, place-based data needed for scientific models of sustainability
Attract academic institutions to pioneer problem based learning in sustainability science
Integrate research and education programs into innovative open adaptive governance model
Tourism already 35% of Caribbean GDP, is Science and Education Travel a new niche?
UC Berkeley Gump South Pacific Station, Moorea, French Polynesia
Http://moorea.berkeley.edu