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Vermeulen S, Campbell B: How can sustainability science achieve impact for wicked problems such as climate change?
The document discusses how sustainability science can address wicked problems like climate change, emphasizing the complexity and unpredictability of natural and social systems. It outlines principles for managing such challenges within the CGIAR framework, including the importance of diversity in teams, stakeholder engagement, and adapting strategies based on iterative learning. The paper advocates for practical approaches and methodologies to confront these persistent issues, highlighting the need for collaboration and a nuanced understanding of social dynamics.
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Vermeulen S, Campbell B: How can sustainability science achieve impact for wicked problems such as climate change?
- 1. How can sustainabilityscience achieve impact for wicked problems such as climate change? Bruce Campbell and Sonja Vermeulen CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), CCAFS Coordinating Unit, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2. Outline of thetalk • What are wicked problems? The example of agriculture under climate change • What do we know about tackling wicked problems? • How can these principles and tools be applied to management of science in the CGIAR?
- 3.
- 4. The modern dilemma •Growing recognition that – Natural resource systems and social systems are complex, unpredictable and highly dynamic – Different people and groups have different values, viewpoints and priorities that are equally valid • Yet we continue to search for standard solutions that achieve steady states
- 5. Wicked problems: wheresociety cannot agree on either the problem definition or the solution
- 6. How is climatechange a “wicked problem”? controversy system complexity institutional complexity
- 7. Can wicked problemsbe tamed?
- 8. What to focuson when dealing with wicked problems • Teams • Politics • Behaviors
- 9. Teams for wickedproblems • Work on all parts of the problem • Diverse approaches & skills • Iterative debate • Enough common ground for progress
- 10.
- 11. Behavior change forwicked problems
- 12. So if theCGIAR is going to help solve wicked problems, what needs to be done more? Sunday morning ideas Monday morning action
- 13. Principles for wickedproblem science • ‘Good enough is best’ principle • ‘Consensus beats reality’ principle • ‘Trust beats certainty’ principle • ‘The three-thirds’ principle • ‘No neutral gear’ principle Adapted from Fullana et al, 2011
- 14. 1. ‘Good enoughis best’ principle •Don’t close off possibilities too early •Learn by doing: apply solutions with stakeholders when they still have lots of problems
- 15. Example: ICRISAT’s CODEWAproject CC impacts cannot be predicted in a way relevant to smallholders Best strategy = promote risk evasion strategies based on crop varieties Top-down climate proofing of varieties Bottom-up selection & diversification
- 16. Example: ICRISAT’s CODEWAproject 1st year 2nd year 3rd year Researcher influence on experiments none 1 variety complete training Seed selection and multiplication by farmers
- 17. 2. ‘Consensus beatsreality’ principle • Don’t build technologies and toolkits in isolation • Use impact pathways, with realistic theories of change and partnerships, as “living documents” for the entire team
- 18. Example: CIFOR’s successwith REDD Incentive scheme for forest carbon Incentive scheme for forest carbon Collaborative Part’ship on Forests Collaborative Part’ship on Forests Scientific evidence Scientific evidence High citation journal paper High citation journal paper Forest DayForest Day Media packs, UNFCCC guides Media packs, UNFCCC guidesClear & shared messages Clear & shared messages Simply REDD Moving Ahead with REDD Simply REDD Moving Ahead with REDD
- 19. 3. ‘Three thirds’principle • Radically rethink allocation of resources between research and stakeholder engagement • Invest wisely in the right partnerships based on shared objectives and complementary skill sets
- 20.
- 21. 4. ‘No neutralgear’ principle • Drop the language of “win-win-win” and be frank about trade-offs, winners and losers • Get serious about social diversity and power
- 22. Example: Commission onSustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Reduce losses and waste in the food system by 50% safety / waste trade-off safety / waste trade-off different access for different farmers different access for different farmers
- 23. Final reflection: isthe rôle of science in a wicked world to drive or to catalyze development?
- 24. May the forcebe with you
- 25. Recommended reading Dilemmas ina General Theory of Planning http://www.metu.edu.tr/~baykan/arch467/Rittel+Webber+Dilemm as.pdf Tackling Wicked Problems www.apsc.gov.au/publications07/wickedproblems.pdf