Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Open Letter to Oran Young, IHDP Scientific Committee Chair

On the Open Meeting's first evening, a roundtable discussion was held on the question: "Science in the 21st Century." I penned the following to Oran Young, IHDP's Executive Director which sums my perception of the conversation.


An open letter to Oran Young, Chair, IHDP Scientific Committee

The roundtable session on "Science for the 21st Century" started off with an important statement -- the "old way of doing things" just wasn't working -- that the IHDP research community wasn't sufficiently organized, nor productive (?), to provide the answers necessary to inform current policy regarding the social dimensions of global environmental change. The question was posed, "What "new" questions are needed?"

Unfortunately, following this important and interesting beginning, the conversation moved toward the criticisms oft heard before – we lack sufficient funding, our institutions are not structured in ways that support interdisciplinary scholarship, etc. We know these things, so the question remains "now what?"

Before arguing for more funding or institutional change, I would contend that we need to develop coherent statements as to what social science has thus far taught us about the human dimensions and what questions remain. Armed with this information, we can more effectively lobby for the institutional change necessary to realize a larger proportion of research funding and/or work to convince university administrators of the importance of interdisciplinary work. Without such information, our community will continue along its disheveled path.

Audience members commented that the social science community doesn't have an outlet that garners public respect and media attention, much like two key outlets for natural science researchers. Others suggested that existing knowledge isn't sufficiently organized such that it represents a coherent body of knowledge – and that meta-analyses of research results around key questions would clarify gaps.

I suggested the later approach.

To be blunt, I find patently offensive the suggestion that the environmental social science community has not in the past decade or so moved toward some important understanding of the social processes leading to global environmental change – and of particular aspects of the social implications of such change.

Individuals from Santa Cruz to Milan to Johannesburg to Manila are churning away to study their pieces of the human dimensions puzzle. They diligently undertake literature reviews, raise external funding, mentor graduate students, belabor over their regression results and interview data, and publish in myriad peer-reviewed outlets – not all of which will ever reveal themselves in a single bibliographic database. Any question the IHDP community might want answered, it's likely that someone has produced at least early insight – at least the invention of part of that "wheel" might have had a start.

Let's not reinvent from scratch.

Examples arose later in the panel to illustrate my point.

In response to an audience question, someone noted that we need research on aesthetics – in particular, the ways in which aesthetics shape public acceptance (or not) of renewable energy. Although the literature is indeed still emerging, please see ……

Wüstenhagen, R., M. Wolsink, and M.J. Burer. 2007. "Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept." Energy Policy. 35(5): 2683-2691.

Van der Horst, D., 2007. Nimby or not? Exploring the relevance of location and the politics of voiced opinions in renewable energy siting controversies. Energy Policy 35 (5): 2705-2714.

D. Bell, T. Gray and C. Haggett, The 'Social Gap' in wind farm citing decisions: explanations and policy responses, Environmental Politics 14 (2005), pp. 460–477

IHDP could shape future research down the most productive paths by offering a summary of current knowledge on public perception of renewable energy technologies.

Later, someone noted the importance of developing some research on the science-policy "gap" (although others criticize the use of "gap" as descriptive of the issue). Regardless, there are policy scientists that have spent careers examining the "gap," even "centers" of scholars that study this issue with regard to climate change in particular. Please see the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado at Boulder, for example, where scholars focus specifically on this gap as related to climate research and policy www.sciencepolicy.colorado.edu

My point is that environmental social science is so scattered across disciplines, across journals, across meetings, that there simply is no coherent presentation of 'state of the art' understanding on any of these topics. Further, there are no doubt thousands of environmental social scientists and humanists that do not identify as members of the IHDP community and yet have produced critical research on environmental values, ethics, preferences, human impacts, stakeholder participation in environmental policy making , environmental inequalities, and so on and so on.

Panels such as that at the IHDP may be able to generate a list of important "new" research questions, but please, oh please, don't charge off to undertake "new research" on these questions until we've undertaken a thorough, critical review of the wide variety of projects probably already devoted to that issue. Much like the IPCC mobilized the scientific community to *critically* evaluate state of the art understanding on key questions – it's time the IHDP do the same for the social dimensions. Gaps in our understanding will no doubt emerge, but our understanding of those gaps will at least be informed. Perhaps just as importantly, the research already produced by thousands of talented, hard-working, productive environmental social scientists will each contribute pieces to this critically important puzzle called the human dimensions.

IHDP: Inspiration & Frustration

www.ihdp.org/om

I recently returned from the 7th Open Meeting of the International Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change research community in Bonn, Germany. The meeting's theme was the "Social Challenges of Global Change," and indeed, many challenges were outlined. My several days of attendance were both inspiring and frustrating.

On inspiration, there is much important work underway by environmental social scientists that sheds light on social causes and consequences of environmental change – with a particular focus on climate vulnerability and adaptation. Still, much work remains to be done.

On frustrating, given the urgency of the social-environmental crises facing our planet, the social science community lacks the organization required to answer critical policy questions. In my opinion, too much time and money continues to be spent on academic exercises that offer interesting intellectual puzzles but are too far removed from questions that need to be answered – and now. How might we reduce vulnerability to environmental change – particularly for those with already fragile livelihoods. What particular mitigation and/or adaptation strategies appear best suited for certain geographic areas and/or populations? How can we encourage cultural valuation of environmental goods such that behaviors and choices are characterized by social and environmental responsibility?

Environment @ Population Association of America

www.popassoc.org

I just returned from the annual meeting of the Population Association of America, held this year in Detroit , Michigan. The several research sessions devoted to population-environment scholarship include:

Environment and Health

Economic Crises, Natural Disasters and Population Well-being

Population and Environmental Change

Environmental Exposures, Social Context and Reproductive Health

Anthropogenic Environmental Change

The overall quality of the research in this area has improved dramatically over the past decade and, as well, the sessions were very well attended – suggesting demographers are increasingly perhaps interested in considering the environmental dimensions.

Still, the PAA Presidential Address, offered by Kathleen Harris of UNC-Chapel Hill focused on the need for integrative health research incorporating social, behavioral, psychological and biological dimensions – with no explicit emphasis on environmental aspects. My concern is that mistaken conclusions may be drawn without consideration of these important dimensions – with policy recommendations/implications therefore also potentially missing key determinants of health.

New Research: AIDS & Environment, Environmental Perceptions


Myself and collaborators have recently received publication acceptance on the following three manuscripts! Two are from collaborative research in South Africa, at the Agincourt field site. The third is with my Ph.D. Advisor, Michael White from Brown University. Please write if you'd like copies! lorimaehunter@comcast.net

Hunter, Lori M., Susan Strife, and Wayne Twine. Forthcoming. "Environmental Perceptions of Rural South African Residents: The Complex Nature of Environmental Concern." Society and Natural Resources. http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/08941920.html

Abstract: The state of the local environment shapes the well-being of millions of rural residents in developing nations. Still, we know little of these individuals' environmental perceptions. This study analyzes survey data collected in an impoverished, rural region in northeast South Africa, to understand the factors that shape concern with local environmental issues. We use the "post-materialist thesis" to explore the different explanations for environmental concern in less developed regions of the world, with results revealing the importance of both cultural and physical context. In particular, gendered interaction with natural resources shapes perceptions, as does the local setting. Both theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Hunter, Lori M., Wayne Twine and Aaron Johnson. Forthcoming. "Adult Mortality and Natural Resource Use in Rural South Africa: Evidence from the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance Site." Society and Natural Resources. http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/08941920.html

Abstract: There is little empirical evidence on the association between household experience with HIV/AIDS and shifts in the use of natural resources in developing countries, where residents of rural regions remain highly dependent on often-declining local supplies of natural resources. This study examines strategies with regard to fuelwood and water among impoverished rural South African households having experienced a recent adult mortality and those without such mortality experience. Quantitative survey data reveal higher levels of natural resource dependence among mortality-affected households, as well as differences in collection strategies. Qualitative interview data provide insight into subtle and complex adjustments at the household level, revealing that impacts vary by the role of the deceased within the household economy. Resource management and public health implications are explored.

Michael J. White and Lori M. Hunter. Forthcoming. "Public Perception of Environmental Issues in a Developing Setting: Environmental Concern in Coastal Ghana" Social Science Quarterly. http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0038-494

Abstract: Objective: Balancing environmental quality with economic growth in less developed settings is clearly a challenge. Still surprisingly little empirical evidence has been brought to bear on the relative priority given environmental and socioeconomic issues among the residents themselves of such settings. This research explores such perceptions. Methods: We undertake survey research with 2500 residents of coastal Ghana on policy issues, focusing on environmental topics. Results: Our analyses reveal a significant amount of environmental awareness, with education and political engagement consistently predicting higher levels of concern. In addition, environmental issues are deemed important even when considered relative to other socioeconomic issues. Conclusion: In the end, we argue that our work sheds light on global environmentalism and the ways in which local populations in less developed settings prioritize social and environmental concerns. This work also has important policy implications since insight on local perceptions may help buttress policy responses designed to cope with global change.