International Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Open Workshop Montreal, Quebec October 16-18, 2003

Objectives Produce research results relevant to policy-making community Produce research results relevant to policy-making community –Promote and support research Build research capacity & international scientific networking (START) Build research capacity & international scientific networking (START) Synthesize and communicate research results Synthesize and communicate research results

IHDP Core Projects Land use – land cover change Land use – land cover change Institutional dimensions of global environmental change Institutional dimensions of global environmental change Global environmental change and human security Global environmental change and human security Industrial transformation Industrial transformation

IHDP Joint Projects Global environmental change and food systems (GECAFS) Global environmental change and food systems (GECAFS) – Global carbon project (GCP) Global carbon project (GCP) – Global water system Global water system

Research Questions Vulnerability/resilience Vulnerability/resilience –What factors determine capacity of coupled systems to endure & produce outcomes in face of social and biophysical change? Thresholds/transitions Thresholds/transitions –How can we recognize long-term trends in forcing functions and ensure orderly transitions when thresholds are passed? Governance Governance –How can we steer tightly coupled systems towards desired goals/away from undesired outcomes? Learning/adaptation Learning/adaptation –How can we stimulate social learning in interest of managing dynamics of tightly coupled systems?

Big Themes Transition to sustainability / consumption Transition to sustainability / consumption Scale issues Scale issues Vulnerability Vulnerability Partnerships Partnerships Governance Governance Patterns of development & sustainability Patterns of development & sustainability Carbon cycle Carbon cycle Participatory/interactive science Participatory/interactive science Neoliberalism and globalization Neoliberalism and globalization Science – policy interface Science – policy interface

Big Questions How to work across scales, harmonize research done at different scales How to work across scales, harmonize research done at different scales How to effect desirable governance institutions and processes How to effect desirable governance institutions and processes How to define, measure vulnerability and carry out analyses How to define, measure vulnerability and carry out analyses How to achieve transition to sustainability How to achieve transition to sustainability How to assure environmental security in context of adaptation activities How to assure environmental security in context of adaptation activities

Selected SessionThemes Poverty & environment Poverty & environment Governance, institutions, policy Governance, institutions, policy Scale Scale Vulnerability Vulnerability Patterns of development<>Sustainability Patterns of development<>Sustainability Carbon cycle Carbon cycle Land use/land change dynamics Land use/land change dynamics Environment & health Environment & health Public-private partnerships Public-private partnerships Urban issues Urban issues Production/consumption Production/consumption

Drivers & Responses Highlighted at Meeting Drivers Drivers –Poverty, migration, urbanization & urban dynamics (hybrid cities), biodiversity, economy, rural livelihoods, food security –Industrial transition –Carbon cycle –Climate, land use/land cover change Responses Responses –Changes in governance, policy, institutions, regimes –Enhancement of resilience (adaptation) –Carbon sequestration –Provision of decision support

Disciplines Represented (many associated with institutes) Geography Geography Political science Political science Anthropology Anthropology Economics Economics Modelers Modelers Rural sociology? Rural sociology? Policy Policy International relations International relations Public health, epidemiology Public health, epidemiology Ecology, fisheries Ecology, fisheries

Scale Issues Spatial Spatial –Locality, region, national, international Temporal Temporal –Current to perhaps 50 years out Societal Societal –Individual behavior, perceptions –Community, sectoral –Larger organizational levels (NGOs, national governments, etc)

Summary for HARC Little representation of arctic at meeting Little representation of arctic at meeting Common sets of questions/themes serve to bring communities of interest together Common sets of questions/themes serve to bring communities of interest together Truly international Truly international Interrelated funding mechanisms Interrelated funding mechanisms Combination of large and small projects Combination of large and small projects –Array of scales, geographical areas, methods