Scientific Foundations for Commitment and Consistency Arthur Lyon Dahl International Environment Forum Consumer Citizenship Network Third CCN International Conference Hamar, Norway, 16 May 2006 International Environment Forum

Communications challenge of the science of sustainability Long time lag between damage to environmental systems and changed behaviour/lost services Crying wolf or playing Cassandra Short-term perspectives in politics and economics Lack of adequate public education

Motivating individual consumers Commitment to new forms of behaviour Building commitments into more sustainable lifestyles Consistency of beliefs and actions For commitment to be lasting, in must be based on: Intellectual understanding Ethical, emotional or spiritual motivation Each reinforcing the other

CONSUMER SOCIETY We are encouraged to consume without limit

Sustainability requires: Fundamental changes in lifestyles Making choices Refusing temptations Voluntarily sacrificing some things to preserve other values or possibilities This is a goal of consumer citizenship

Motivating change based on commitment and consistency requires two kinds of knowledge Scientific Ethical/religious/spiritual

Scientific Knowledge - Understanding the world around us - Defining the limits to development - Estimating risks to health/well-being

Place of science in society Specialization bordering on elitism Inaccessible language Selective entry/peer review By and for experts Scientific knowledge requires translation for public consumption Beyond the reach of normal people Prevents science from influencing values and behaviour

Traditional Knowledge An alternative model Part of family/tribal heritage

Traditional knowledge Accumulated wisdom based on observation, like science Tribal "experts", master fisherman, healer Interpreted in alternative cultural framework Rejected as "magic" or "superstition" Transmission interrupted

The diversity of environments requires adaptive management "Expert" approach to science cannot meet all present needs. Benefits restricted to the wealthy.

We need to change our approach to science and its role in education - Remove unnecessary detail - Make the scientific method available to everyone

The basics of science Understanding experimentation Cause and effect Thinking in terms of process and systems Evaluating evidence objectively Questioning hypotheses and assumptions Investigating truth rationally and independently

Example Local environmental monitoring Observation of changes Assistance with interpretation of results Immediate changes in behaviour Correction of problems, reinforcement of good practices Coral reefs: Water quality:

Giving people a direct experience of scientific reality - Better understanding of science - Basis for science to impact values and behaviour

Access to science requires new kinds of institutions In every country and region Community based Supporting participatory science Providing access to scientific information Open to everyone

The challenge is to structure scientific knowledge in new ways that make it more accessible and useful

Environmental observing systems and indicators support the communication of science Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership Global Earth Observation System of Systems earthobservations.org Deliver graphic data on the state of the planet and the multiple dimensions of sustainability

Indicators of Sustainability are important educational tools Ecological footprint Environmental Vulnerability Index Environmental Sustainability Index Environmental Performance Index Compendium of Indicators of Sustainability Indicators communicate scientific information quickly, widely and effectively

Goal of scientific education and information delivery Provide all consumers with objective scientific representation of world environmental situation Dynamic interactions with human society and economy Enable communities to determine local situation and sustainability Reinforce local sense of responsibility for environmental management

Provide scientific information on linkages between Consumption patterns Lifestyles Consumer choices Social justice and cohesion Environmental sustainability

Support capacity to think globally and act locally

Empowering consumers with science Essential component of commitment Shows necessity for action in objective terms Reinforced through participation in science Combined with emotional commitment from ethical/spiritual framework of values

Will make people into effective change agents for sustainability Thank you