How does society deal with research results on climate and land and water management studies? And what implications do societal framing and institutionalization processes have on the design and implementation of climate and water research?
The ‘Human Dimensions group’ is part of the Earth System Science and Climate Change Team, a team that is mostly oriented on natural scientific research. The Human Dimensions group’s mission is to understand the role of the social processes that are relevant for applying earth system science. Our objective within this team are to enhance societal relevance of ESS CC research and to improve the practical applicability of knowledge and innovations. Our research therefore focuses on strengthen the interactions between society and research. Examples of research subjects are stakeholder participation in the articulation of knowledge needs, implementation of research findings in policy and legislation, and knowledge transfer processes. We use a large variety of participatory methods. We also contribute to academic education at Wageningen University.
The group consists of eight researchers with the following competences:
- Knowledge of social sciences in general with a focus on knowledge management, trans- and interdisciplinary processes and governance;
- Knowledge on institutional capacity building and adaptive management;
- Process management skills and a broad repertoire of group dynamics and interactive process tools.
The group is involved in research and projects in the field of climate change and integral water management in the Netherlands, Europe and in other parts of the world. The group is well connected to societal networks on (inter)national, regional and local levels and to non-governmental organizations.
Some examples of Human Dimensions research projects:
IC12- Institutions for adaptation: Is the Dutch institutional structure capable of adapting to climate change?
IC12 is a policy studies project within the Climate changes Spatial Planning Programme (website). There is a lot of research on adaptive solutions, and the next question is: are Dutch governments and other organizations capable of implementing those solutions once they are found? And how does this fit into the trend towards more interactive governance? Another well-known issue in policy studies is cooperation between policy sectors and integrated policy: is this important condition for climate adaptation met in the Netherlands? How innovative are societal structures in the Netherlands? These and other questions will be answered in a project that concentrates on the sectors water, nature, agriculture and spatial planning. The end result will be a diagnosis of the climate-proof-ness of the Dutch institutional infrastructure.
More information: Judith.Klostermann(at)wur.nl
Institutions as barriers and opportunities in the policy process of climate adaptation
During the last couple of years, political awareness has grown that pro-active strategies are necessary to adapt to the projected impacts of climate change. Within this new policy domain discussions have advanced and are no longer only about the adaptation strategies and policy options available, but also on the many potential factors that influence the policy process of adaptation, both positive and negative. There is currently little understanding of these factors. Depending whom you ask (their individual goals, interests, values, strategies); these factors are seen as ‘social barriers to adaptation’ or ‘opportunities’ to advance the adaptation process. Taking an institutional perspective, this research aims to understand what these social factors are and to explain what, when and how policy makers experience them as barriers and opportunities in the policy process of climate adaptation. This research aims to identify the underlying mechanisms that determine what these barriers and opportunities. By building an analytical framework this research will give suggestions for interventions in current and future adaptation policy processes to prevent potential barriers and exploit opportunities.
For more about this information PhD research (2008-2012) please contact robbert.biesbroek(at)wur.nl.
BRIDGE
BRIDGE is a European project within the Seventh Framework Programme that started in 2008. Thirteen European partners are involved in the project; it is led by the Greek ‘Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas’ based on Crete. Goal of the project is to develop a decision support system (DSS) for sustainable city management. The DSS builds on ideas from industrial ecology, and includes knowledge on energy and material flows, hydrology, CO2 and other emissions. The contribution of ESS-CC to the project consists of organising a Community of Practice (CoP) together with the five pilot cities (Athens, Florence, Helsinki, London and Gliwice). The function of the CoP is to make sure that the DSS instrument is user-friendly and tailor-made for its purposes.
More information: Eddy.Moors(at)wur.nl or Judith.Klostermann(at)wur.nl
NeWater
The central theme of the NeWater project (website) is a transition from currently prevailing regimes of river basin water management into more adaptive regimes in the future. Managing the systems will be more difficult due to increasing complexity and uncertainty. Wageningen focuses on the the vulnerability and understanding of the hydrological system, on the optimization of land use to reach the required steps to reach ecological flow and on training and facilitation of knowledge exchange to strengthen the overall project result and impact. Read more.
More information: Fons.Jaspers(at)wur.nl
Capacity development for climate change adaptation in East Africa - in agriculture and natural resource management policies
Wageningen UR, in collaboration with ASARECA and IUCN, organized a workshop for capacity development for policy makers inagriculture and natural resource management (NRM), for adaptation in climate change in East Africa in June 2008. Over 30 participants, from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia actively engaged in the discussion. At present, follow up activities are formulated, aiming at involvement of politicians at a higher level, and a course has been developed on climate change adaptation: Climate change adaptation in agriculture and natural resources management (March 1-12, 2010) (read more and apply). A training manual based on training material has been developed for the first and second training on ‘Climate Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management’ held in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, June 2009 and March 2010. More information about Climate Change and Policymaking in Agriculture & NRM: http://portals.wi.wur.nl/climatechange or contact Catharien.Terwisscha(at)wur.nl by email.
COP on Climate and Urban Water
Are urban water systems ready to cope with climate change? And do we have sufficient knowledge, skills and tools to adapt our routines to changing environments? These are the questions a community of practice is addressing. Membership of the COP includes technicians, policy workers, communication experts and scientists all having experience in the field of urban water systems and climate change. The COP studies every three month an actual case and reflects on lessons to be learned and knowledge to be created. This co-creation of knowledge enhances the professionalism of the COP members themselves, and contributes through publications to the urban water sector as a whole.
More Information: Eric.vanSlobbe(at)wur.nl or Eddy.Moors(at)wur.nl.
New in 2011
Governance in case Singapore stakeholder involvement, opportunity mapping and knowledge sharing.
Sustainable development of the Singapore coastal zone with a focus on the development of natural shorelines by developing locally usable best practices for decision making, design and realisation of eco-hydraulic works. The special emphasis is on land reclamation, coastal defence and costal zone development. We facilitate embedding of Building with Nature ideas, developments and Eco Dynamic Desing (EDD) in the decision making process on- and management of marine infrastructure.
More information: annemarie.groot@wur.nl
New in 2011
Towards principles for effective ecodynamic design projects in the Markermeer/Ijsselmeer region
To develop ecological, technical and governance principles for an effective ecodynamic project design in the Markermeer/IJsselmeer region, based on successes and failures is past projects. And to design visions of the future of ecodynamic design for a specific water infrastructural project in this region.
More information: annemarie.groot@wur.nl