Linking science and policy to address the problem of ‘fit’ in aquatic systems
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2012 - 10:30 AM TO 11:30 AM IN EIT 3142 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
Abstract:
Approaches to link science and policy are required to navigate local to global scale social-ecological change, and to address a growing problem of ‘fit’ (e.g., spatial, temporal) between rapidly changing biophysical systems and governance systems. Multi-level, multi-actor and collaborative decision making arrangements are emerging in response to this problem, although slowly and in a geographically patchy manner. Examples from aquatic systems (e.g., the Upper Mackenzie Basin, Northwest Territories) illustrate how we can approach the problem of fit by linking communities, scientists and decision makers; encouraging the co-production of knowledge crucial to understand and monitor change; and by shortening feedback loops between observations of change and policy response.