Science–policy processes for transboundary water governance

Armitage, Derek; Loë, Rob C. de; Morris, M. J. R.; Edwards, T. W. D.; Gerlak, Andrea K.; Hall, Roland I.; Huitema, Dave; Ison, Ray; Livingstone, D. W.; MacDonald, Glen; Mirumachi, Naho; Plummer, Ryan; Wolfe, Brent B.

doi:10.1007/s13280-015-0644-x

Cited by 117 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Natural resource managers, for example, routinely highlight the lack of meaningful personal interactions with scientists as a primary limiting constraint on the use of science in developing adaptation strategies (eg Armitage et al . ; Meadow et al . ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Developing a translational ecology workforce

Schwartz

Hiers

Davis

et al. 2017

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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We define a translational ecologist as a professional ecologist with diverse disciplinary expertise and skill sets, as well as a suitable personal disposition, who engages across social, professional, and disciplinary boundaries to partner with decision makers to achieve practical environmental solutions. Becoming a translational ecologist requires specific attention to obtaining critical non-scientific disciplinary breadth and skills that are not typically gained through graduate-level education. Here, we outline a need for individuals with broad training in interdisciplinary skills, use our personal experiences as a basis for assessing the types of interdisciplinary skills that would benefit potential translational ecologists, and present steps that interested ecologists may take toward becoming translational. Skills relevant to translational ecologists may be garnered through personal experiences, informal training, short courses, fellowships, and graduate programs, among others. We argue that a translational ecology workforce is needed to bridge the gap between science and natural resource decisions. Furthermore, we argue that this task is a cooperative responsibility of individuals interested in pursuing these careers, educational institutions interested in training scientists for professional roles outside of academia, and employers seeking to hire skilled workers who can foster stakeholder-engaged decision making. A s the severity of global environmental challenges deepens, ecologists are being increasingly called upon to engage with decision makers to identify solutions that are socially acceptable. Such solutions must be salient, credible, and legitimate in order to be effective (Cash et al. 2003).For research to inform natural resource decision making, it must be driven by stakeholder problems and concerns, and should involve a collaborative process between researchers and users of the products of that research. However, bridging gaps among the varied cultures of requisite disciplines to formulate practical, implementable policy and management solutions remains a major impediment (Cook et al. 2013). Natural resource managers, for example, routinely highlight the lack of meaningful personal interactions with scientists as a primary limiting constraint on the use of science in developing adaptation strategies (eg Armitage et al. 2015;Meadow et al. 2015).Traditional graduate training, which continues to emphasize the importance of curiosity-and theory-driven inquiry, is often insufficient for developing aptitude to inform practical solutions (Graybill et al. 2006). Framing research is classically motivated by targeting the most intellectually novel and stimulating research questions based on the scientific literature. These cutting-edge science questions, however, are often not tuned to finding solutions to society's most pressing problems. Furthermore, this emerging training need for science to meet global environmental challenges extends beyond "Pasteur's quadrant" (Stokes 1997), in which science can r...

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a translational ecology workforce

Schwartz

Hiers

Davis

et al. 2017

Frontiers in Ecol & Environ

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“…In their review of conditions to support effective science-policy interaction in transboundary river basins, Armitage et al (2015) [46] conclude that the social and institutional context in which actors create and utilize scientific knowledge is fundamental. Increasingly, a number of water scholars are calling for greater attention to issues of democratization, equity, and human welfare in water governance (e.g., [47][48][49][50][51][52]).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Water Resources Management

2017

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modes and Approaches of Groundwater Governance: A Survey of Lessons Learned from Selected Cases across the Globe

Varady

Zúñiga-Terán

Gerlak

et al. 2016

Water

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Abstract:The crucial role of groundwater and the centrality of water governance in accommodating growing water demands sustainably are becoming well recognized. We review 10 case studies of groundwater governance-representing diverse global regions and local contexts-from the perspective of four well-established elements: (1) institutional setting; (2) availability and access to information and science; (3) robustness of civil society; and (4) economic and regulatory frameworks. For institutional setting, we find that governing is often a thankless task that paradoxically requires popularity; legislation does not always translate to implementation; conflict resolution is central to governance; and funding is critical for governance. In terms of information access, we see: a need for research for natural systems, social systems, and institutions; trust as an essential element in research; and that urbanized landscapes are critical components of groundwater governance. Looking at civil society robustness, we observe that equity is an essential element for governance; community-based governance requires intention; and leaders can play a powerful role in uniting stakeholders. As for frameworks, the cases suggest that economic incentives sometimes yield unintended results; "indirect" management should be used cautiously; and economic incentives' effectiveness depends on the system employed. Collectively, the lessons speak to the need for shared governance capacities on the part of governments at multiple levels and civil society actors.

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Science–policy processes for transboundary water governance

Cited by 117 publications

References 64 publications

Developing a translational ecology workforce

Developing a translational ecology workforce

Water Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Water Resources Management

Modes and Approaches of Groundwater Governance: A Survey of Lessons Learned from Selected Cases across the Globe

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