Moving toward the Deliberate Coproduction of Climate Science Knowledge
13 May 2015-Weather, Climate, and Society (American Meteorological Society)-Vol. 7, Iss: 2, pp 179-191
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present five approaches to collaborative research that can be used to structure a coproduction process that each suit different types of research or management questions, decision-making contexts, and resources and skills available to contribute to the process of engagement.
Abstract: Coproduction of knowledge is believed to be an effective way to produce usable climate science knowledge through a process of collaboration between scientists and decision makers. While the general principles of coproduction—establishing long-term relationships between scientists and stakeholders, ensuring two-way communication between both groups, and keeping the focus on the production of usable science—are well understood, the mechanisms for achieving those goals have been discussed less. It is proposed here that a more deliberate approach to building the relationships and communication channels between scientists and stakeholders will yield better outcomes. The authors present five approaches to collaborative research that can be used to structure a coproduction process that each suit different types of research or management questions, decision-making contexts, and resources and skills available to contribute to the process of engagement. By using established collaborative research approaches scientists can be more effective in learning from stakeholders, can be more confident when engaging with stakeholders because there are guideposts to follow, and can assess both the process and outcomes of collaborative projects, which will help the whole community of stakeholder-engaged climate-scientists learn about coproduction of knowledge.
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TL;DR: This paper distills core lessons about how researchers interested in promoting sustainable development can increase the likelihood of producing usable knowledge from both practical experience and scholarly advances in understanding the relationships between science and society.
Abstract: This paper distills core lessons about how researchers (scientists, engineers, planners, etc.) interested in promoting sustainable development can increase the likelihood of producing usable knowledge. We draw the lessons from both practical experience in diverse contexts around the world and from scholarly advances in understanding the relationships between science and society. Many of these lessons will be familiar to those with experience in crafting knowledge to support action for sustainable development. However, few are included in the formal training of researchers. As a result, when scientists and engineers first venture out of the laboratory or library with the goal of linking their knowledge with action, the outcome has often been ineffectiveness and disillusionment. We therefore articulate here a core set of lessons that we believe should become part of the basic training for researchers interested in crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development. These lessons entail at least four things researchers should know, and four things they should do. The knowing lessons involve understanding the coproduction relationships through which knowledge making and decision making shape one another in social–environmental systems. We highlight the lessons that emerge from examining those coproduction relationships through the ICAP lens, viewing them from the perspectives of Innovation systems, Complex systems, Adaptive systems, and Political systems. The doing lessons involve improving the capacity of the research community to put its understanding of coproduction into practice. We highlight steps through which researchers can help build capacities for stakeholder collaboration, social learning, knowledge governance, and researcher training.
419 citations
Boston University1, University of Arizona2, Colorado State University3, United States Geological Survey4, University of Texas at Austin5, University of Maryland, College Park6, National Ecological Observatory Network7, University of California, Berkeley8, University of Colorado Boulder9, Purdue University10, University of California, Irvine11, Utah State University12, University of Delaware13, Institute of Ecosystem Studies14, University of Florida15
TL;DR: The need to start forecasting is now; the time for making ecology more predictive is here, and learning by doing is the fastest route to drive the science forward.
Abstract: Two foundational questions about sustainability are "How are ecosystems and the services they provide going to change in the future?" and "How do human decisions affect these trajectories?" Answering these questions requires an ability to forecast ecological processes Unfortunately, most ecological forecasts focus on centennial-scale climate responses, therefore neither meeting the needs of near-term (daily to decadal) environmental decision-making nor allowing comparison of specific, quantitative predictions to new observational data, one of the strongest tests of scientific theory Near-term forecasts provide the opportunity to iteratively cycle between performing analyses and updating predictions in light of new evidence This iterative process of gaining feedback, building experience, and correcting models and methods is critical for improving forecasts Iterative, near-term forecasting will accelerate ecological research, make it more relevant to society, and inform sustainable decision-making under high uncertainty and adaptive management Here, we identify the immediate scientific and societal needs, opportunities, and challenges for iterative near-term ecological forecasting Over the past decade, data volume, variety, and accessibility have greatly increased, but challenges remain in interoperability, latency, and uncertainty quantification Similarly, ecologists have made considerable advances in applying computational, informatic, and statistical methods, but opportunities exist for improving forecast-specific theory, methods, and cyberinfrastructure Effective forecasting will also require changes in scientific training, culture, and institutions The need to start forecasting is now; the time for making ecology more predictive is here, and learning by doing is the fastest route to drive the science forward
385 citations
University of Colorado Boulder1, United States Forest Service2, Colorado State University3, University of Montana4, University of New Mexico5, Natural Resources Canada6, Kent State University7, University of California, Berkeley8, University of Arizona9, Northern Arizona University10, University of Washington11, University of Vermont12, United States Geological Survey13, University of Wisconsin-Madison14
TL;DR: This article synthesizes a growing body of evidence of fire-driven conversion and understanding of its causes across western North America and proposes key themes for applied research coproduced by scientists and managers to support decision-making in an era when the prefire forest may not return.
Abstract: Changing disturbance regimes and climate can overcome forest ecosystem resilience. Following high-severity fire, forest recovery may be compromised by lack of tree seed sources, warmer and drier postfire climate, or short-interval reburning. A potential outcome of the loss of resilience is the conversion of the prefire forest to a different forest type or nonforest vegetation. Conversion implies major, extensive, and enduring changes in dominant species, life forms, or functions, with impacts on ecosystem services. In the present article, we synthesize a growing body of evidence of fire-driven conversion and our understanding of its causes across western North America. We assess our capacity to predict conversion and highlight important uncertainties. Increasing forest vulnerability to changing fire activity and climate compels shifts in management approaches, and we propose key themes for applied research coproduced by scientists and managers to support decision-making in an era when the prefire forest may not return.
268 citations
University of Tasmania1, Cooperative Research Centre2, Stockholm Environment Institute3, Columbia University4, National Center for Atmospheric Research5, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration6, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts7, Public Health England8, University of Oxford9, Environmental Change Institute10, University of Exeter11, University of Liverpool12, Met Office13, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute14, George Mason University15, RMIT University16, University of New South Wales17, Desert Research Institute18, London School of Economics and Political Science19, Lancaster University20
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented the emerging operational S2S forecasts to the wider weather and climate applications community by undertaking the first comprehensive review of sectoral applications of S 2S predictions, including public health, disaster preparedness, water management, energy and agriculture.
Abstract: While seasonal outlooks have been operational for many years, until recently the extended-range timescale referred to as subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) has received little attention. S2S prediction fills the gap between short-range weather prediction and long-range seasonal outlooks. Decisions in a range of sectors are made in this extended-range lead time; therefore, there is a strong demand for this new generation of forecasts. International efforts are under way to identify key sources of predictability, improve forecast skill and operationalize aspects of S2S forecasts; however, challenges remain in advancing this new frontier. If S2S predictions are to be used effectively, it is important that, along with science advances, an effort is made to develop, communicate and apply these forecasts appropriately. In this study, the emerging operational S2S forecasts are presented to the wider weather and climate applications community by undertaking the first comprehensive review of sectoral applications of S2S predictions, including public health, disaster preparedness, water management, energy and agriculture. The value of applications-relevant S2S predictions is explored, and the opportunities and challenges facing their uptake are highlighted. It is shown how social sciences can be integrated with S2S development, from communication to decision-making and valuation of forecasts, to enhance the benefits of ‘climate services’ approaches for extended-range forecasting. While S2S forecasting is at a relatively early stage of development, it is concluded that it presents a significant new window of opportunity that can be explored for application-ready capabilities that could allow many sectors the opportunity to systematically plan on a new time horizon.
259 citations
Cites background from "Moving toward the Deliberate Coprod..."
...Prioritizing collaboration between scientists and those who rely on climate and weather information to make policy and management decisions through a ‘co-exploration’ approach supports this co-production of usable information (Meadow et al., 2015; Steynor et al., 2015), especially when exploring decisions where needs or sensitivities are yet to be identified....
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...Scientists and users could co-develop tools and processes for fostering the joint development of S2S predictions, with stakeholder-based modelling (Voinov and Bousquet, 2010) or co-exploration/co-production processes (Lemos and Morehouse, 2005; Meadow et al., 2015; Steynor et al., 2015) involving the user community not only as consumers but as co-producers of climate information....
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Columbia University1, California Institute of Technology2, University of Bern3, University of California, Irvine4, University of Colorado Boulder5, University of Washington6, Princeton University7, Goddard Institute for Space Studies8, University of Central Florida9, United States Department of the Army10
TL;DR: In this paper, a multidisciplinary argument for the concept of connected extreme events is presented, and vantage points and approaches for producing climate information useful in guiding decisions about them are discussed.
Abstract: Extreme weather and climate events and their impacts can occur in complex combinations, an interaction shaped by physical drivers and societal forces. In these situations, governance, markets and other decision-making structures—together with population exposure and vulnerability—create nonphysical interconnections among events by linking their impacts, to positive or negative effect. Various anthropogenic actions can also directly affect the severity of events, further complicating these feedback loops. Such relationships are rarely characterized or considered in physical-sciences-based research contexts. Here, we present a multidisciplinary argument for the concept of connected extreme events, and we suggest vantage points and approaches for producing climate information useful in guiding decisions about them. The impacts of extreme weather and climate can be amplified by physical interactions among events and across a complex set of societal factors. This Perspective discusses the concept and challenge of connected extreme events, exploring research approaches and decision-making strategies.
255 citations
References
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TL;DR: The search for scientific bases for confronting problems of social policy is bound to fail, becuase of the nature of these problems as discussed by the authors, whereas science has developed to deal with tame problems.
Abstract: The search for scientific bases for confronting problems of social policy is bound to fail, becuase of the nature of these problems. They are “wicked” problems, whereas science has developed to deal with “tame” problems. Policy problems cannot be definitively described. Moreover, in a pluralistic society there is nothing like the undisputable public good; there is no objective definition of equity; policies that respond to social problems cannot be meaningfully correct or false; and it makes no sense to talk about “optimal solutions” to social problems unless severe qualifications are imposed first. Even worse, there are no “solutions” in the sense of definitive and objective answers.
13,262 citations
"Moving toward the Deliberate Coprod..." refers background in this paper
...…| Downloaded 04/05/22 06:39 PM UTC By the early 1970s this linear model of science was critiqued as insufficient for dealing with complex, ‘‘wicked’’ problems that require scientific knowledge but also ‘‘rely upon elusive political judgment for resolution’’ (Rittel and Webber 1973, p. 160)....
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a model of how one group of actors managed the tension between divergent viewpoints and the need for generalizable findings in scientific work, and distinguish four types of boundary objects: repositories, ideal types, coincident boundaries and standardized forms.
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7,634 citations
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"Moving toward the Deliberate Coprod..." refers background in this paper
...As defined by Lewin (1946), AR is a qualitative...
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...As defined by Lewin (1946), AR is a qualitative research approach designed to both solve practical problems and further our generalizable knowledge of societal structures and processes....
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Book•
01 Aug 1997
TL;DR: Stokes as mentioned in this paper argues that the relationship between government and the scientific community can only be restored when we understand what is wrong with the dichotomy between basic and applied science, and he recasts the widely accepted view of the tension between understanding and use, citing as a model case the fundamental yet use-inspired studies by which Louis Pasteur laid the foundations of microbiology.
Abstract: Over fifty years ago, Vannevar Bush released his enormously influential report, Science, the Endless Frontier, which asserted a dichotomy between basic and applied science. This view was at the core of the compact between government and science that led to the golden age of scientific research after World War II a compact that is currently under severe stress. In this book, Donald Stokes challenges Bush's view and maintains that we can only rebuild the relationship between government and the scientific community when we understand what is wrong with that view. Stokes begins with an analysis of the goals of understanding and use in scientific research. He recasts the widely accepted view of the tension between understanding and use, citing as a model case the fundamental yet use-inspired studies by which Louis Pasteur laid the foundations of microbiology a century ago. Pasteur worked in the era of the ""second industrial revolution,"" when the relationship between basic science and technological change assumed its modern form. Over subsequent decades, technology has been increasingly science-based. But science has been increasingly technology-based--with the choice of problems and the conduct of research often inspired by societal needs. An example is the work of the quantum-effects physicists who are probing the phenomena revealed by the miniaturization of semiconductors from the time of the transistor's discovery after World War II. On this revised, interactive view of science and technology, Stokes builds a convincing case that by recognizing the importance of use-inspired basic research we can frame a new compact between science and government. His conclusions have major implications for both the scientific and policy communities and will be of great interest to those in the broader public who are troubled by the current role of basic science in American democracy.
2,007 citations