Linking Global Science and Local Knowledge

Tom Wilbanks Oak Ridge National Laboratory USA

Climate Adaptation Masterclass NCCARF, Brisbane 20 May 2011

Interpreting the Key Terms:

Global Knowledge based on scientific evidence and theory Validated by peer review Readily available to the global research community Knowledge based on experience and practice: geographically and/or sectorally Not always available in the form of documents Usually not peer-reviewed

science refers to:

Local knowledge refers to:

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We Know that Global Science (and Policy) Alone Will Not Meet Needs for Climate Change Adaptation:
Global science cannot provide all the necessary knowledge
Adaptation choices are almost invariably context-specific: what makes sense here is not necessarily what makes sense there Enormous variety of contexts by location, threat, vulnerable systems, time frame, scale: global science tends to be large-scale and generic, when decision-making requires sensitivity to the small scale in particular Importance of local knowledge to inform possible actions: localities have essential data and knowledge not available to global scientists Evidence from sustainability science that innovation and problem-solving benefit profoundly from fusion of general scientific knowledge and local knowledge and perspectives

In many cases, in fact, current adaptation practice is running ahead of research-based knowledge While we are finding that top-down initiatives can discourage distributed adaptation actions rather than facilitating them
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Consider Three Particular Issues:

Bringing together top-down and bottom-up

knowledge

Recognizing local knowledge as legitimate

Encouraging local initiative

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Challenges in Bringing Together TopDown and Bottom-Up Knowledge:

Scale matters in:
Understanding processes and phenomena Considering how relevant knowledge and information are developed, assessed, and accessed Determining who matters and for what

A central issue in efforts to provide climate services to decision-makers and stakeholders: But we have not yet figured out how to mobilize the bottom-up part 5 effectively: Managed by UT-Battelle
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Need iterative interaction between providers and users Requires platforms for linkages in both directions

Who are they? How to represent the bottom-up community effectively and fairly How to sustain its active participation

An Illustration of How Scale Matters:

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Challenges in Bringing Together TopDown and Bottom-Up Knowledge:

Scale matters in:
Understanding processes and phenomena Considering how relevant knowledge and information are developed, assessed, and accessed Determining who matters and for what

A central issue in efforts to provide climate services to decision-makers and stakeholders: But we have not yet figured out how to mobilize the bottom-up part 7 effectively: Managed by UT-Battelle
for the U.S. Department of Energy

Need iterative interaction between providers and users Requires platforms for linkages in both directions

Who are they? How to represent the bottom-up community effectively and fairly How to sustain its active participation

Recognizing Local Knowledge As Legitimate (I):

At least two fundamental obstacles (e.g., GEA):

- Global science does not always consider local knowledge to be scientifically valid - Policy arenas often question whether local knowledge is apolitical

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Recognizing Local Knowledge As Legitimate (II):

-Experience has shown that people other
Recognized as an issue for global and national environmental assessments (e.g., US NACC, MA, IPCC, ACC):
than global scientists can participate not only as reactive public participants or stakeholders but as extremely valuable and capable fellow investigators

Perspectives on the issues needing attention Sources of not only experience but also data not otherwise likely to be available Opportunities for learning by the global experts!

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Recognizing Local Knowledge As Legitimate (III):

Efforts currently underway in a variety of venues to arrive at widelyacceptable protocols and approaches for linkage and integration, e.g.,
Joint participation in analytical deliberative processes Processes for reviewing information that has not been peer-reviewed, e.g.:

Examination of gray literature sources by panels of scientists Special attention in reviews of draft reports

Different horses for difference courses, e.g., different standards for local knowledge in determining what is scientifically true than for local knowledge for framing issues and determining what is possible

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Recognizing Local Knowledge As Legitimate (IV):

Recognized as an issue for global and national environmental assessments (e.g., US NACC, MA, IPCC, ACC):

-Experience has shown that

assessments are more likely to be used if they are relevant to local issues and questions and if they speak in language intelligible to local participants : translations of meanings

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Encouraging Local Initiatives for Adaptation:

The fact is that innovative problem-solving

capacity for adaptation is usually bottom-up, while resource availability is usually top-down

Top-down resource management is

embedded in bureaucratic procedures shaped by concerns about input accountability (did investments follow rules) rather than output accountability regarding results (did investments make a difference): e.g., CDM (and, earlier, IJI)

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Different Scales Offer Different Strengths for Assessing and Implementing Adaptation Options
Local Scale Knowledge of local contexts
Local Scale

Larger Scale Resources

Linkages Resources
Linkages

Larger Scale

Knowledge of local Capacity for contexts

collective social Capacity for collective action social action

Leadership (in some Leadership (in some cases) cases) Innovative problem Innovative problem focus

Economies of Economies scale of scale

Capacities for risk Capacities for sharing

risk- sharing Portfolios of options Portfolios of options

focus

Encouraging Local Initiatives for Adaptation:

Differences Between Scales in Potentials to Support Action

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Encouraging Local Initiatives for Adaptation:

The fact is that innovative problem-solving capacity for adaptation is usually bottom-up, while resource availability is usually topdown Top-down resource access is nearly always embedded in bureaucratic procedures shaped by concerns about input accountability (did investments follow rules?) rather than output accountability regarding results (did investments make a difference?): e.g., CDM (and, earlier, IJI)

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Encouraging Local Initiatives for Adaptation - What Is the Path Forward:

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Fostering an atmosphere of mutual trust rather than mutual suspicion: toward a partnership paradigm Finding a way to emphasize, to value, and to reward co-benefits rather than additionality Getting help from intermediary third parties Utilizing infrastructures to reduce gaps in knowledge: distributed access, improved trust and credibility, distributed assessment and response Leadership Tailoring linkage strategies to differences in local contexts

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Encouraging Local Initiatives for Adaptation What Is the Path Forward?

Top-Down Strategies To Encourage and Support Adaptation Should Consider Differences in Local Contexts

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An Objective: to Build New Partnerships between Top-down Climate Consequence Science and Bottom-up Climate Consequence Knowledge and Experience:

Climate change adaptation knowledge and climate change adaptation experience-evolving together Increasing interactions and collaborations to foster mutual respect and awareness of each others strengths Developing effective and acceptable approaches for incorporating local knowledge in the larger discourse. Narrowing the gap in access to and uses of available scientific and technological information through the effective use of modern information technologies

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