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Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence

Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence. Neil Davies University of California Berkeley Gump South Pacific Research Station Moorea, French Polynesia. Green Growth Investment Forum, Brussels 6-7.10.11

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Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence

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  1. Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence Neil Davies University of California Berkeley Gump South Pacific Research Station Moorea, French Polynesia Green Growth Investment Forum, Brussels 6-7.10.11 EMBASSIES OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES & MISSIONS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION Commonwealth of Dominica  St Kitts & Nevis  Saint Lucia  St Vincent & the Grenadines

  2. Small Islands, Big Science? • Trend towards mega projects: • European Southern Observatory, Chile • CERN Large Hadron Collider • National Ecological Observatory Network, USA • Human Genome Project • What role for small islands? Credit: Popular Science magazine

  3. 21st Century’s Grand Challenge Fostering a transition toward patterns of development that promote human well-being while conserving the life support systems of the planet - Toward a Science of Sustainability* (Clark & Levin, 2010) * An NSF funded workshop

  4. Sustainability ResearchEmploy the scientific method to study human-environment interactionsTranslationRender research discoveries actionable for specific practitioners in particular placesInnovationHarness scientific knowledge and knowledge of practice to develop novel solutions

  5. Sustainability Science Can small islands become Centers of Excellence?

  6. Small Island Characteristics • Geographically defined and politically autonomous socio-ecosystems • Enormous within and between archipelago diversity, but all islands face common challenges • Very dependent on fossil fuels and imported goods • High cost electricity and transport (limited exports) • Abundant renewable resources but small internal markets and limited capital • Telecommunications rapidly reducing isolation • Very vulnerable to climate change

  7. Scales of Sustainability Big Island Small Island

  8. Islands as Model Ecosystems • Sustainability Science Observatories: • Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Non-Renewable Resources, and Urbanization • Place-based comparative studies • Among islands, combining “WEHAB+” data with scientific models of change (local and global) • Develop and test predictive models • Maximize productivity, spur innovation • Enhance resilience to external shocks

  9. Turning Weakness to Strength? • Islands could • Become key supplier of the long-term, place-based data needed for scientific models of sustainability • Attract academic institutions to pioneer problem based learning in sustainability science • Integrate research and education programs into innovative open adaptive governance model • Tourism already 35% of Caribbean GDP, is Science and Education Travel a new niche?

  10. ndavies@moorea.berkeley.edu UC Berkeley Gump South Pacific Station, Moorea, French Polynesia Http://moorea.berkeley.edu

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