The sustainability transition - Environmental and Human Security in the Arctic - page 83

The sustainability transition
Governing coupled human/natural
system s 1
Oran R. Young
Introduction
We live in a world of dynamic, often turbulent, and increasingly human-dom-
inated ecosystems. The social systems that generate anthropogenic impacts on
ecosystems are similarly dynamic and turbulent. The key to sustainability in
this setting lies in developing techniques that allow us to steer or govern these
coupled systems in such a way as to avoid outcomes that are unintended, nasty
and largely irreversible. Yet many familiar and well-entrenched scientific meth-
ods and models are not conducive to this effort; some familiar models actually
impede progress in these terms. It follows that we need to rethink our analytic
tools and alter our approach to policymaking for sustainability accordingly.
The body of this chapter develops this argument in three steps. The first
section focuses on rethinking our analytic tools; it explains the reasons why
such an effort is needed and points to some of the cutting-edge questions we
should bear in mind in dealing with this need. The second section s ets forth
three challenges for science that must be addressed in order to produce knowl-
edge that can play an influential and constructive role in moving society
towards sustainability or, in other words, making a 'sustainability transition'.
The third section spells out six lessons for policymaking that flow from the
preceding discussion of the production of knowledge relevant to making a
sustainability transition. An underlying theme throughout the argument set
forth here is the need to improve the relationship between science and policy
in order to make science more policy relevant and to avoid pitfalls arising
from efforts to manipulate science for partisan purposes.
Rethinking our analytic tools
Much current thinking about human/nature interactions has its roots in an
earlier era in which it seemed reasonable to assume that (i) human actions are
not major drivers of ecosystem dynamics and (ii) a reductionist approach to
the analysis of ecosystems constitutes an appropriate point of departure for
generating policy-relevant knowledge. Those who make these assumptions