The sustainability transition - Environmental and Human Security in the Arctic - page 96

If the analysis of coupled systems in the preceding sections is persuasive, it
will also strengthen the hand of those who argue that we must devote more
energy to understanding the nature of environmental regimes or governance
systems. These institutional arrangements sit at the intersection of ecologi-
cal and social systems, endeavouring to steer the interactions between the
elements of these coupled systems in the interests of avoiding destructive out-
comes and enhancing the prospect of managing socio-ecological systems on a
sustainable basis. Recent years have witnessed a substantial growth of interest
in analyses of the determinants of success and failure regarding these institu-
tional arrangements. But this field of study is still in its infancy; there is much
to be done to amass a body of knowledge about environmental regimes capa-
ble of offering real help to those responsible for creating and implementing a
wide range of governance systems intended to contribute to the sustainability
transition (Underdal and Young 2004).
Finally, it is important to bear in mind common pitfalls of the science-
policy interface. Nothing is more common than the manipulation of scientific
findings to suit the needs of influential actors in the policy process. Scientists
themselves often lack both the time and the inclination to enter the arena of
policymaking. This suggests that there is a critical role for 'knowledge bro-
kers', individuals who are comfortable both in the world of science and in the
world of policymaking and who are able to explain the implications of scien-
tific advances in a manner that is accessible to a lay audience (Litfin 1994). Of
course, the presence of such individuals offers no guarantee that the integrity
of scientific knowledge will remain intact as it enters the arena of policymak-
ing and politics. But efforts to integrate science and policymaking will surely
be critical during the foreseeable future if we are to succeed in navigating the
sustainability transition.
Note
1 This chapter is based on a presentation at the National Capital Colloquium on the
Governance of Sustainable Development, Ottawa, April 2004.
References
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Berkes, F. and Folke, C. (eds) (1998) Linking Social and Ecological Systems , Cambridge: Cambridge
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Bolin, B. (1997) 'Scientific assessment of climate change', in G. Fermann (ed.) International
Politics of Climate Change , Oslo: Scandinavian University Press.
Crutzen, P. and Stoermer, E. F. (2000) 'The Anthropocene', IGBP Newsletter , 41:17-18.
Global Carbon Project (2003) Science Framework and Implementation, Earth System Science
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