Sumários

Climate Action and Public Policy - Knowledge and Institutional Innovation

29 Abril 2023, 09:00 • João Morais Lavadinho Mourato

In this session we start from how the current form of global capitalism became ecologically and socially unsustainable. We examine how so much depends on a shift in human values. Human values can change; they are not natural laws. This session debates this value change. In society as a whole and in institucional settings in particular. The gateway to this debate is through the role of learning, the process through which information becomes knowledge. In fact the creation of knowledge in social networks is a key characteristic of the dynamics of culture. In the face of climate change challenges, and to thrive under conditions of accelerating change you have to be learning all the time. We look into how this is affected by the emergence of alt-knowledge and post-truth politics. We critically examine how knowledge brokerage is a fundamental part in helping public policy play a much needed role in shaping the directionality of sustainability transitions. 


Reading List

Adger, W. N., Dessai, S., Goulden, M., Hulme, M., Lorenzoni, I., Nelson, D. R., ... & Wreford, A. (2009). Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change?. Climatic change, 93(3-4), 335-354
Chapman, J. (2002). System failure: why governments must learn to think differently. Demos, London, UK. ISBN: 978-1-8418-0123-0 

Feola, G. (2014). Societal transformation in response to global environmental change: a review of emerging concepts. AMBIO, 4(5): 376–390. 

Göpel, M. 2016. The Great Mindshift. Vol. 2. Springer Verlag.

Kingdon, J.W. (1995). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. 254pp. Longman, New York, USA. ISBN: 978-0-2050-0086-9 

Köhler, J., Geels, F. W., Kern, F., Markard, J., Onsongo, E., Wieczorek, A., … Wells, P. (2019). An agenda for sustainability transitions research: State of the art and future directions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 31, 1–32.

Mourato, J., Bussler, A., & Wit, F. (2020). Interweaving knowledge systems through sustainability governance. Partnerships for the Goals. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, 1-12.

Mourato, J.M., de Wit, F. (2022). The Geography of Urban Sustainability Transitions: A Critical Review. In: Leal Filho, 

W., Vidal, D.G., Dinis, M.A.P., Dias, R.C. (eds) Sustainable Policies and Practices in Energy, Environment and Health Research. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. 

O’Riordan, T., & Jordan, A. (1999). Institutions, climate change and cultural theory: towards a common analytical framework. Global Environmental Change, 9(2), 81-93.

Climate Action and Public Policy - Theory of Change - Transition Studies

22 Abril 2023, 09:00 • João Morais Lavadinho Mourato

This session is an introduction to Transition Studies as the Theory of Change underpinning the ACOT's module approach. The core assumptions, concepts, analytical and methodological frameworks used are presented as well as an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of this conceptual approach. Particular attention is given to the concepts of prospective path dependency, transition pathways and lock-in mechanisms. 


Reading List

Frantzeskaki, N., Hölscher, K., Holman, I. P., Pedde, S., Jaeger, J., Kok, K., & Harrison, P. A. (2019). Transition pathways to sustainability in greater than 2 C climate futures of Europe. Regional environmental change, 19, 777-789.

Geels, F. W., & Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. Research policy, 36(3), 399-417.

Grandin, J., & Sareen, S. (2020). What sticks? Ephemerality, permanence and local transition pathways. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 36, 72-82.

Hölscher, K., Wittmayer, J. M., & Loorbach, D. (2018). Transition versus transformation: What’s the difference?. Environmental innovation and societal transitions, 27, 1-3.

Loorbach, D., Frantzeskaki, N., & Avelino, F. (2017). Sustainability transitions research: transforming science and practice for societal change. Annual review of environment and resources, 42, 599-626.

Mathias, J. D., Anderies, J. M., Baggio, J., Hodbod, J., Huet, S., Janssen, M. A., ... & Schoon, M. (2020). Exploring non-linear transition pathways in social-ecological systems. Scientific reports, 10(1), 4136.

Seto, K. C., Davis, S. J., Mitchell, R. B., Stokes, E. C., Unruh, G., & Ürge-Vorsatz, D. (2016). Carbon lock-in: types, causes, and policy implications. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41, 425-452.

Simoens, M. C., Leipold, S., & Fuenfschilling, L. (2022). Locked in unsustainability: Understanding lock-ins and their interactions using the case of food packaging. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 45, 14-29.

Sorrell, S. (2018). Explaining sociotechnical transitions: A critical realist perspective. Research Policy, 47(7), 1267-1282.

Runhaar, H., Fünfschilling, L., van den Pol-Van Dasselaar, A., Moors, E. H., Temmink, R., & Hekkert, M. (2020). Endogenous regime change: lessons from transition pathways in Dutch dairy farming. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 36, 137-150.

Wilson, G. A. (2014). Community resilience: path dependency, lock-in effects and transitional ruptures. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 57(1), 1-26.

Climate Action and Public Policy - Key Concepts and Issues

15 Abril 2023, 09:00 • João Morais Lavadinho Mourato

This session breaks down a series of key concepts regarding the framing of public action and climate change. It addresses the need for a systemic view, what this means and how can we develop it. It also introduces climate action as a complex adaptive system that is peppered with the so called wicked problems, or super wicked problems. The session wraps up focusing on the changing nature of the future and how can we better positions ourselves to debate it. 


Reading List

Coyne, R. (2005). Wicked problems revisited. Design studies, 26(1), 5-17.

Head, B. W., & Alford, J. (2015). Wicked problems: Implications for public policy and management. Administration & society, 47(6), 711-739.

Levin, K., Cashore, B., Bernstein, S., & Auld, G. (2009). Playing it forward: Path dependency, progressive incrementalism, and the" Super Wicked" problem of global climate change. In IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 6, No. 50). IOP Publishing.

Levin, K., Cashore, B., Bernstein, S., & Auld, G. (2012). Overcoming the tragedy of super wicked problems: constraining our future selves to ameliorate global climate change. Policy sciences, 45, 123-152.
Lönngren, J., & Van Poeck, K. (2021). Wicked problems: A mapping review of the literature. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 28(6), 481-502.

Peters, B. G. (2017). What is so wicked about wicked problems? A conceptual analysis and a research program. Policy and Society, 36(3), 385-396.

Kay, A. (2005). A critique of the use of path dependency in policy studies. Public administration, 83(3), 553-571.

Mahoney, J. (2000). Path dependence in historical sociology. Theory and society, 29(4), 507-548. 

Monat, J. P., & Gannon, T. F. (2015). What is systems thinking? A review of selected literature plus recommendations. American Journal of Systems Science, 4(1), 11-26.

Peters, B. G., Pierre, J., & King, D. S. (2005). The politics of path dependency: Political conflict in historical institutionalism. The journal of politics, 67(4), 1275-1300.

Peters, B. G. (2017). What is so wicked about wicked problems? A conceptual analysis and a research program. Policy and Society, 36(3), 385-396.

Rittel, H. W., & Webber, M. M. (1974). Wicked problems. Man-made Futures, 26(1), 272-280.

Williams, A., Kennedy, S., Philipp, F., & Whiteman, G. (2017). Systems thinking: A review of sustainability management research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 148, 866-881.

Key Challenges - Biodiversity

31 Março 2023, 14:00 • João Morais Lavadinho Mourato

Biodiversity - Concepts. Distribution and typology of ecosystems at a global level. Typology. Conventions and other legislative instruments and their application at different scales. Factors that lead to biodiversity loss. The protection of biodiversity in Portugal and legal instruments. Biodiversity, Desertification and Climate Change, implications for the territory and society.


 Jaureguiberry, P; Titeux, N; Wiemers, M; et all (2022) - The direct drivers of recent global anthropogenic biodiversity loss, SCIENCE ADVANCES, Vol 8, Issue 45. 

https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en

https://www.unep.org/unep-and-biodiversity

https://www.iucn.org/our-work/biodiversity

Key Challenges - Desertification

24 Março 2023, 14:00 • João Morais Lavadinho Mourato

Desertification. Definition of the concept. The state of desertification globally, in Europe and Portugal. Causes and consequences. Diagnostic methodology. Indicator systems, Desertification versus climate change. Adaptation and mitigation solutions, with the presentation of projects such as DesertAdapt.


Baartman, J; Van Lyden, G; Reed, M S; Hessel, R (2007) Desertification and land degradation: origins, processes and solution – A literature review, Report number: DESIRE Scientific Report nº 4, SRIC, The Netherlands.

Tribunal de Contas Europeu (2018) - Combater a desertificação na EU: uma ameaça crescente que exige mais acção. Relatório nº33.  (ver os links e a bibliografia, mencionados neste documento).

THE PROJECT (desert-adapt.it)