Video interview with Robert Chambers from IDS on Learning

Robert Chambers from the Institute of Development Studies (University of Sussex) is one of the pioneers of participatory approaches for sustainable agriculture and development. Interview done in Cali in April 2008, during the Learning Laboratory Meeting. Produced by Cristina Douthwaite.

Charles Francis: Future active learning for agroecology

Charles Francis (Univ. of Nebraska) is a leading expert on improving learning for sustainable agriculture. In 2006 he gave University of Alberta Bentley Lecture on Sustainable Agriculture Lecture No. 4 Learning for the Future: Preparing for Complexity, Uncertainty, and Sustainability. In a recent paper in the Agronomy Journal (vol 100, issue 3, 2008; Transdisciplinary Research for a Sustainable Agriculture and Food Sector C. A. Francis,* G. Lieblein, T. A. Breland, L. Salomonsson, U. Geber, N. Sriskandarajah, and V. Langer) Charles et al., highlight their success with an Agroecology masters programme in Norway.

Policy foresight programme at the James Martin 21st Century School

As part of the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford, Crispin Tickell is coordinating and producing invaluable summaries from the Policy Foresight Programme on issues of science, technology, and the environment to identify leverage points in current policy that could have significant long-term benefits for civilization.

Two relevant and fascinating workshops were:

A new look at the interaction of scientific models and policy making
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University13/02/08

Can Britain Feed Itself? Should Britain Feed Itself?
James Martin 21st Century School, Oxford University15/10/08

Stockholm Seminars: Frontiers in Sustainability Science and Policy

These are a fascinating set of seminars from leading experts. I have just watched Will Steffen's call for new approaches to science based on the complex problem's we face. Will makes a case for systems approaches that include participatory research, deal with scale in a fluid manner and use transdisciplinary teams.

Environment magazine series: 20 years into our common future

As part of a series of articles by leading experts, Malin Falkenmark reviews progress with water related sustainability. Highlighting the need for greater integration between management of land and water. "The series takes as a starting point the six common challenges identified in the original report: population and human resources, food security, species and ecosystems, energy, industry, and the urban challenge. Although the Brundtland report did not cover the challenges associated with water as a specific chapter, in recognition of water’s critical role in the welfare and health of our planet’s people and ecosystems, Environment has added an article to this series examining water’s role in sustainable development."

"Together, these four actions—population stabilization, seriously intended pollution abatement, water-based balancing of green and blue water requirements for social and environmental purposes, and preparedness for mega-scale food trade expansion from water-rich to water-short countries—will form the building blocks to a responsible approach to sustainability."


Malin Falkenmark is professor of applied and international hydrology, guest professor at the Stockholm Resilience Center, and senior scientific advisor at the Stockholm International Water Institute.

Conference on Wicked Governance 10th March

Conference Programme
l ‘Wicked’ Thinking for Water Resource Management – Laurence Smith, SOAS
l Are Water and Sanitation Problems ‘Wicked’? – Dr Frances Cleaver, SOAS
l What is Governance? How Can Water Governance Be Improved? – Prof Tony Allan, SOAS and King’s College, London
l Water Governance and Water Law Principles: Synergies and Tensions – Dr Philippe Cullet, SOAS
l Public Participation in Trans-boundary Water Governance: What Can We Learn From the
Volta River Basin in West Africa? – Dr Sam Wong, University of Leeds
l Building Capabilities for Adaptive Integrated Water Resources Management in
KwaZulu Natal, South Africa – Dr John Colvin, Open University
l Integrated Water Management: How to Deal with Household Water Needs – Dr Jeroen Ensink, LSHTM
l Access to Safe Water in the Slums of the Developing World – Dr Hulya Dagdeviren and Simon Robertson,
University of Hertfordshire
l Privatisation and Water Governance: What Went Wrong and Where to Next? – Dr Kate Bayliss, SOAS, and Dr Jeff Tan,
Aga Khan University
l Distilling or Diluting? Addressing ‘Wicked’ Problems at the Research-Policy Interface – Dr Frances Cleaver, SOAS
l ‘Wicked’ Solutions for Water Resources Protection – Laurence Smith, SOAS
l Final Panel – Prof Jeff Waage, LIDC; Prof Sandy Cairncross, LSHTM;
Tom Slaymaker, WaterAid

Registration
To reserve a place (lunch included) contact: admin@lidc.bloomsbury.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7958 8251
London International Development Centre
36 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PD
www.lidc.org.uk