Knowledge transfer initiative between molecular biologists and environmental researchers and regulators

A Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded Knowledge Transfer (KT) workshop was held in the United Kingdom (UK) to identify the needs and opportunities in the application of molecular biology and ‘omics’ techniques to environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Attendees highlighted a lack of effective communication between end-users and researchers as well as difficulties with data interpretation as reasons behind the slow uptake of molecular biology and omics techniques. A number of promising areas in which new techniques could be implemented at a practical level in the very near future were identified, thereby raising the profile of these recent technologies and providing vital proof of concept work. Molecular taxonomy, bacterial source tracking and pre-screening of chemicals for potential toxicities were all viewed as areas in which omics and molecular techniques could have immediate value, with the aim of reducing cost, increasing efficiency and providing more comprehensive data of improved quality.     

Knowledge, data and interests: Challenges in participation of diverse stakeholders in HIA

Stakeholder participation is considered an integral part of HIA. However, the challenges that participation implies in a multi-disciplinary and multi-ethnic society are less studied. This paper presents the manifestations of the multiplicity of sectors and population groups in HIA and discusses the challenges that such diversity imposes. Specifically, there is no common ground between participants, as their positions entail contradictory knowledge regarding the current situation, reliance on distinct data and conflicting interests. This entails usage of multiple professional and ethnic languages, disagreements regarding the definition of health and prioritizing health issues in HIA, and divergent perceptions of risk. These differences between participants are embedded culturally, socially, individually and, maybe most importantly, professionally. This complex picture of diverse stakeholder attributes is grounded in a case study of stakeholder participation in HIA, regarding zoning of a hazardous industry site in Israel. The implication is that participatory HIAs should address the multiplicity of stakeholders and types of knowledge, data and interests in a more comprehensive way.     

Media Use and Public Perceptions of Global Warming in India

Media plays a vital role in informing the public about environmental threats. Although climate change is a global problem, developing countries such as India are often more vulnerable to the impacts due to poverty, illiteracy, and low public awareness. Using data from a nationally representative survey in India, this paper explores the relationships between media use, issue attention, and trust in informational sources on one hand and science-based climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support on the other. Results suggest that the Indian media, through consistent and accurate coverage of global warming using trusted sources, can play a positive role in increasing public engagement among a largely unaware population. Implications for climate change communication in India are discussed.     

Connecting Diverse Knowledge Systems for Enhanced Ecosystem Governance: The Multiple Evidence Base Approach

Indigenous and local knowledge systems as well as practitioners’ knowledge can provide valid and useful knowledge to enhance our understanding of governance of biodiversity and ecosystems for human well-being. There is, therefore, a great need within emerging global assessment programs, such as the IPBES and other international efforts, to develop functioning mechanisms for legitimate, transparent, and constructive ways of creating synergies across knowledge systems. We present the multiple evidence base (MEB) as an approach that proposes parallels whereby indigenous, local and scientific knowledge systems are viewed to generate different manifestations of knowledge, which can generate new insights and innovations through complementarities. MEB emphasizes that evaluation of knowledge occurs primarily within rather than across knowledge systems. MEB on a particular issue creates an enriched picture of understanding, for triangulation and joint assessment of knowledge, and a starting point for further knowledge generation.     

Knowledge creation and reliable decision-making in complex emergencies

This paper examines how the creation of knowledge and the location of decision-making authority within relief organisations influence coordination. Information was collected from the headquarters of international non-governmental organisations in 2003, as well as from Darfur and Khartoum, Sudan, in 2005 and 2007, respectively. Relief organisations rely on quality information dissemination between the field and headquarters. Yet, reporting from the field often is overloaded with misplaced precision, making it difficult for managers at headquarters to grasp the key issues. A high turnover rate among international field officers and a lack of inclusion of local staff and partners prevent the development of accumulated knowledge. Furthermore, most relief organisations have a centralised decision-making system. The creation of 'collective-meaning structures', based on reliable information on all decision-making levels, opens the way to the decentralisation of decision-making to field officers engaged with inter-organisational coordination structures. In sum, more efficient and reliable coordination between organisations relies on improved decision-making systems within each organisation.     

Clashing coalitions: a discourse analysis of an artificial groundwater recharge project in Finland

The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the dynamics of knowledge production in the context of large-scale environmental projects causing local conflict. In particular, the paper analyses the discourse coalitions that formed around an artificial groundwater recharge project for the Turku Region in Finland. The material for this study consists of over 400 articles and opinion pieces which were collected from local and regional newspapers between 1999 and 2010. The articles were analysed by using Hajer's [1995. The politics of environmental discourse. Ecological modernisation and the policy process. Oxford, UK: Clarendon] discursive framework, and the analysis was complemented with the concept of knowledge coalition by Van Buuren and Edelenbos [2004. Conflicting knowledge. Why is joint knowledge production such a problem? Science and Public Policy, 31 (4), 289–299]. Results of the study indicate that knowledge coalitions were formed among the researchers, lay residents, and policy-makers, and they all utilised similar expertise-based factual arguments to support their cause. Thus, the paper participates in the academic discussion on the use and interpretation of expert knowledge in environmental policy-making by reshaping the division between experts and lay residents.     

城镇化对进城农民环保行为影响研究

改革开放以来,伴随中国经济的迅速增长和工业化进程提速,我国城镇化速度明显加快,之前较多的研究关注了城镇化对于我国资源和环境的压力,而较少有研究者从城镇化影响进城人口环保行为的微观视角来探讨城镇化对于降低环境压力的正向效应。采用中国社会综合调查2013年数据,本研究通过比较进城农民和留守农民环保行为的差异验证了城镇化对进城农民环保行为的影响,考虑到由选择性误差引起的内生性问题,本研究采用倾向值匹配的方法对内生性问题进行了修正,结果支持城镇化对进城农民环保行为的改善效应。另外,本研究发现进城农民和留守农民在私人领域的环保行为参与程度差距较大,而在公共领域环保行为参与程度差距较小。最后本研究提出了两个城镇化影响进城农民环保行为的中间机制并进行了初步验证:一是农村户籍居民进城后通过媒体接触,与城市居民互动获得更多环境知识进而改善自身环保行为,二是农民通过改善了环境关注水平,环境重要性认知等环境态度进而改善自身环保行为。本研究认为城镇化对于进城农民环保行为的正向影响对于降低城市环境压力有着积极的作用,因此公共决策部门应继续利用城市载体对规模人群的辐射效应,并不断通过政府引导、媒体宣传和社会参与来提升公众环保意识,营造出全民保护环境的城市社会环境进而不断改善公众环保行为。另外,针对进城农民在公共领域环保行为参与率较低的现状,城市政府既要不断提升进城农民的城市融入水平以改善进城农民对融入城市的环境关心水平,也应不断健全公共领域环保行为的参与机制以保障其参与渠道畅通。     

知识网络的空间极化与扩散研究——以我国生物技术为例

知识网络是由创造、转移、吸收和应用知识的行为主体在知识的传播与交流过程中彼此联结而形成的网络结构。以国际ISI和国内VIP数据库中2000~2009年发表于生物技术领域的合著论文作者信息统计数据为数据源,基于社会网络分析的理论和方法,从国际和国内省级层面运用UCINET和Pajek软件分析知识网络的空间极化和扩散规律。总体上看网络仍处于量的扩张期,网络的稳健性正在逐步提高,网络结构开始向成熟型转变。国际层面上看,知识网络的空间极化现象明显。国内层面上看,知识网络由等级结构向扁平结构转变,空间上相应地经历了由一极向多核再向多中心发展的过程。依据知识网络空间分布特征,将知识交流区域分为知识集聚区、知识门户区、知识途径区及知识边缘区四大类型,并对我国的技术创新政策提出对策建议     

A transformative mission for prioritising nature in Australian cities

Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, biodiversity loss and climate change felt at large in cities. At the same time, it is cities that can take the leading role in pioneering approaches and solutions to respond to those coupling emergencies. In this perspective piece we respond to the following question: What are the required transformations for prioritising, valuing, maintaining and embracing nature in cities in Australia? We adopt the mission framework as an organising framework to present proposed pathways to transform Australian cities as nature-positive places of the future. We propose three interconnected pathways as starting actions to steer urban planning, policy and governance in Australian cities: First, cities need to establish evidence-based planning for nature in cities and mainstream new planning tools that safeguard and foreground urban nature. Second, collaborative planning needs to become a standard practice in cities and inclusive governance for nature in cities needs to prioritise Aboriginal knowledge systems and practices as well as look beyond what local governments can do. Third, for progressing to nature-positive cities, it is paramount to empower communities to innovate with nature across Australian cities. Whilst we focus on Australian cities, the lessons and pathways are broadly applicably globally and can inspire science-policy debates for the post COP15 biodiversity and COP26 climate change implementation processes.     

基于知识图谱可视化视角的旅游灾害管理研究综述

如何进行旅游灾害管理是全球旅游目的地共同关注的问题.首先界定了旅游灾害管理的概念,然后在中国知网和Web of Science中分别筛选了168篇和180篇中英文文献,采用知识图谱文献可视化分析方法,绘制了发文量、作者和发文机构,以及关键词共现图谱.研究认为,国内外旅游灾害管理研究集中于旅游灾害风险、旅游风险评估、灾害...