The Worlds We Want

In the 10+ years since the explosion of documentary films related to issues of the environment, like an Inconvenient Truth, we're considering the way some people are using film as a point of departure for deeper, personal reflections on climate change action.

Seems to be a "less film, more dialogue" sort of approach to filmmaking. Rather than focusing on expert opinions, these filmmakers provide a platform for a wider variety of people to share their experiences in adapting or effectively fighting issues related to climate change and other local environmental concerns.

We'll start by sharing our conversation with Liz Miller of the Shoreline Project. This will be followed by our chat with Dayna Reggero of the Climate Listening Project.

Music featured in this episode:

In addition to a lot of clips from some of the documentaries we looked at in this episode, we also made use of these pieces of music:

• Intro "R U Well" by Best Fern
• Outro "Plans fall through" by Alexia Avina

The people interviewed in this episode are:

• Liz Miller, Professor in Communication Studies, Concordia University, principal of the Shoreline Project — "an interactive documentary exploring the tensions of rising sea levels and unchecked development in coastal towns and cities around the world. Visit the site to explore 43 videos, interactive maps and more!"
• Dayna Reggero is an activist, filmmaker, and Founder of the Climate Listening Project — a collaborative, film-based effort "to connect and share hopeful conversations on climate and community."

Recommended reading

• Miller, Liz; The Shore Line and the Practice of Slow Resilience
• Miller, Liz; Designing I-Docs for the Classroom
• Miller, Liz; The Shore Line: A storybook for a sustainable future

Recommended viewing

• HANDS-ON — Women:Climate: Change
• On Coal River, by Climate Listening Project partners Adams West and Francine Cavanaugh
• the Climate Listening Project
• the Shoreline Project

Some of the project partners mentioned in the show

• ClimateCon 2018: A Conference on the Business of Climate
• Helios Design Labs
• Mom's Clean Air Force
• The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• The National Audubon Society

Did you miss that show we mentioned on Transdisciplin-whatnow?

Wondering what transdisciplinarity actually means? Check out our second show, we have some answers.

Description:

Issues of sustainability are typically tied to the language of science research. Solutions are often described in technical terms without much mention of the broader public who will ultimately be affected and have to participate in some way, shape or form. In episode 2, we looked into the research-side of this question when we discussed transdisciplinary research. Today we're gonna try to tackle the communications side of sustainable transitions for the worlds we want and hopefully illustrate the challenges and opportunities for scientists, policymakers, and the average citizen.

In this show, we are going to talk about some of the issues inherent to science communication and Future Earth's role in the changing context for the communication of scientific research. We'll also try to make sense of some thornier questions related to Fake News and Post-truth politics, as well as the concept of framing and its usefulness for engaging the non-scientific public.

Part 2 can be found here.

Music featured in this episode:

• Outro "Plans fall through" by Alexia Avina
• Opening bit featuring Trump on the Climate accord includes "Search for the Truth," and audio from Trump's On June 1, 2017 press conference, mixed by Cheryl Gladu. Done purely to explore some conspiratorial vibes.

The people interviewed in this episode are:

• Christina Cook, Science Officer, Synthesis & Foresight, Montreal, Future Earth, and Research Associate at the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre(LSRC), Concordia University.
• Jo-Ting Huang-Lachmann, PhD Candidate at TU Dresden and Research Associate at Chair of Environmental Management and Accounting, Faculty of Business and Economics. Part of the Early Career Researchers Network.
• Andrew Kaniki, Executive Director for Knowledge Fields Development at the South African National Research Foundation.
• Gordon McBean, President of the International Council for Science(ICSU), and Co-Chair of Future Earth's Governing Council.
• Asher Minns, Executive Director Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia
• Rebecca Oliver, Senior Engagement and Dialogue Lead, Sweden Hub of Future Earth.
• Jakob Rhyner, United Nations University (UNU) Vice-Rector in Europe and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security, and Co-Chair of the Governing Council at Future Earth.
• Alistair Scrutton, Global Communications Director at Future Earth
• Peter Timmerman, Associate Professor, Business & the Environment Coordinator, York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies.
• David Usher, musician, author, speaker, all-round nice guy, and, founder and creative director of the Human Impact Lab at Concordia University.

Recommended reading:

• Wicked Problems, Dynamic Solutions: The Ecosystem Approach and Systems Thinking: https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/e-learning/wicked-problems-dynamic-solutions-ecosystem-approach-and-systems-thinking
• Public trust in science news is dangerously low, new Ontario Science Centre study reveals: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/public-trust-in-science-news-is-dangerously-low-new-ontario-science-centre-study-reveals-645328533.html
• Once considered a boon to democracy, social media have started to look like its nemesis: https://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21730870-economy-based-attention-easily-gamed-once-considered-boon-democracy-social-media
• The Hunger for Abundance amid a World of Scarcity, by Peter Timmerman: https://www.humansandnature.org/economy-peter-timmerman
• Brown, P. G., & Timmerman, P. (Eds.). (2015). Ecological economics for the Anthropocene: An emerging paradigm. Columbia University Press. 

Description:

Future Earth has a mandate to explore transdisciplinary research, but what does that even mean?

Some of you might be familiar with other kinds of research such as multi- or interdisciplinary research.

In this episode, we explore this emerging research paradigm through interviews with members of the Future Earth network (part 1) as well as with a guest appearance (part 2) with Dr. Jochen Jaeger, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment at Concordia University.

Because a picture tells a thousand words: Dr. Jaeger shared some useful images, below, that might help you wrap your head around the topic of transdisciplinary research.

The two above images from: Jaeger, J., and M. Scheringer (2000): Transdisciplinarity — just a buzzword? Overcoming some popular objections to transdisciplinary research. — In: Häberli, R., Scholz, R.W., Bill, A., and M. Welti (Eds.): Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-solving among science, technology and society. Proceedings of the international transdisciplinarity 2000 conference; Workbook I. Haffmans Sachbuch Verlag, Zürich: 259–262.

Music featured in this episode:

• Intro "R U Well" by Best Fern
• Outro "Plans fall through" by Alexia Avina

The people interviewed in this episode:

• Christina Cook, Science Officer, Synthesis & Foresight, Montreal, Future Earth, and Research Associate at the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre(LSRC), Concordia University.
• Charles Ebikeme, Science Officer at the International Council for Science(ICSU), and member of the Health Advisory Group at Future Earth as well as the Governing Council.
• Mario Hernandez Valdes, special consultant for the UNESCO, Regional Representative for Latin America of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, visiting Professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at the Institute for Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, and member of the Council of the International Society for Digital Earth. Member of Future Earth's Engagement Committee.
• Jochen Jaeger, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment at Concordia University
• Andrew Kaniki, Executive Director for Knowledge Fields Development at the South African National Research Foundation.
• Hein Mallée, Professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Naturein Kyoto, Japan, and Coordinator of the Regional Centre for Future Earth in Asia.
• Gordon McBean, President of the International Council for Science(ICSU), and Co-Chair of Future Earth's Governing Council.
• Hannah Moersberger, Capacity-building and Research-enabling, Paris, Future Earth.
• Rebecca Oliver, Senior Engagement and Dialogue Lead, Sweden Hub of Future Earth.
• Jakob Rhyner, United Nations University (UNU) Vice-Rector in Europe and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security, and Co-Chair of the Governing Council at Future Earth.

Recommended reading:

• Jaeger, J., and M. Scheringer (2000): Transdisciplinarity — just a buzzword? Overcoming some popular objections to transdisciplinary research. — In: Häberli, R., Scholz, R.W., Bill, A., and M. Welti (Eds.): Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-solving among science, technology and society. Proceedings of the international transdisciplinarity 2000 conference; Workbook I. Haffmans Sachbuch Verlag, Zürich: 259–262.
• Jaeger, J., und M. Scheringer (1999): What is transdisciplinarity? — Some critical remarks on the "management perspective" (in German; Wofür steht Transdisziplinarität? — Kritische Anmerkungen zur „Managementperspektive"). — GAIA 8(1): 5–7.
• Nicolescu, B., & ERTAS, A. (2008). Transdisciplinary theory and practice. Creskill: Hampton Press.
• Rittel, H. W., & Webber, M. M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy sciences, 4(2), 155–169.
• Scheringer, M., Jaeger, J., and M. Esfeld (2000): Transdisciplinarity and holism — how are different disciplines connected in environmental research? — In: Häberli, R., Scholz, R.W., Bill, A., and M. Welti (Eds.): Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-solving among science, technology and society. Proceedings of the international transdisciplinarity 2000 conference; Workbook I. Haffmans Sachbuch Verlag, Zürich: 35–37.

Other places to learn interesting things: 

• Concordia University's INDI program: Concordia University offers MSc, MA and PhD in the individualized program with the goal of encouraging students to "Think outside the box [and] Create new syntheses of knowledge and creation."
• Want to know more about Cohousing? (which is really cool, we assure you)

Unsure of who Future Earth is and haven't heard our first show?

Episode 1 of The Worlds We Want: "Introduction to Future Earth"

Acknowledgments: 

Hosts: Cheryl Gladu, Tristan Mason, Joel, Odjick. Writing by Cheryl Gladu. Field recording by Arun Dayanandan, Charly Plaisir, Cheryl Gladu. Interviews by Tristan Masson, Joel Odjick, Charly Plaisir and Cheryl Gladu. Recording and production at CJLO 1690am by Patrick McDowall and Allison O'Reilly. And, of course, the whole thing is

Description:

This podcast was birthed in a small carpeted office on the corner of Guy and Ste. Catherine Streets in Montreal, Canada. It came out of the desire to share some of the work being done by Future Earth members while participating in the 2017 annual meeting.

The main intent of this podcast series is to explore positive approaches to transitions in the age of climate change or, what is also called "the Great Acceleration". That is, this is a program about life in the Anthropocene, but it's not about the doom and gloom that you've come to expect from environmentalists. No - we assume you are already anxious about that and have consumed enough post-apocalyptic fiction to have an idea of what not to look forward to. We figure that some of you, (maybe most of you?) are interested in exploring the positive dimensions of the transition that is required of us in response to climate change. That in struggling to meet the challenge of climate change, we can develop better, more just, and healthier worlds - and not just in the global north, but all around the globe.

Over the series, we're going to explore this topic through an organization called Future Earth - which has provided us access to a network of researchers and organizations that are working on just such solutions. Future Earth is one of those major international bodies that you feel good knowing is around, even if you don't fully grasp who they are or what they do. And to be completely honest, we only got a clear understanding of what they do while prepping for this very introduction. So today's segment is about clarifying just what Future Earth is so that we can spend the rest of the series getting into the interesting research that is being done under it's ever-expanding umbrella.

Part 2 can be heard here.

Music featured in this episode:

• Intro "R U Well" by Best Fern
• Outro "Plans fall through" by Alexia Avina

The people interviewed in this episode are:

• Faten Bahar, PhD candidate at the University of Carthage, Polytechnic School of Tunisia. Early Career Researchers Network
• Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director, Centre for Science and Environment and Member of Engagement Committee at Future Earth
• Christina Cook, Science Officer, Synthesis & Foresight, Montreal, Future Earth
• Charles Ebikeme, Science Officer at the International Council for Science and Member of Health Advisory Group at Future Earth & Member of Governing Council.
• Jo-Ting Huang-Lachmann, PhD Candidate at TU Dresden and Research Associate at Chair of Environmental Management and Accounting, Faculty of Business and Economics. Part of the Early Career Researchers Network.
• Hein Mallee, Professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto, Japan and Coordinator at the Regional Centre for Future Earth in Asia.
• Gordon McBean, President of ICSU, Co-Chair of Governing Council at Future Earth.
• David Oram, Advancement & Coordination Officer, Montreal, Future Earth
• Jakob Rhyner, UNU Vice-Rector in Europe and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security and Co-Chair of Governing Council at Future Earth.
• Alistair Scrutton, Global Communications Director at Future Earth
• More about your hosts can be found here.

A few of the points that came up in our live conversation:

• Are we in the Anthropocene? a 2016 article on the topic.
• On "The Great Acceleration" — check out these graphs featuring "hockey stick growth" (in this case, not the kind that is sought after)
• Cities and Climate Change Science Conference, IPCC (Edmonton, March 2018)

About Future Earth:

• The organization was founded in 2015, and is 10 year initiative.
• Mission: to advance Global Sustainability Science, build capacity in this rapidly expanding area of research and provide an international research agenda to guide natural and social scientists working around the world
• Closely engaged with Sustainable Development Goals, Convention of Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Future Earth products and programs that may be of interest to you:

• Open Network organization — an on-line tool to promote global communications and networking on sustainability research
• Future Earth Media Lab: "We create digital products and experiences that drive new types of connections between people and planet. We do this to immerse people in the challenges of global sustainability and deepen their personal sense of involvement. This is our theory of change."
• Anthropocene Magazine: "We are a digital, print, and live magazine in which the world's most creative writers, designers, scientists, and entrepreneurs explore how we can create a sustainable human age we actually want to live in."
• Future Earth Blog: "This blog is intended to be a home for innovative new ideas and essential reading for everyone engaged in global sustainability. Right now we are a small team of writers and editors, but we hope to scale up by reaching out to a global network of bloggers and scientists to contribute high quality content and opinion. If you would like to contribute, please send a writing sample and your story idea to contact@futureearth.org."
• Transformations Webinar Series: "The Transformations Knowledge-Action Network launched a webinar series in 2016 to explore the body of research that exists on social transformations toward sustainability. This series is ongoing, so check back in regularly for updates."
• Newsletter: "Future Earth publishes regular newsletters to highlight news, events and opportunities in global sustainability." Sign-up here
• Publications are available for download here.