Translating knowledge into sustainable development through research and Centers of Excellence Neil DaviesUniversity of California BerkeleyGump South Pacific Research Station

Moorea, French Polynesia

Green Growth Investment Forum, Brussels 6-7.10.11EMBASSIES OF THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES & MISSIONS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION Commonwealth of Dominica St Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia St Vincent & the Grenadines

Small Islands, Big Science? Trend towards mega projects:

European Southern Observatory, Chile

CERN Large Hadron Collider National Ecological Observatory

Network, USA Human Genome Project

What role for small islands?

Credit: Popular Science magazine

21st Century’s Grand ChallengeFostering a transition toward patterns of development that promote human well-being while conserving the life support systems of the planet

- Toward a Science of Sustainability* (Clark & Levin, 2010)

* An NSF funded workshop

Sustainability ResearchEmploy the scientific method to study human-environment interactions

TranslationRender research discoveries actionable for specific practitioners in particular places

InnovationHarness scientific knowledge and knowledge of practice to develop novel solutions

Sustainability ScienceCan small islands become Centers of Excellence?

Research

Translation

Innovation

Small Island Characteristics Geographically defined and politically

autonomous socio-ecosystems Enormous within and between archipelago diversity,

but all islands face common challenges Very dependent on fossil fuels and imported goods High cost electricity and transport (limited exports) Abundant renewable resources but small internal

markets and limited capital Telecommunications rapidly reducing isolation Very vulnerable to climate change

Scales of Sustainability

Big Island Small Island

Islands as Model Ecosystems Sustainability Science Observatories:

Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Non-Renewable Resources, and Urbanization

Place-based comparative studies Among islands, combining “WEHAB+” data with

scientific models of change (local and global) Develop and test predictive models

Maximize productivity, spur innovation Enhance resilience to external shocks

Turning Weakness to Strength? Islands could

Become key supplier of the long-term, place-based data needed for scientific models of sustainability

Attract academic institutions to pioneer problem based learning in sustainability science

Integrate research and education programs into innovative open adaptive governance model

Tourism already 35% of Caribbean GDP, is Science and Education Travel a new niche?

ndavies@moorea.berkeley.edu

UC Berkeley Gump South Pacific Station, Moorea, French Polynesia

Http://moorea.berkeley.edu