STPI and AAAS would like to thank everyone who attended today's workshop. We had a very informative discussion and appreciate the insights and perspectives that were brought to the table.
What are your thoughts following this inaugural workshop? Was the format useful? Were the topics covered relevant? Were there othere topics that should have been covered, and other questions that should have been asked? Were there any additional thoughts or examples that occurred to you after the workshop? As this discussion is still fresh in your memory, we would appreciate any feedback or final thoughts as we think about the future direction of the series.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Stanford Social Innovation Review Article - From the Ground Up, 2008
This article was shared by Dr. Bawa, one of our speakers for Meeting 1 regarding an organization that he works closely with - the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, ATREE.org, based in Bangalore.
From the Ground Up
ATREE crossed sectors to breed a new species of conservation agency by Brandon Keim
Available with subscription at: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/from_the_ground_up/.
The Western Ghats, a mountain range running 1,000 miles down the western coast of India, is one of the world’s natural treasures. With rain forests, dry forests, swamps, and rivers, the range is home to 1,600 flowering plants found nowhere else on the planet, as well as to scores of endangered animals, including tigers and elephants. No less important, millions of people live in the Ghats, and many of their
livelihoods are intertwined with the region’s natural bounty.
But in 1993, when botanist Kamal Bawa received a World Wildlife Fund grant to help the Soligas, an indigenous tribe living in the Ghats and dependent on forest products, he found a region devastated by deforestation and misuse. In the developed world, fragile ecosystems often enjoy ample research describing them, organizations attempting to preserve them, and policies protecting them. But all Bawa saw in the Ghats was a patchwork of government protections that amounted to little more than a conservation Band-Aid. Most of the existing research was irrelevant to the Ghats’ problems or didn’t link to government policies. NGOs tried to help, but they invariably overlooked the social and economic aspects of conservation.
...In 1996, Bawa founded just that kind of institution: the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE; no relation to Ashoka, the organization that supports social entrepreneurship). Part academic institution, part
activist group, part think tank, ATREE reaches across sectors to give India—as well as the rest of the world—something it never had: an environmental organization that combines natural and social sciences, conducts research on conservation and sustainable development, trains scientists, works with local communities to implement best practices, and advocates for evidence-based environmental policy. What started out as a four-person organization has since grown into the crown jewel of Indian conservation, employing 140 people and training scores of Indian scientists at four centers.
...
To Grow ATREE
ATREE has enjoyed policy and practice victories as well. The organization successfully pushed for a ban on mining in India’s national parks. It also drove a prohibition against using plastic in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. But on other fronts, ATREE’s results have been mixed. It has reformed some farming and forestry practices in the Western Ghats, but not to the extent that Bawa had hoped.
And although ATREE has produced a vast body of literature and recommended policies, the Indian government has not yet fully implemented them.
ATREE’s job is to show what can and should be done, and so it still relies on government agencies, communities, and other nonprofits to carry out its recommendations. That multi-stakeholder approach is part of the organization’s ethos, but it is necessarily limited. An ongoing project in the development-threatened Vembanad Lake region has provoked soul-searching over whether ATREE should be more active in implementing its own advice.
“I don’t think we’ve resolved that issue,” says Bawa. “There’s a fear that it would fundamentally change who we are. I personally would favor more action-oriented programs, but that would require far more resources, and also a different type of thinking. And it would not be in the interest of ATREE to push for that at the moment.”
Funding ATREE can also be tricky. International foundations, local foundations, government, and expatriates provide ATREE’s $1 million annual budget. Bawa points out, however, that foundations often pursue narrowly focused projects, rather than building infrastructure. “There are easily 15 or 20 foundations internationally active in India,” says Bawa, “but [the Ford Foundation] is the only one giving support for institutional grants, not just project grants.”
Despite these struggles, ATREE has inspired other countries with environmental problems, a shortage of homegrown researchers, and a dearth of NGOs. “The ATREE model with modifications to suit the local context is replicable,” wrote Bawa in an e-mail. “When I talk about ATREE, people from other countries often come and ask me how they can have an ATREE unit in their countries.”
From the Ground Up
ATREE crossed sectors to breed a new species of conservation agency by Brandon Keim
Available with subscription at: http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/from_the_ground_up/.
The Western Ghats, a mountain range running 1,000 miles down the western coast of India, is one of the world’s natural treasures. With rain forests, dry forests, swamps, and rivers, the range is home to 1,600 flowering plants found nowhere else on the planet, as well as to scores of endangered animals, including tigers and elephants. No less important, millions of people live in the Ghats, and many of their
livelihoods are intertwined with the region’s natural bounty.
But in 1993, when botanist Kamal Bawa received a World Wildlife Fund grant to help the Soligas, an indigenous tribe living in the Ghats and dependent on forest products, he found a region devastated by deforestation and misuse. In the developed world, fragile ecosystems often enjoy ample research describing them, organizations attempting to preserve them, and policies protecting them. But all Bawa saw in the Ghats was a patchwork of government protections that amounted to little more than a conservation Band-Aid. Most of the existing research was irrelevant to the Ghats’ problems or didn’t link to government policies. NGOs tried to help, but they invariably overlooked the social and economic aspects of conservation.
...In 1996, Bawa founded just that kind of institution: the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE; no relation to Ashoka, the organization that supports social entrepreneurship). Part academic institution, part
activist group, part think tank, ATREE reaches across sectors to give India—as well as the rest of the world—something it never had: an environmental organization that combines natural and social sciences, conducts research on conservation and sustainable development, trains scientists, works with local communities to implement best practices, and advocates for evidence-based environmental policy. What started out as a four-person organization has since grown into the crown jewel of Indian conservation, employing 140 people and training scores of Indian scientists at four centers.
...
To Grow ATREE
ATREE has enjoyed policy and practice victories as well. The organization successfully pushed for a ban on mining in India’s national parks. It also drove a prohibition against using plastic in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. But on other fronts, ATREE’s results have been mixed. It has reformed some farming and forestry practices in the Western Ghats, but not to the extent that Bawa had hoped.
And although ATREE has produced a vast body of literature and recommended policies, the Indian government has not yet fully implemented them.
ATREE’s job is to show what can and should be done, and so it still relies on government agencies, communities, and other nonprofits to carry out its recommendations. That multi-stakeholder approach is part of the organization’s ethos, but it is necessarily limited. An ongoing project in the development-threatened Vembanad Lake region has provoked soul-searching over whether ATREE should be more active in implementing its own advice.
“I don’t think we’ve resolved that issue,” says Bawa. “There’s a fear that it would fundamentally change who we are. I personally would favor more action-oriented programs, but that would require far more resources, and also a different type of thinking. And it would not be in the interest of ATREE to push for that at the moment.”
Funding ATREE can also be tricky. International foundations, local foundations, government, and expatriates provide ATREE’s $1 million annual budget. Bawa points out, however, that foundations often pursue narrowly focused projects, rather than building infrastructure. “There are easily 15 or 20 foundations internationally active in India,” says Bawa, “but [the Ford Foundation] is the only one giving support for institutional grants, not just project grants.”
Despite these struggles, ATREE has inspired other countries with environmental problems, a shortage of homegrown researchers, and a dearth of NGOs. “The ATREE model with modifications to suit the local context is replicable,” wrote Bawa in an e-mail. “When I talk about ATREE, people from other countries often come and ask me how they can have an ATREE unit in their countries.”
Saturday, May 22, 2010
May 25, 2010 Meeting 1: Agenda and Directions
Sharing Insights on Science, Technology, and Environmental Resources Series
Discussion 1 -
Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Agenda & Directions Attachments
Discussion 1 -
Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Agenda & Directions Attachments
Friday, May 21, 2010
Discussion Topic #2: Specific Areas and Regions with Opportunities for Transboundary S&T Collaborations
Discussion Topic #2: Specific Areas and Regions with Opportunities for Transboundary S&T Collaborations
“In what areas or regions of the world (provide specific examples) could peace parks be successfully implemented & opportunities for transboundary S&T collaborations exist?”
Feel free to post your comments on this or the previous discussion question on the site.
“In what areas or regions of the world (provide specific examples) could peace parks be successfully implemented & opportunities for transboundary S&T collaborations exist?”
Feel free to post your comments on this or the previous discussion question on the site.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Discussion Topic #1: The Role of Science in Informing Transboundary S&T Collaborations and/or Peace Park Implementation
To begin thinking about some of the discussion topics that we will be presented at the first meeting, we are posting a series of questions that may spark some ideas and comments among participants.
The first is:
“What insights do you think science has to inform transboundary science and technology collaborations and/or peace park implementation?”
We look forward to hearing your responses!
The first is:
“What insights do you think science has to inform transboundary science and technology collaborations and/or peace park implementation?”
We look forward to hearing your responses!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Meeting 1 - Confirmed Speakers
AAAS and STPI are honored to confirm and present our 5 speakers for the inaugural meeting of this discussion series:
1) Professor Kamaljit S. Bawa, University of Massachusetts-Boston; Presentation: “China, India, and the Environment” – Benefits and Challenges to Cooperation (20 minutes)
Review of Peace/Science Park Case Studies and Q&A
2) Case Study #1: Mr. Kent Biringer, Sandia National Laboratories; Presentation on Asia: India-Pakistan-China – Siachen Glacier (25 minutes)
3) Case Study #2: Professor Marek Konarzewski, Minister Counselor Science and Technology Affairs, Embassy of Poland; Presentation on Eastern Europe: Poland-Belarus (25 minutes)
4) Case Study #3: Professor Romain Murenzi, Former Minister Science, Technology and Scientific Research, Rwanda; Presentation on East Africa: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi (25 minutes)
5) Case Study #4: Dr. Alex Dehgan, Senior Science Policy Advisor, USAID; Presentation on the Middle East and Asia (25 minutes)
These presentations are sure to provide a valuable context for the subsequent dialogue we will have with participants!
An Updated Preliminary Agenda is provided below:
1) Professor Kamaljit S. Bawa, University of Massachusetts-Boston; Presentation: “China, India, and the Environment” – Benefits and Challenges to Cooperation (20 minutes)
Review of Peace/Science Park Case Studies and Q&A
2) Case Study #1: Mr. Kent Biringer, Sandia National Laboratories; Presentation on Asia: India-Pakistan-China – Siachen Glacier (25 minutes)
3) Case Study #2: Professor Marek Konarzewski, Minister Counselor Science and Technology Affairs, Embassy of Poland; Presentation on Eastern Europe: Poland-Belarus (25 minutes)
4) Case Study #3: Professor Romain Murenzi, Former Minister Science, Technology and Scientific Research, Rwanda; Presentation on East Africa: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi (25 minutes)
5) Case Study #4: Dr. Alex Dehgan, Senior Science Policy Advisor, USAID; Presentation on the Middle East and Asia (25 minutes)
These presentations are sure to provide a valuable context for the subsequent dialogue we will have with participants!
An Updated Preliminary Agenda is provided below:
Monday, April 19, 2010
For Participants: CHARGE TO PARTICIPANTS
‘Charge to Participants’
The following is a list of five areas that participants can concentrate their efforts to optimize the time we have for fruitful discussion for our first meeting.
Your role in meeting the following charge will help guide subsequent discussion meetings and strategies for international S&T collaboration:
1. In order to optimize the discussion, it is important to gain familiarity with the Science article “China, India, and the Environment,” http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/327/5972/1457, as well as the case studies chosen as a basis for discussion. The article is available under the 'Research Papers of Interest' Section to the right.
2. Please be prepared to constructively discuss which cases warrant further examination to inform future discussions and to explain why.
3. Bring insights of innovative S&T transboundary protected areas, scientific peace parks, or other collaborations from your experiences.
4. Share your thoughts on strategies or opportunities presented from the case studies and the specific role of the U.S.
5. Bring ideas for future topics to be addressed in this series, as well as individuals to include for a specific topic, if appropriate.
Also, please feel free to interact through this website or contact us with articles or insights that would be valuable for the meeting participants. We can add specific websites or articles to the 'Research Papers of Interest' section, email information to transboundarystseries@gmail.com.
Announcing: Discussion 1 - Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks
Sharing Insights on Science, Technology, and Environmental Resources Series
Discussion 1 -
Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
AAAS, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Revelle Room, Washington, D.C.
Enter through Entrance between 12 St. NW and H St. NW
Working Lunch Discussion - Lunch will be provided.
The theme of the first meeting is Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks. The purpose of this discussion is to gain insights from the implementation of transboundary peace parks as a means of science diplomacy and scientific research in many parts of the world, and discuss their possible application in the context of China and India. Recently, Science magazine published an article, “China, India, and the Environment,” that highlights the importance of China and India in shaping the environmental outcomes for our planet, and describes the benefits and barriers to cooperation.
We will review four peace parks that have been implemented or proposed and identify
(i) the strengths and challenges of their implementation,
(ii) general themes or lessons learned from their application,
(iii) strategies that can be applied to the specific context in China and India, and
(iv) the potential role of the U.S. in future science diplomacy efforts between China and India.
Preliminary Agenda
9:30 Initial Welcome and Brief Remarks by AAAS and STPI (5 minutes)
9:35 Participant Introductions (10 minutes)
9:45 Intended Purpose and Goals of the Discussion (5 minutes)
9:50 Presentation: Professor Kamaljit S. Bawa, University of Massachusetts-Boston;
“China, India, and the Environment” – Benefits and Challenges to Cooperation (20 minutes)
10:10 Review of Peace/Science Park Case Studies and Q&A
10:10 Case Study #1: Middle East and Asia (25 minutes)
10:35 Case Study #2: Professor Marek Konarzewski, Minister Counselor Science and Technology Affairs, Embassy of Poland; Eastern Europe: Poland-Belarus (25 minutes)
11:00 Break (10 minutes)
11:10 Case Study #3: Professor Romain Murenzi, Former Minister Science, Technology and Scientific Research, Rwanda;
East Africa: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi (25 minutes)
11:35 Case Study #4: Mr. Kent Biringer, Sandia National Laboratories;
Asia: India-Pakistan-China – Siachen Glacier (25 minutes)
12:00 Informal Conversation and Arrival of Lunch (20 minutes)
12:20 Discussion and Development of Strategies (60 minutes)
1:20 Break (10 minutes)
1:30 Synthesis of Discussion and Summary of Strategies for Cooperation (30 minutes)
2:00 Discussion of Roadmap for Series (20 minutes)
2:20 Wrap-up and Closing by AAAS (10 minutes)
2:30 Adjourn
Stay tuned for more details on speakers and confirmed participants coming soon.
Discussion 1 -
Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
AAAS, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Revelle Room, Washington, D.C.
Enter through Entrance between 12 St. NW and H St. NW
Working Lunch Discussion - Lunch will be provided.
The theme of the first meeting is Transboundary Resources in China and India: Science Diplomacy and Peace Parks. The purpose of this discussion is to gain insights from the implementation of transboundary peace parks as a means of science diplomacy and scientific research in many parts of the world, and discuss their possible application in the context of China and India. Recently, Science magazine published an article, “China, India, and the Environment,” that highlights the importance of China and India in shaping the environmental outcomes for our planet, and describes the benefits and barriers to cooperation.
We will review four peace parks that have been implemented or proposed and identify
(i) the strengths and challenges of their implementation,
(ii) general themes or lessons learned from their application,
(iii) strategies that can be applied to the specific context in China and India, and
(iv) the potential role of the U.S. in future science diplomacy efforts between China and India.
Preliminary Agenda
9:30 Initial Welcome and Brief Remarks by AAAS and STPI (5 minutes)
9:35 Participant Introductions (10 minutes)
9:45 Intended Purpose and Goals of the Discussion (5 minutes)
9:50 Presentation: Professor Kamaljit S. Bawa, University of Massachusetts-Boston;
“China, India, and the Environment” – Benefits and Challenges to Cooperation (20 minutes)
10:10 Review of Peace/Science Park Case Studies and Q&A
10:10 Case Study #1: Middle East and Asia (25 minutes)
10:35 Case Study #2: Professor Marek Konarzewski, Minister Counselor Science and Technology Affairs, Embassy of Poland; Eastern Europe: Poland-Belarus (25 minutes)
11:00 Break (10 minutes)
11:10 Case Study #3: Professor Romain Murenzi, Former Minister Science, Technology and Scientific Research, Rwanda;
East Africa: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi (25 minutes)
11:35 Case Study #4: Mr. Kent Biringer, Sandia National Laboratories;
Asia: India-Pakistan-China – Siachen Glacier (25 minutes)
12:00 Informal Conversation and Arrival of Lunch (20 minutes)
12:20 Discussion and Development of Strategies (60 minutes)
1:20 Break (10 minutes)
1:30 Synthesis of Discussion and Summary of Strategies for Cooperation (30 minutes)
2:00 Discussion of Roadmap for Series (20 minutes)
2:20 Wrap-up and Closing by AAAS (10 minutes)
2:30 Adjourn
Stay tuned for more details on speakers and confirmed participants coming soon.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Shared Insights on Science, Technology, and Environmental Resources Series
In late May, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) will co-sponsor the first of several planned monthly discussions with the primary focus aimed a determining whether generalized insights can be discovered -- and lessons learned exist -- across historical and future science and technology (S&T) transboundary collaborations, conservation protected areas, and peace parks.
The series will occur monthly in Washington, D.C. and bring together experts familiar with S&T transboundary collaborations to share insights.
Stay tuned to this blog -- more details coming soon.
The series will occur monthly in Washington, D.C. and bring together experts familiar with S&T transboundary collaborations to share insights.
Stay tuned to this blog -- more details coming soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
