Participatory Science, Public Discourse, and Hope for Solving Wicked Environmental Problems

Hope for the future of wildlife and biodiversity does not come from an examination of data, which show elevated rates of habitat loss and extinction worldwide. Nor is it justified by social trends, which continue to prioritize many issues above the environment, while downplaying science. The speakers report on work that shows how participation in science can lead to deeper engagement in complex policy challenges, more rational public discourse, and - eventually - better decisions and outcomes. This process is slow, but can be catalyzed by effective collaboration. They provide examples of how involvement in science-based decision processes, which are dependent on community as much as objective fact or overt leadership, is a source of hope for many, and how increasing the opportunities for transformative engagement brings hope for the future of biodiversity.

Hope in the Anthropocene is co-sponsored by the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) at UBC. Thomas Sisk will also be speaking on January 18 at 12:30 as part of the IRES Seminar Series.