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Science with society in the anthropocene
Roman Seidl1, Fridolin Simon Brand, Michael Stauffacher
1Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. roman.seidl@env.ethz.ch
Abstract:
Interdisciplinary scientific knowledge is necessary but not sufficient when it comes to addressing sustainable transformations, as science increasingly has to deal with normative and value-related issues. A systems perspective on coupled human-environmental systems (HES) helps to address the inherent complexities. Additionally, a thorough interaction between science and society (i.e., transdisciplinarity = TD) is necessary, as sustainable transitions are sometimes contested and can cause conflicts. In order to navigate complexities regarding the delicate interaction of scientific research with societal decisions these processes must proceed in a structured and functional way. We thus propose HES-based TD processes to provide a basis for reorganizing science in coming decades.
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