The role of the Faculty of Science in sustainable developmentProf dr Toine SmitsInstitute for Science, Innovation & Society (ISIS)

Institute for Science, Innovation & Society (ISIS)

• MissionOur mission is to understand, assess and improve the interaction between

science, technology and society.

• Employees2 full-time professors (Hub Zwart (Philosophy) & Toine Smits (Sustainable Water

Management) + 6 part time professorial chairs. Total number of employees c. 50 fte of which tenure staff: c. 12 fte

• Examples of running projects• ResearchCSG (Centre for Society & Genomics) now Centre for Society and Life Sciences. BIOMOT

(FP7), DELaND (InterregIVa), Urban Regions in the Delta (NWO, I&M and ELI), Wealthy Waal (Prov Gelderland), etc.

• EducationC and M track, MSc TWM, minor Science & Entrepreneurship”, “Wetensch. Knpunt”, etc.

Overview core competencies ISIS

There are three reasons why we are evaluating and updating ISIS’s roadmap;•Visibility and merits for research institutes/university•Visibility and merits for societal stakeholders •Comprehensive framework and roadmap for ISIS’s research & education

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice. “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the cat. “I don’t much care where,” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the cat

Population Growth

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Bill

ion

s

160,000B.C.

100,000B.C.

10,000B.C.

7,000B.C.

6,000B.C.

5,000B.C.

4,000B.C.

3,000B.C.

2,000B.C.

1,000B.C.

1A.D.

1,000A.D.

2,000A.D.

World Population

8

9

7

2,150A.D.

2007 – 6.56 Billion

1945 – 2.3 Billion

2050 – 9.1 Billion

250 Million250 Million1492 – 500 Million

1776 – 1 BillionFirst Modern HumansFirst Modern Humans

Source: United Nations

Scientific challenges & enhancement of visibility and merits through sustainable development

• What is sustainable development ?

• How can we contribute ? (ISIS/Faculty of Science/Radboud University). How do we select & prioritize project initiatives ?

• What can be our role in sustainable development at the local, regional, national & international scale ?

• Who is going to pay ?

• How do we proceed (time schedule) ?

What do we mean with sustainable development ?

"Sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland World Commission of Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission).UN report “Our Common future” (1987)

More than 30 sustainability concepts…Integrated

Selective

Visionary Actionable

Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development

Prof Karl Henrik Robert

Robert K.-H., Daly, H., Hawken, P. and Holmberg, J. (1997). A Compass for Sustainable Development. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 4, 79-92

Systems perspective of sustainability

Increase of poor biodegradable substances

Increase physical degradation

Increase concentrations of substances from the earth´s crust

Barriers to people meeting

their basic needs

...the systematic increase in concentrations of substances from the Earth’s crust,

...the systematic increase in concentrations of poor biodegradable substances,

...the systematic increase of physical degradation and destructions of natural systems,

...the barriers that systematically undermine people’s capacity to meet their needs.

A sustainable society eliminates …

Awareness & Vision

BaselineCurrent state

Creative Solutions

Decide on Priorities

Future

Is it a step in the right direction?Is it a good return on investment?Is it a flexible platform?

Roadmap for sustainable development making use of backcasting.

System

Success

Strategy

Actions

Tools

What is the system we are talking about?

What is success in the system?

How will we plan for success?

What actions will best support our strategy?

What tools are needed to support our strategies & actions and to build capacity?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development; 5-level model for planning in complex systems

System

Success

Strategy

Actions

Tools

The chess board and pieces, rules for how pieces can be moved, rules of the game, time limit

The principles of checkmate

Envisioning that you’ve won and... (i.e. backcasting), adjusting the game throughout

Playing the game

For instance: Books or computer training, game clock, etc.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Chess

City of MadisionWI

Williams Lake: Imagine Our Future

Scientific challenges & enhancement of visibility and merits through sustainable development

• What is sustainable development ?

• How can we contribute ? (ISIS/Faculty of Science/Radboud University). How do we select & prioritize project initiatives ?

• What can be our role in sustainable development at the local, regional, national & international scale ?

• Who is going to pay ?

• How do we proceed (time schedule) ?

✔

Trends that shape our future

Radboud univ.

TrendsTechn. innovationsPlatforms

Interdisciplinary challenges in a sustainability

context

ISIScompetencies

Fac. of Sciencecompetencies

Scientific challenges & enhancement of visibility and merits through sustainable development

• What is sustainable development ?

• How can we contribute ? (ISIS/Faculty of Science/Radboud University). How do we select & prioritize project initiatives ?

• What can be our role in sustainable development at the local, regional, national & international scale ?

• Who is going to pay ?

• How do we proceed (time schedule) ?

✔✔

Radboud univ.

TrendsTechn. innovationsPlatforms

Interdisciplinary challenges in a sustainability

context

ISIScompetencies

Fac. of Sciencecompetencies

Local scale(City) International scale

Regional scale(Province) National scale

Project initiatives

Project initiatives

Project initiatives

Project initiatives

Local scale(City) International scale

Regional scale(Province) National scale

Local scale Regional scale National scale International scale

Research Sustainable development Waal river

Symbiosis between nature & flood protection

Decentralized energy landscapes

Education River centre (Waalkade Nijmegen)

Transnational Water Management

Other Nijmegen Regiolab

Examples of project initiatives that enhance visibility and merits at various scales

Nijmegen

“Waal Weelde” (“Wealthy Waal river”)

Main transport route;-165.000 ships/y-150 mil ton cargo/y

Opening Stadswaard

Sand excavation

“Flood proof” housing

Nature, recreation& agriculture

Time

Sustainability principles

Strategiska mål

Visioning process Waal river

Action programsCurrent reality

1. Renewable energyReduced presence of heavy metals.

2. Ecological rehabilitation of floodplainsMore space for the river

3. Healthy water system, certain chemicals phased out

4. Informed, participative stakeholdeer involvement.

Time

VisionMission

Core values

Strategic goals

Further elaboration of the visioning process

Action programsCurrent reality

Our vision is a reslient Waal river system (dynamic water discharges) with a capacity for navigation, rich in biodiversity and room for leisure.

•Local cycles of nutrients•Open though diiverse landscape•Biodiverse•Social cohesion•Social diversity •The ”Waal river soul” is maintained (identity)

•Awareness of the wider public •Good dialogue between farmers, business, politicians and public. •Local energy sources.•New markets explored – leisure, ecotourism• Much improved marketing of the Waal river

Vision

Core values

Strategic Goals

Land use Inspiration Map of the Waal river based on 4 sustainability principles

2. Success level

Local scale

2. Success level

Development group

Regionaladministration

National

European

Strategy; Co-creation, facilitating the interface “bottom-up” and “top-down”

Community facilitators

“Cyclic Rejuvenation” of floodplains finding a balance between safety, biodiversity & reduction of CO2 emission.

NijmegenHydraulic resistance caused by forest

Highway A50

4. Actions

Actions; Climate mitigation measures (Nijmegen); Biogas production

Biogas production from the sludge of communal sewage treatment plants

5. Tools

Local scale Regional scale National scale International scale

Research Deliverable 1,2 Deliverable 1,2 Deliverable 1,2,..

Education ,, Deliverable 1,2

Other ,, ,, ,, Deliverable 1,2

•Are interdisciplinary and fit in the sustainability framework•Have a scientific and a societal component•Are initiated & coordinated by ISIS employees•Are a joint venture between ISIS and research institute(s) of the faculty of Science/Radboud university.

Features of (future) deliverables/products

Scientific challenges & enhancement of visibility and merits through sustainable development

• What is sustainable development ?

• How can we contribute ? (ISIS/Faculty of Science/Radboud University). How do we select & prioritize project initiatives ?

• What can be our role in sustainable development at the local, regional, national & international scale ?

• Who is going to pay ?

• How do we proceed (time schedule) ?

✔✔✔

Funding possibilities (interdisciplinary projects related to sustainable development)

At the local & regional level;Primarily provinces; e.g.; “Wealthy Waal river” project, “Groene Hub Nijmegen” (renewables).Business ?

At the National level:NWO, Ministeries I&M and ELI; e.g. Urban Regions in the Delta project.Business ?

At the International level:InterregIV (A,B and C); e.g. “Green Gas” (DELaND)FP7 and FP7+; 2013 Theme 6: Environment (60 % multidisciplinary), ERC: Synergy call (2012 -2013?)…..…

Schedule

Time schedule ISIS roadmap

April – May 2012 -internal elaboration of the ISIS road map.-identification ISIS contact persons per research institute

June & August 2012 -identification of interdisciplinary challenges

September – December 2012 -Identification project initiatives at four scales.

January 2013 -Report ISIS roadmap (updated annually)

Professorial chairs and disciplines