1. Pathways to Sustainability:Agendas for a new politics of environment, development and social justice ESRC STEPS Centre Conference September 23-24 2010

2. Pathways to Sustainability:The STEPS Centre’s Approach Melissa Leach Pathways to Sustainability Conference September 23 2010

3. Environmental challenges Rapid environmental change Complex dynamics Interlocked crises and ‘perfect storms’? (Beddington 2009) Scientific, policy and public concern – and politicisation ‘A new climate for society’ (and social science)? (Jasanoff 2010)

4. In a (more) unequal world Social, economic and political change – mobility and interconnection (at least for some), instabilities New complexion to core development challenges Poverty, inequity, (in)justice Shifting geographies of power and privilege, emergent social hierarchies Shifting governance landscapes

5. How might pathways to sustainability – that link environmental integrity with social justice – be conceptualised and built – in a complex, dynamic world?

6. A timely moment? UNCED 1992 a landmark for environmental policy and politics (Convention processes, Agenda 21) – and environmental social science ‘Rio Plus 20 Earth Summit’ – social science ideas, concepts, agendas, engagements? ‘green economy’, ‘institutional framework for sustainable development’

7. Presentation The STEPS Centre’s ‘pathways approach’ Themes for the conference Unresolved tensions, areas for discussion

8. Contradictions Growing recognition of complexity and dynamism – intercoupled social, ecological, technological systems; non-linear, cross-scale dynamics; uncertainties Growing recognition of diverse knowledges and ways of knowing, values, perspectives, priorities Growing search for technical-managerial solutions premised on a far more static, consensual view of the world – solvable problems, achievable stability, controllable risks ……A mismatch - cycles of ‘failure’ as dynamics undermine assumptions of stability; emerging backlashes from nature, politics; mires of disagreement; those who are already vulnerable and marginal often lose out

9. Sustainability A contested term with a history From 1712 forestry usage to wider currency in the 1980s Linking of environmental questions to mainstream issues of economy and development: ‘Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (Brundtland 1987) Vibrant, committed debate at and around Rio 1992: economics and political science, broad and narrow, strong and weak, top-down and community-defined…. Technical meanings co-constructed with different visions for how sustainability should be achieved Through 1990s, growth in planning approaches, frameworks, measurement indicators, audit systems, evaluation protocols – managerialism and bureaucratisation Discrediting of ‘sustainability’? (empty rhetoric, failure of managerialism, conservatism, inadequacy of institutional and policy machinery) Yet sustainability is the ‘keyword’ for Rio plus 20 amidst complex environment-development challenges – more of the same?

10. Towards a normative, politicised perspective on sustainability Beyond generalised, colloquial notions (maintenance of system properties in a general sense) Beyond broad and static normative connotations of Brundtland – focused on notions of (poor people’s) ‘needs’ and environmental ‘limits’ To address specified qualities of human wellbeing, social equity and environmental integrity – as they relate to dynamic environments Normative concern with those properties that assist reductions in poverty and social injustice – as defined by/for particular people, contexts and settings Multiple, contested sustainabilities to be defined and deliberated for particular issues and groups E.g. African seed systems amidst climate-change related drought – sustainability in relation to national food security? Livelihoods of dryland farmers? Women’s or men’s crop varieties and control? Sustainability as a discursive resource to facilitate argument and action about diverse pathways to different futures

11. A systems perspective environment System: Social, institutional, ecological and technological elements interacting In dynamic ways ‘system’

13. - Perspectives

14. - Interests

15. - Goals

16. Values

17. - Notions of relevant experienceFramings: Different ways of understanding or representing a system and its relevant environment

18. Narratives Framings often become part of narratives – underlying storylines Produced by people and institutions Beginning – a system, framed Imaginary - futures desired or feared (what ideas, possibilities, values, goals?) Middle – a set of envisaged actions Construction of publics – who will act, who will change their behaviour, respond End – catastrophe averted, outcome achieved, ‘sustainability’ enhanced

19. Creating narratives: Practices stating goals highlighting values assigning cause setting agendas defining problems characterising options posing questions prioritizing issues formulating criteria deciding context setting baselines drawing boundaries discounting time choosing methods including disciplines handling uncertainties recruiting expertise commissioning research constituting ‘proof’ exploring sensitivities interpreting results

20. Narrative examples Energy and climate: ‘The challenges of dealing with climate change and energy security can only be dealt with through large scale, centralized systems like carbon capture and new nuclear build’ ‘Appropriate reductions in carbon emissions are achievable by small scale, distributed innovations in technology, institutions and user behaviour, such as in smart grids, efficient use and micro-generation’. Food (e.g. East Africa): ‘Growing food deficits require massive boosts to agricultural productivity – modern plant breeding and genetic engineering can deliver solutions which need to be rolled out at scale’ ‘Food insecurities are diverse and shaped by ecological, market, social and institutional contexts, requiring socio-technical solutions in which farmer knowledge and local innovations have central roles to play’

21. Water (e.g. dryland India): ‘Major water scarcities are developing and undermining economic development; therefore the construction of large dams and investment in the infrastructure for water delivery must take place’ ‘Water scarcities are often human induced by the greed and mismanagement of elites; for farmers and pastoralists maintaining livelihoods amidst uncertainties must be central, and can draw on local knowledge and historically-embedded practices’

22. Strategies and dynamics style of action control respond shock (transient disruption) STABILITY RESILIENCE temporality of change stress (enduring shift) DURABILITY ROBUSTNESS

23. Dealing with water resources in dryland India: Strategies and dynamics style of action control respond shock (transient disruption) STABILITY RESILIENCE Adaptive responses and interventions geared to floods and droughts (e.g. crop mixes, mobility, water harvesting) ; local knowledge, culturally-embedded practices Control of short-term supply variability through dams, pumps and pipes temporality of change Response to long-term shifts in water supply and use (e.g. changes in land use, agricultural practices, livelihoods); variegated, flexible institutional and engineering arrangements Engineering solutions geared to long-term shifts in rainfall and hydrology (e.g. margins, reduced water levels) stress (enduring shift) DURABILITY ROBUSTNESS

24. style of action control respond STABILITY RESILIENCE STABILITY RESILIENCE temporality of change SUSTAINABILITY stress (enduring shift) DURABILITY ROBUSTNESS DURABILITY ROBUSTNESS

25. Pathways For any issue, we might identify an array of narratives For each narrative, we might ask: Who are the actors? How is the system and goals for change framed? Which dynamic properties and strategies for dealing with them are prioritised? Some narratives justify and become interlocked with powerful pathways – particular directions in which systems change over time Alternative narratives, hidden narratives, exclusions…. Constructing pathways to sustainability requires recognition and deliberation amongst multiple narratives and possible pathways

26. Governance Narratives and pathways co-constructed with governance Intersections of power, politics and institutions, including power-knowledge Shape which come to dominate, and which remain marginalised Often leads to ‘lock-in’ to particular powerful narrative and associated pathway, to the exclusion of others

27. Governance and pathways to sustainability From government to networked, multi-levelled governance Participatory governance Governance in practice Politics of nature and technology Political cultures and contexts Politics of knowledge Governmentalities (environmentalities) Important to understand how ‘lock-in’ happens… and how it might be averted

28. The politics of ‘closing down’ Towards singular narratives and pathways Towards stability-focused interventions style of action control response shock (transient disruption) STABILITY RESILIENCE POWER DYNAMICS temporality of change stress (enduring shift) DURABILITY ROBUSTNESS

29. Governance pressures towards stability-focused interventions Incumbent institutions tend to favour strategies which preserve the status quo – and uphold political interests Deeply rooted ideas about equilibrium Institutionalisation of routine responses Financial and economic backing Professional, disciplinary and cognitive pressures Media and popular knowledge Disciplining and transformation of subjectivities

30. From closing down to opening up Meeting sustainability challenges will require: Moving beyond singular views of ‘the problem’ and ‘progress’, to recognise multiple possible goals and values and their contestation; Moving beyond stability/control to embrace strategies that respond to ongoing change, with respect to sustaining the flows and benefits valued by particular groups Challenge dominant narratives/pathways; highlight alternatives

31. Climate change, drought and maize in Kenya Understanding and challenging ‘lock in’ to the dominant pathway – breeding and commercialization of drought-tolerant maize, geared to ‘resilience in the seed’, towards farm and national food security goals Opening up to alternative pathways – especially for ‘low potential’ areas (e.g. Sakai), geared to resilience of farming livelihoods

32. Multiple pathways – in and out of maize Local maize varieties predominate and are highly valued Important but under-recognised role of seed selectors In future – some farmers want drought tolerant maize varieties But many farmers are trying to move out of maize and into other crops – dryland staples and horticultural crops

33. Multiple pathways –in and out of maize Low Maize High Maize 1 – Alternative dryland staples for subsistence 3 – local improvement of local maize Low- External Input High- External Input 2 – Alternative dryland staples for market 5 – Assisted seed multiplication of maize 4 – Assisted seed multiplication of alternative dryland staples 6 – Individual high-value crop commercialization 8 – Commercial delivery of new DT maize varieties 7 – Group-based high-value crop commercialization 9 – Public delivery of new DT maize varieties

34. Towards a politics for sustainability Governance approaches: Deliberative, Reflexive Designs – roles for new appraisal tools and methods Political engagement – influencing policy processes and effecting policy change; citizen mobilisation, network and alliance-building shaping information and communication flows in a multi-media knowledge landscape Reflexive research engagements in which we take our positionality seriously May involve antagonistic confrontation and challenge as well as consensus-building

35. Social science and the politics of knowledge-making After Burawoy, 2005

36. Conference themes and areas for discussion Contesting and governing sustainabilities: multi-level, deliberative, adaptive, and movement-based approaches – and beyond Framing and narratives: ensuring practical connections with questions of justice, material political economy and ecology Dynamics and sustainability: navigating complexities, transitions and transformations,natural science engagements Addressing ‘big picture’ environmental concerns and analysis without doing violence to the richness and diversity of people’s experiences Grounding concepts and approaches in diverse issues and contexts: Climate change, water, agriculture, forests, fisheries, urban and peri-urban environments

37. Towards Rio Plus 20 – and beyond Emerging themes Research-policy roundtable What kinds of knowledge can today’s environmental social science contribute? What specific processes and opportunities might we engage with?

38. Enjoy the debate www.steps-centre.org