Q. Can you give us an example of an environmental conflict that was solved collaboratively in the book?
A. The Amazon Basin is facing huge challenges in terms of access to natural resources, land tenure and economic development. This creates a lot of problems for societies and ecosystems. Protected areas were established to protect ecosystem services but also prevent the development of certain resources like timber, agriculture, and gold.
Networks of stakeholders and protected areas managers have collaborated in the Peruvian Amazon to develop cooperative approaches to conflict management. The ultimate goal is to improve the governance of protected areas. These networks can help build more resilient governance systems by integrating conflict management directly into protected areamanagement.
Q. How does climate change interact with managing these kinds of environmental disputes
A. Conflicting interests and needs between diverse groups of people are the basis of environmental disputes. They relate to natural resources, ecosystem services, and other natural resources. Conflict occurs when one aspect of the social system or environment changes and puts peoples’ incompatible interest into direct tension. Climate variability and our policies to it are causing new flashpoints. In the context of climatechange, people across societies are being forced to rethink their relationships with one another. It is crucial that we find ways to facilitate constructive conflictmanagement.
Q. What brought you to this research?
A. I was raised in the American West on a farm where climate change and water management, as well as land tenure and public policy, present serious challenges to rural communities. I knew from a young age that I wanted to help communities around the globe who are facing similar problems.
My research is at the Climate School and focuses on how natural resource management can be used to solve social conflict. I combine social science with physical science to discover and explain the hazards and risks communities face. I use the results of environmental fact-finding to inform multistakeholder planning initiatives with a goal of creating socially benefiting resource management plans.
Q. What are your teaching methods for this semester?
A. Hiroshima University and I have partnered to create a network of practitioners and researchers focused on peace and sustainability.www.nerps.org, is modeled after the Earth InstituteI am a leader in applied research on natural resources governance and am focused on bringing together multidisciplinary groups of land use planners and policy experts, ecologists and social scientists.
Q. You’re hosting dinner party. You are hosting a dinner party. Who, and why, would you invite?
A. Elinor, a political economist, is someone I would like to invite. Her work inspired and motivated me to think about ways to bridge ecological models with social science. To show my gratitude, I would invite her.
Carl Sagan would also be an invitee. He had an uncanny ability to see connections across all scales. I would probably spend the evening with Confucius, whose emphasis on living ethical, moral and balanced lives might provide some insight into how to navigate the complex current problems society is facing.
Books to learn more about publications from Columbia professors.