Transformations for sustainability in dynamic deltas? A Critical Analysis of Systems Approaches to Social Change

• In Event: Climate Change in Context: Local Use, Creation, and Interaction with Science

Abstract

Resilience, adaptation, transition and transformation have all been proposed as routes to sustainability and they have become buzzwords in development-related research and policy. These concepts all originate from the socio-ecological systems (SES) and socio-technical (ST) systems research. We examine the notion of transformation in particular, because it is widely expected to help address environmental, social and economic problems simultaneously. We analyse to what extent the conceptualisation of deltas as SES and/or ST systems could inform transformations for sustainable delta living in the future. In changing climate, sustainability is of particular importance for delta societies since the presence and impact of water from rivers and seas is overwhelming both as live-giver and a threat. We suggest that deltas should be considered complex socio-ecological-cum-technical systems, because technological interventions shape the relationships between societies and delta environments. We also examine the prescriptions of change offered by SES and ST systems research, adaptive management (AM) and transition management (TM) to assess whether they are technically and politically sufficient, feasible and acceptable. We conclude that while the experimentation advocated by AM and TM may support short-term local adjustments, their up-scaling to delta level is prevented by political controversy and resistance. As a result, many deltas are locked-in to an irreversible path towards collapse due to a combination of natural and societal trends. The inability of the examined systems approaches to understand and handle the role of power undermines their ability to inform transformative change.

Authors

• Anna Wesselink, Department of Integrated Water Systems and Governance, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education

• Oliver Fritsch, Department of Geography, University of Leeds

• Jouni Paavola, University of Leeds