Intro

On the 27th October 2011, we will hold a one day, high level workshop to discuss sustainability science and enhancing cooperation between NGOs and scientists to make this a more sustainable world. We are holding a small round table with world-renowned scientists, leaders of international NGOs, and representatives of private foundations and NSF Program Directors to discuss the potential for enhanced collaboration among scientists, NGOs, NSF and the public and private sector.

The premise is that cooperation is essential for meaningful mitigation of the causes and consequences of human induced environmental emergencies and degradation. Furthermore, reducing the human activities that are adversely impacting global sustainability (climate change; resource production, extraction, and exploitation; and forced relocation) is a high priority for both the nation as well as the international organizations whose missions are to ameliorate the human suffering and environmental degradation caused by these issues. Finding ways to enhance the synergy of the research by scientists and the programs of NGOs is essential to meaningful action on issues of sustainability.

There is a significant overlap between the proposal driven NSF and the work of NGOs. However, to date the interaction among the scientists who are responsible for performing the science and the NGOs that are responsible for implementing policy, providing aid, and developing approaches to mitigating crises has been limited. This round table is a first step for finding ways to change this and instigate coordinated action around the world. On one hand, the round table will evaluate the potential for developing a system for NGOs to help formulate the research being conducted by NSF scientists in order for it to be more useful to the organizations working on the ground. On the other, it could potentially inform NSF in the implementation of scientific findings by NGOs in order to enhance the potential of worldwide sustainability.

The Roundtable will also assess whether a larger workshop reaching out to a greater range of scientists, NGOs and other integral parties will be able to create the desired collaborative approach to promoting sustainability.

Agenda

At NSF Headquarters: Stafford 2, Room 555

• 8:30 Introductions
• 9:00 Overview & Goals for the Day
• 9:30 Sustainability Science at the NGO/Science Nexus: Ezra Zubrow and Mark Roberts (Moderators)Participants Introduction – 1 slide/3mins for each participant (please bring slide on a thumb-drive)
• 10:45 Coffee Break
• 11:15 Panel Discussions
  1. a) Linking Action and Knowledge — Discussion of Science, Policy and Application Commonalities and Differences: Linking Action and Knowledge
     Panel: Mark Roberts (Moderator), Susie Crate, Peter Riggs, Christina Swanson
  2. b) NGO-NSF Examples of Potential Collaboration: Science and Communities Collaborating on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation and Resource Protection
     Panel: Ezra Zubrow (Moderator), Nikoosh Carlo, Richard Clapp, Alexander Von Bismarck
• 1:00 Working Lunch:
• Keynote Speaker: Brendan P. Kelly (NSF): “Elevator speeches; science, policy, and sustainability”Dr. Brendan Kelly is Deputy Director of the Arctic Sciences Division at the National Science Foundation.
  He has studied sea ice ecosystems, with an emphasis on ice-associated marine mammals-for the past 35 years.
  Previous appointment were with the University of Alaska and the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NOAA).
  His current responsibilities include serving as Executive Director of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee.
• 2:00
  1. a) Enhanced Communication — Implementing Science to improve sustainability: Ezra Zubrow (Moderator)
     • Front End: What Science is Needed by NGOs and the Science NGOs are Performing Internally
     • Panel: Mark Roberts (Moderator) Lisa Clough, Christina Swanson, Alexander Von Bismarck, Emmanuel Tumusiime, Stephen Seidel
     • Back End: The connection between NGO action and policy implementation Panel: John Crump, Larry Hamilton, Richard Clapp
  2. b) Examples of Sustainability and Climate Change Programs that Would Benefit From Enhanced Communication between NGOs, Scientists, and the Public.
     • Panel: Alphonse DeSena (Moderator),William Patterson (Moderator), Alexander Von Bismarck, Emmanuel Tumusiime, Peter Brosius, Stephen Seidel, Sophia Perdikaris
• 3:30 Coffee Break
• 4:00
  • a) Current NSF Opportunities for NGOs – Sustainability Research Network and Beyond: Priyantha Karunratne/ Ezra Zubrow (Moderators)
    Panel: Bruce Hamilton (SRN), Jill Karsten (CCE), Dave McGinnis, Anna Kerttula de Echave, Jessica Robin(SEES)
  • b) OPEN MEETING DISCUSSION: Methods of structuring communication between NGO and Scientists:
    Priyantha Karunaratne/ Ezra Zubrow (Moderators), Peter Riggs
    
    
    1. At organization level
    2. Grass roots level
       c) Private-Public Partnerships
  • d) Would it be Beneficial to Convene Wider Scope Spring Meeting?
• 6:00 – Dinner & Open discussion
  • Keynote speaker: Lawrence Hamilton: “Is Arctic ice melting? Public knowledge and beliefs about climate”
  • Dr. Lawrence Hamilton is a professor of Sociology at the University of New Hampshire.
    During the last two decades Dr. Hamilton has been involved in plethora of interdisciplinary research in the circumpolar regions. His current research includes evaluating the challenges of sustainable development.

Organisations

Social Systems Geospatial Information Science Laboratory,
Department of Anthropology, The State University of New York at Buffalo

The University at Buffalo’s Social Systems Geospatial Information Science Laboratory is a research group under the direction of Professor Ezra Zubrow in the Department of Anthropology. It has a staff of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates.Financed on soft money grants and contracts, it focuses on research regarding the human response to long term climate change and the geography of social policy regarding environmental and heritage issues. The primary tools are geo-spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and geographic information systems. The results appear in government reports, publications, conference presentations and proceedings, and in advisory positions to various governmental and NGO organizations.

Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA):

The non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency is an international campaigning organization with offices in Washington, DC, and London, UK. Since 1984, EIA has used pioneering investigative techniques to expose environmental crimes and campaign against illegal wildlife trade and threats to our global environment. EIA works at the leading edge of some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems. Our campaign program takes a “cradle to grave” approach to preventing the black market trade in environmental products, which is at the root of these pressing ecological problems. Our undercover investigations shape our strategies and provide visual and factual ammunition for policymakers and enforcement agencies. Our campaign teams leverage the information we gather on eco-criminals with policymakers, the media and the public to bring about solutions.

Our interlocking campaign program is divided between three core areas. We work to protect endangered species, many of which require forest habitat which is being decimated by illegal logging and associated global timber trade. Deforestation is also exacerbating climate change by releasing the carbon stored by forests into the atmosphere. Climate change, in turn, threatens the habitats upon which both marine and terrestrial species depend. To learn more, go to www.eia-global.org.

Organization Committee

Ezra BW Zubrow, Professor of Anthropology

Ezra Zubrow is Professor of Anthropology at the University at Buffalo and at University of Toronto (SO).He also holds the positions of Sr. Research Scientist of the National Center of Geographic Information Analysis, Chair of the Faculty Senate of the University at Buffalo, and Vice President for Academics for the Buffalo Chapter of the United University Professions. His research goals are studying the long term human response to climate change and the geography of public policy of environment, heritage and disability. A participant in the IPY and Boreas, he presently runs the International Circumpolar Archaeological Project and is a co director with Michael Smythe of the XCOCH project in the Yucatan. He has done fieldwork in 20 countries, published 10 books, 100+ articles and presently has approximately 1.2 million dollars in research grants.

He cooperates with NGO’s on the geography of disability through a variety of contracts and published two books on this subject. He also works on the restoration of heritage after natural (earthquake and volcanic) and military disasters including the Aceh Tsunami with various NGO’s and the UN.

Mark W. Roberts, Senior Counsel and Internal Policy Advisor:

Mark Roberts has practiced law for more than 25 years, specializing in environmental, energy and land use law and litigation. He is actively involved in international environmental and climate issues and participates in the Montreal Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Mark is also engaged in actions to reduce deforestation and forest degradation working at the UNFCCC, the World Bank and the Trans Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement negotiations. He is actively engaged as acivil society representative to the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Mr. Roberts regularly writes and speaks on legal, technical, and policy issues related to climate change, control of greenhouse gases (particularly HFCs and ozone-depleting substances) and the issues of safeguards, drivers and enforcement related to REDD+ activities.

Priyantha Karunaratne, Research Associate

Priyantha Karunaratne received his B. A. in Archaeology from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.He won a Fulbright fellowship to study at the University of Arizona where he earned his M.A. in Anthropology. Priyanthaobtained his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego. His doctoral research was focused on understanding the formation process of state level societies on the island of Sri Lanka during the second half of the first millennium B.C. Prior to the completion of his doctoral research, Priyantha was involved in both teaching and research at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he held numerous positions including the post0 of Senior Lecturer. For nearly two decades Priyantha Karunaratne has been involved in a number of international collaborative archaeological research projects in various parts of the world including South Asia, Northern Europe,Russian Kamchatka, and Southwestern United States. He has directed over a dozen archaeological excavation projects in Sri Lanka. After completing his Ph.D. Priyantha Karunaratne joined the Social Systems GIS Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, at the State University of New York at Buffalo as a Research Associate. Currently as a member of the research group at Social Systems GIS lab Priyantha focuses on understanding the impact of mid Holocene climate change on marine adapted hunter-gatherer- fisher communities in the Island of Sri Lanka, a research that concentrates on evaluating the consequences of rapid climate change on hunter-gatherer adaptive strategies and social cultural transformation in the equatorial coastal zones.

Participants

Dr. James Peter Brosius, The University of Georgia

Dr. Richard Clapp, Boston University

Dr. Susie Crate, George Mason University

Dr. Lisa Clough, East Carolina University

Dr. Lawrence Hamilton, University of New Hampshire

Dr. Priyantha Karunaratne, The State University of New York at Buffalo

Dr. Dustin Keeler, The State University of New York at Buffalo

Dr. William Patterson, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Sophia Perdikaris, The City University of New York

Dr. Ezra Zubrow, The State University of New York at Buffalo

Mr. Mark W. Roberts, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)

Mr. Stephen Seidel, Pew Center on Global Climate Change

Dr. Christina Swanson, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

Dr. Emmanuel Tumusiime, Oxfam

Mr. Alexander Von Bismarck, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)

Mr. John Crump, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

Mr. Peter Riggs, Ford Foundation

Mr. Krishna Roy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Mr. Charles Savitt, Island Press

Dr. Nikoosh Carlo, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Anna Kerttula de Echave, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Alphonse DeSena, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Bruce Hamilton, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Jill L. Karsten, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Brendan P. Kelly, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Dave McGinnis, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Dr. Jessica Robin, National Science Foundation (NSF)

Contacts

Priyantha Karunaratne (Coordinator)
Social Systems GIS Laboratory
University at Buffalo
Department of Anthropology
380 MFAC, Ellicott Complex
Buffalo, New York 14261-0005, USA
Ph: 289 213 4515
email: priyanth@buffalo.edu

Ezra B. W. Zubrow (Chief Organizer)
543 Capen Hall
University at Buffalo (North Campus)
Buffalo, New York
14260-1680
ph. 1-716-645-2003, 1-716-645-0411
fax 1-716-645-2717, 1-716-645-3808
email: zubrow@buffalo.edu

Mark W. Roberts (Chief Organizer)
Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).
C/O Mc Roberts and Roberts 15.
Broad Street 240. Boston,
MA, 02109. USA.
+1-617-722-8222
email: markroberts@eia-global.org

Dr. Richard Clap
Dr. Susie Crate
Dr. Lisa Clough
Dr. Lawrence Hamilton
Dr. Priyantha Karunaratne
Dr. Dustin Keeler
Dr. William Patterson
Dr. Sophia Perdikaris
Dr. Ezra Zubrow
Mr. Mark W. Roberts
Mr. Stephen Seidel
Dr. Christina Swanson
Dr. Emmanuel Tumusiime
Mr. Alexander Von Bismarck
Mr. John Crump
Mr. Peter Riggs
Mr. Krishna Roy
Mr. Charles Savitt
Dr. Nikoosh Carlo
Dr. Anna Kerttula de Echave
Dr. Alphonse DeSena
Dr. Bruce Hamilton
Dr. Jill L. Karsten
Dr. Brendan P. Kelly
Dr. David McGinnis
Dr. Jessica Robin

Directions

Location and Directions

The National Science Foundation (4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230) is located in the Ballston area of North Arlington, Virginia, between Wilson Boulevard and Fairfax Drive. On the 27th morning participants will have to stop at Visitor and Reception Center at Stafford I to pick up their nametags and then walk to Stafford II Rm 555. Parking is available on both at Stafford I and Stafford II lots at NSF headquarters for a fee. There are metered parking available on the surrounding streets. Those of you who stay at HYATT Arlington can use metro to commute between the NSF and the hotel. HYATT is located across street from metro. NSF is one stop away from the HYATT Arlington and one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University Metro stop on the Orange Line.

Directions to NSF from D.C. Airports

The National Science Foundation is located in the Ballston area of North Arlington (Virginia) between Wilson Boulevard and Fairfax Drive. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is the closest airport to NSF. It takes about 15 minutes on taxi/shuttle to NSF from Reagan National Airport. From Dulles International Airport, airport taxi takes about 30 minutes.

Metro Directions

Dulles International Airport has no direct train service. To connect to Metro, take the Washington Flyer Express bus to the West Falls Church metro station. (Buses run every 30 minutes, and cost $8 oneway / $14 round trip).

Driving Directions from Dulles Airport

(21 miles, 25-30 minutes) Please note that weekdays, I-66 inside the Beltway is limited to a minimum of 2 passengers (HOV restriction) for eastbound traffic from 6:30-9 a.m. I-66 westbound traffic is HOV restricted from 4-6:30 p.m. Ticketed passengers to/from Dulles Airport are exempt from the HOV restriction.

1. Stay left on exiting airport area and join Dulles Access Rd.
2. Follow signs routing to I-66 East and 495.
3. Continue to follow signs to I-66 East where the Access Road joins I-66
4. East for approximately 17 miles after leaving the airport.
5. Exit at Glebe Road.
6. Turn right on Glebe Road.
7. Turn left on Wilson Blvd.
8. Turn left on N.Stuart Drive.