247
Governance scheme such as these will better manage transparency issues that
surround data access, and may radically change the way scientists work together.
Within such a governance framework, it will be paramount to ensure continuous
assessment of the design and framing of research questions through to the production, diffusion, exploitation, and assessment of new knowledge. This will help galvanize and maintain the involvement of all stakeholders. Greater overall engagement
in knowledge (research–education–innovation) generation and sharing is a real
opportunity for a more widespread assessment of socio-environmental challenges,
as illustrated by the “citizen science” approaches (Liu and Kobernus 2016). Many
models of partnerships to generate useful and policy-relevant knowledge bring
together scientists, governments, corporations, philanthropists, charities, and civil
societies, to address regional to global challenges. This kind of transdisciplinary
research is increasingly becoming a data-driven enterprise—due to meteoric
improvements in digital systems’ capabilities in acquiring, storing, analyzing, and
distributing information while consistently reducing costs—and a multi-stakeholder
governance model will help facilitate data and resource sharing.
A growing number of government agencies, funding agencies, and international
organizations are supporting the demand for greater data sharing, particularly in
sustainability research concerned with global challenges. However, despite growing
support for open data sharing in many parts of the world, there remain challenges to
implementation especially for researchers in developing and least developed countries in Africa and Latin America. One of the main purposes of data exchange is to
expand the number and diversity of scientists dealing with societal issues, but this is
only significant if researchers can use and interpret data from local indigenous communities. Thus, researchers using open data should strive to conduct relevant ethical
studies for local communities and report the results back to them in order to promote the development, transfer, dissemination, and diffusion of environmentally
sound technologies.
16
Innovative mechanisms, new incentives, and policies designed to enhance convergence and advance transdisciplinary sustainability research must arise to relax
the current hindrances to the efficiency and performance of scholars and academic
institutions. Such initiatives should be bottom-up, led by researchers with investments from their own governments, particularly in developing areas. International
commitments are required to strengthen Southern countries’ investments in research
capacity and to bring forth collaborative research platforms that will serve as a
consistent front against global challenges. Finally, effective communication tools
and outreach strategies that suit the needs of different stakeholder groups will be
key to the empowerment of sustainability research and its applications.
Bearing this in mind, global challenge programs should consider incorporating a
capacity-building element to help minimize disparities and improve scientific literacy
16 Target 17.7 of the Sustainable Development Agenda (2030 Agenda).
14 The Agadir Platform: A Transatlantic Cooperation to Achieve Sustainable Drylands
Governance scheme such as these will better manage transparency issues that
surround data access, and may radically change the way scientists work together.
Within such a governance framework, it will be paramount to ensure continuous
assessment of the design and framing of research questions through to the production, diffusion, exploitation, and assessment of new knowledge. This will help galvanize and maintain the involvement of all stakeholders. Greater overall engagement
in knowledge (research–education–innovation) generation and sharing is a real
opportunity for a more widespread assessment of socio-environmental challenges,
as illustrated by the “citizen science” approaches (Liu and Kobernus 2016). Many
models of partnerships to generate useful and policy-relevant knowledge bring
together scientists, governments, corporations, philanthropists, charities, and civil
societies, to address regional to global challenges. This kind of transdisciplinary
research is increasingly becoming a data-driven enterprise—due to meteoric
improvements in digital systems’ capabilities in acquiring, storing, analyzing, and
distributing information while consistently reducing costs—and a multi-stakeholder
governance model will help facilitate data and resource sharing.
A growing number of government agencies, funding agencies, and international
organizations are supporting the demand for greater data sharing, particularly in
sustainability research concerned with global challenges. However, despite growing
support for open data sharing in many parts of the world, there remain challenges to
implementation especially for researchers in developing and least developed countries in Africa and Latin America. One of the main purposes of data exchange is to
expand the number and diversity of scientists dealing with societal issues, but this is
only significant if researchers can use and interpret data from local indigenous communities. Thus, researchers using open data should strive to conduct relevant ethical
studies for local communities and report the results back to them in order to promote the development, transfer, dissemination, and diffusion of environmentally
sound technologies.
16
Innovative mechanisms, new incentives, and policies designed to enhance convergence and advance transdisciplinary sustainability research must arise to relax
the current hindrances to the efficiency and performance of scholars and academic
institutions. Such initiatives should be bottom-up, led by researchers with investments from their own governments, particularly in developing areas. International
commitments are required to strengthen Southern countries’ investments in research
capacity and to bring forth collaborative research platforms that will serve as a
consistent front against global challenges. Finally, effective communication tools
and outreach strategies that suit the needs of different stakeholder groups will be
key to the empowerment of sustainability research and its applications.
Bearing this in mind, global challenge programs should consider incorporating a
capacity-building element to help minimize disparities and improve scientific literacy
16 Target 17.7 of the Sustainable Development Agenda (2030 Agenda).
14 The Agadir Platform: A Transatlantic Cooperation to Achieve Sustainable Drylands