Knowledge co-production for decision-making in human-natural systems under uncertainty

Knowledge co-production for decision-making in human-natural systems under uncertainty

Moallemi, Enayat A. (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO))
Zare, Fateme (University of New South Wales)
Hebinck, Aniek (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam)
Szetey, Katrina (The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO))
Molina-Perez, Edmundo (Tecnologico de Monterrey)
Zyngier, Romy L. (Deakin University)
Hadjikakou, Michalis (Deakin University)
Kwakkel, J.H. (TU Delft Policy Analysis)
Haasnoot, Marjolijn (Deltares; Universiteit Utrecht)

2023

Decision-making under uncertainty is important for managing human-natural systems in a changing world. A major source of uncertainty is linked to the multi-actor settings of decisions with poorly understood values, complex relationships, and conflicting management approaches. Despite general agreement across disciplines on co-producing knowledge for viable and inclusive outcomes in a multi-actor context, there is still limited conceptual clarity and no systematic understanding on what co-production means in decision-making under uncertainty and how it can be approached. Here, we use content analysis and clustering to systematically analyse 50 decision-making cases with multiple time and spatial scales across 26 countries and in 9 different sectors in the last decade to serve two aims. The first is to synthesise the key recurring strategies that underpin high quality decision co-production across many cases of diverse features. The second is to identify important deficits and opportunities to leverage existing strategies towards flourishing co-production in support of decision-making. We find that four general strategies emerge centred around: promoting innovation for robust and equitable decisions; broadening the span of co-production across interacting systems; fostering social learning and inclusive participation; and improving pathways to impact. Additionally, five key areas that should be addressed to improve decision co-production are identified in relation to: participation diversity; collaborative action; power relationships; governance inclusivity; and transformative change. Characterising the emergent strategies and their key areas for improvement can help guide future works towards more pluralistic and integrated science and practice.

Co-production
Socio-ecological system
Stakeholder
Sustainability
Transdisciplinary

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fe20726a-6eea-416f-8a10-6d796e9ebdfd

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2023.102727

0959-3780

Global Environmental Change, 82

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2023 Enayat A. Moallemi, Fateme Zare, Aniek Hebinck, Katrina Szetey, Edmundo Molina-Perez, Romy L. Zyngier, Michalis Hadjikakou, J.H. Kwakkel, Marjolijn Haasnoot, More Authors