BIOSS - Biosphere reserves as models for Science-Society interaction to spur sustainability transformations in mountainous areas
Abstract
Mountain regions, such as the 435 mountain biosphere reserves, are particularly vulnerable to the accelerated consequences of global change. They struggle with the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, digitalisation and depopulation. For five decades, “people across the globe have utilized biosphere reserves, designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, to explore local solutions to global challenges. The World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves enhances the capacity of 435 mountain BR to act as laboratories for sustainability, research and learning. The high decision stakes, but also the conflicting and pressing nature of many sustainability problems, ask for new forms of knowledge production, dissemination and uptake, and, hence, new models of science-society interaction. At the same time universities and researchers in particular are challenged/ retained to participate in such td-research collaborations due to ongoing competition for funding, students and prestige; prevailing compartmentalisation, performance measurements via rankings, all of which have negative effects on inter- and transdisciplinarity. In this project we will investigate to which degree mountain biosphere reserves have established themselves as models for transdisciplinary science-society interaction to spur transformations towards sustainability in mountain BR. • Which types of science-society interaction (e.g. strategic and functional partnerships, research activities, institutionalised forms of collaboration) have BR experimented with, tested and established on a global level and in BR? • Which ‘knowledge-in-use’ and actual impact have td research projects created and to which degree did they spur sustainability transitions in the Mountain-BR • What are general models of successful science-society interactions in mountain BR for what circumstances? How can future science-society interactions of different types in biosphere reserves in the Alpine DACH region be supported?
keywords Transdisciplinarity Biosphere Reserves Sustainable Landscape Development Sustainability Transformations in Mountainous Areas Science-Society-Interaction
Publikationen
Project staff
Katharina Gugerell
Assoc. Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Katharina Gugerell
katharina.gugerell@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85411
Project Leader
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
Verena Radinger-Peer
Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Verena Radinger-Peer
verena.radinger-peer@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85314
Sub Projectleader
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
Valentin Fiala
Dr. Valentin Fiala
v.fiala@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-73111
Project Staff
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
Alexander Mitrofanenko
Alexander Mitrofanenko MSc.
alexander.mitrofanenko@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85421
Project Staff
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
Marianne Penker
Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Marianne Penker
marianne.penker@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-73115
Project Staff
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
Thomas Thaler
Priv.-Doz. MMag. Thomas Thaler Ph.D.
thomas.thaler@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85412
Project Staff
01.12.2022 - 30.11.2025
BOKU partners
External partners
UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch
Florian Knaus
partner