ESM 203: The End of Earth System Science for Environmental Management

1. 1 ESM 203: The End of Earth System Science for Environmental Management Jeff Dozier & Tom DunneFall 2007

2. The Object of the Course The course is dedicated to the proposition that there is value to the environmental manager and the citizen in understanding that you live on a planet. Its planetary functions will affect the way you live and the way you will do business throughout your professional career. You can be blind-sided by this fact, or be on top of it. In this course, we want you to practice thinking about managing environmental problems using this insight.

3. 3 Realization that we work on a planet This emerging (post-1970) realization confronts us with two sets of issues How do these global-scale processes affect us? Do/can we do anything to adjust to the consequences and/or mitigate our impact? But we don�t know what our needs or options are until we understand the nature of the systems that we are impacting and adjusting to. Hence, �Earth System Science for Environmental Management�

4. 4 Scales at which problems arise The consequences of planetary behavior and opportunities for managing/adjusting to them exist at a range of temporal and spatial scales � city, state, region, nation, international. Natural and social resources at these various scales lie within the responsibilities, knowledge, and interests of different specialists within our societies [politicians, lawyers, engineers, hydrologists, accountants, etc.] Their different responsibilities, training, social backgrounds, etc. make consensus about existence of problems, significance of processes and controlling factors, and timeliness of actions hard to develop This is where Bren graduates come in recognition and articulation of the processes that lead to problems analysis of controls on the processes And thus options for crafting and promotion of solutions

7. 7 Environmental problems (employment opportunities) at a range of scales Climate policy (national ? state) Water supply and flood control (state ? regional? trans-border) River and wetland restoration (local ? river basin) Coastal contamination (small ? large watershed) Groundwater pollution control/remediation (local, but from decommissioned gas stations to high-level nuclear waste )

8. 8 Use of Science for Understanding Science didn�t evolve for the purpose of environmental dispute resolution Scientific understanding of environmental processes emerges gradually, and sometimes untidily, because the processes are complex, involve positive and negative feedbacks, and evidence of their behavior is obscured by the signatures of other processes results of scientific investigations (as with other human endeavors) can be distorted and manipulated.

9. 9 Facing Uncertainty Although many natural processes are understood securely by scientists, many others, including some complex environmental processes, are not.

10. 10 Facing Uncertainty Although many natural processes are understood securely by scientists, many others, including some complex environmental processes, are not. Scientists continue to work to reduce the uncertainty, but the knowledge emerges gradually, or sometimes irregularly

11. 11 Facing Uncertainty Although many natural processes are understood securely by scientists, many others, including some complex environmental processes, are not. Scientists continue to work to reduce the uncertainty, but the knowledge emerges gradually, or sometimes irregularly Yet, society has to make decisions on what values to hold or how/whether to take certain courses of action that we call environmental management.

12. 12 Facing Uncertainty Although many natural processes are understood securely by scientists, many others, including some complex environmental processes, are not. Scientists continue to work to reduce the uncertainty, but the knowledge emerges gradually, or sometimes irregularly Yet, society has to make decisions on what values to hold or how/whether to take certain courses of action that we call environmental management. This is true even if we are not �ready� in terms of our knowledge base. �Society can not wait for scientists to understand the world scientifically� --- Jose Ortega y Gasset

13. 13 Facing Uncertainty Although many natural processes are understood securely by scientists, many others, including some complex environmental processes, are not. Scientists continue to work to reduce the uncertainty, but the knowledge emerges gradually, or sometimes irregularly Yet, society has to make decisions on what values to hold or how/whether to take certain courses of action that we call environmental management. This is true even if we are not �ready� in terms of our knowledge base. �Society can not wait for scientists to understand the world scientifically� --- Jose Ortega y Gasset Society entrusts activities that must be conducted in the face of uncertainty (e.g. how to treat disease; whether to trust another nation; how strong to build skyscrapers and bridges; how/whether to treat water supplies to protect health; how much land to sequester for conservation of various biophilic values) �. to a subset of people called professionals.

14. 14 Professionals are expected to develop a �� mastery of a domain of practice. Professions are essentially practical performances.�* This is where we come to you in this course. You are training to become professional environmental problem solvers * Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

15. 15 Professionalism Professions consist of individuals who are given a certain amount of prestige and autonomy in return for performing for society a set of services in a disinterested way. Characteristics of the professions (Bernard Barber, Sociologist): A high degree of generalized and systematic knowledge A primary orientation to community interest rather than personal interest A high degree of self-control of behavior through a code of ethics A system of monetary and honorary rewards that symbolize achievements of the work itself. Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

16. 16 Professionals make decisions and promote action in the face of �� the ubiquitous condition of uncertainty, novelty, and unpredictability. While much of professional practice is routine, the essential challenges of professional work center on the need to make complex judgments and decisions leading to skilled actions under conditions of uncertainty. This means that professional practice is frequently pursued at or beyond the margins of previously learned performances. Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

17. 17 Professionals make decisions and promote action in the face of �� the ubiquitous condition of uncertainty, novelty, and unpredictability. While much of professional practice is routine, the essential challenges of professional work center on the need to make complex judgments and decisions leading to skilled actions under conditions of uncertainty. This means that professional practice is frequently pursued at or beyond the margins of previously learned performances. That circumstance creates two related challenges for professional practice and education: professionals must be trained to operate at the uncertain limits of their previous experience, and must also be prepared to learn from the consequences of their actions to develop new understandings and better routines. Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

18. 18 Professionals make decisions and promote action in the face of �� the ubiquitous condition of uncertainty, novelty, and unpredictability. While much of professional practice is routine, the essential challenges of professional work center on the need to make complex judgments and decisions leading to skilled actions under conditions of uncertainty. This means that professional practice is frequently pursued at or beyond the margins of previously learned performances.� That circumstance creates two related challenges for professional practice and education: professionals must be trained to operate at the uncertain limits of their previous experience, and must also be prepared to learn from the consequences of their actions to develop new understandings and better routines. They must also develop ways of exchanging those understandings with those of other professionals so the entire professional community benefits from their insight.� Societies of Environmental Professionals; of Lawyers, etc. Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

19. 19 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

20. 20 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general A body of theory or specialized knowledge with its own principles of growth and reorganization Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

21. 21 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general A body of theory or specialized knowledge with its own principles of growth and reorganization A specialized set of professional skills, practices, and performances unique to the profession Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

22. 22 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general A body of theory or specialized knowledge with its own principles of growth and reorganization A specialized set of professional skills, practices, and performances unique to the profession The developed capacity to render judgments with integrity under conditions of technical and ethical uncertainty Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

23. 23 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general A body of theory or specialized knowledge with its own principles of growth and reorganization A specialized set of professional skills, practices, and performances unique to the profession The developed capacity to render judgments with integrity under conditions of technical and ethical uncertainty An organized approach to learning from experience both individually and collectively and thus of growing new knowledge from the contexts of practice Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

24. 24 Professions are characterized by: A commitment to serve in the interests of clients in particular and the welfare of society in general A body of theory or specialized knowledge with its own principles of growth and reorganization A specialized set of professional skills, practices, and performances unique to the profession The developed capacity to render judgments with integrity under conditions of technical and ethical uncertainty An organized approach to learning from experience both individually and collectively and thus of growing new knowledge from the contexts of practice The development of a professional community responsible for the oversight and monitoring of quality in both practice and professional education. Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, p.13-18.

25. 25 �The primary feature of any profession --- the commitment to serve responsibly, selflessly, and wisely --- sets the terms of the compact between the profession and the society. The centrality of this commitment defines the inherently ethical relationship between the professional and the general society. It also sets up the essential tension between the two poles of professional responsibility: the duty to serve the interests of one�s immediate client and the obligation one has to the society at large.� Gardner, H. and L. S. Schulman, 2005. The professions in America today: crucial but fragile. Daedalus, J. American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Summer, 13-18.

26. 26 Professionals need to practice as members of a professional community charged with responsibility for �establishing and renewing standards for both practice and professional education, critically reviewing claims for new ideas and techniques disseminating the worthy ideas and techniques widely within the community of practice, overseeing the quality of performances at all stages of the career.�

27. 27 Jobs!: Nature of problems/opportunities in environmental management

28. 28 Questions from the Class For those of us interested in the policy implications and development implications of ESS topics where do you suggest we look for jobs and internships? Where are there leadership positions beyond the county-level? What are the reasonable expectations for post-Bren and for 5-7 years out? What classes do you suggest to pursue these topics further? Should someone who is interested in the socioeconomic implications of these topics, pursue technical classes?

29. 29 For those of us interested in the policy implications and development implications of ESS topics where do you suggest we look for jobs and internships? Dave Parker has a list, and much other help �Big� organizations in �leadership� cities: Washington DC, NYC, San Francisco, Sacramento Second tier: Oakland, Seattle (Vulcan) Organizations (govt. or NGO) with international, national and State responsibilities Some everybody has heard of (e.g. Nature Conservancy), but many more that are essentially unknown outside of DC (OPIC) , Oakland (International Rivers, Natural Heritage Inst.), etc.

30. 30 What are the reasonable expectations for post-Bren and for 5-7 years out? Jill Gravender and Sam Hitz (MESM 2002, 2003) --- VPs of the California Climate Action Registry oversee all policy efforts, including the development and maintenance of technical reporting guidelines. responsible for leading the Registry�s collaborative efforts with other states and countries and for guiding its emerging work in the area of project-level reporting.

31. 31 What are the reasonable expectations for post-Bren and for 5-7 years out? Suzanne Lieberman (MESM 2004) Interned with World Wildlife Fund in Geneva Returned for a permanent job after graduation Negotiating for WWF with Govt of Romania about setting aside of biological reserves as a condition for entry to EU

32. 32 What are the reasonable expectations for post-Bren and for 5-7 years out? Rachel Gore (MESM 2005) Interned with Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in DC. www.opic.gov. Rapid environmental auditing/vetting of foreign aid contracts They were so impressed they offered her a permanent job and became a Bren Corporate Sponsor Dave P can advise you about OPIC Rachel (temporarily) doing CEQA assessments as an Environmental Planner for City of SF.

33. 33 What classes do you suggest to pursue these topics further? A broad mix, so that you are ready to respond to many opportunities. This is why the Bren core is so valuable, even if you �hate� parts of it Important thing is not to be overwhelmed. Learn the vocabularies of a number of fields and develop curiosity about what is going on in a wide range of envtl. problem-solving Read NYT, Economist, Issues in Sci & Technology, etc.

34. 34 Should someone who is interested in the socioeconomic implications of these topics, pursue technical classes? Yes. Gives you an advantage over other �socioeconomic� specialists, who are mostly helpless in the face of technical issues or information. Bren core a big help � notice that �technical classes� are not exactly Engineering PhD classes, yet they get you to a level at which you can research, articulate, and debate technical issues at the level managers and policy-makers work. But stay broadly based. You won�t become (say) hydrologists. You will hire them.

35. 35 Bottom line Develop an �Ivy League� attitude Don�t expect to start at the bottom of organizations and work your way up If you want to do that, OK But it is possible to move to staff positions �on the shoulder� of a large, important organization, if you are flexible about location, type of institution, and prepared to gravitate towards responsibility.

36. 36 Your mission, should you choose to accept it, can be � Specialized work in resource analysis and management (water, marine resources, etc.) Articulating an understanding of environmental processes while working in leadership or advisory positions Making decisions in the light of an understanding of environmental processes, in spite of uncertainty

37. 37 Last word You will be responsible for environmental problem-solving in an uncertain, often unwilling, world Do it thoroughly, and do it well