Improving social and environmental adaptation to rapid environmental change and governance of the coastal zone: addressing the science and policy gap in the ecosystem services field in Brazil and Australia (ECOSCIPOL)

• Grant number: 19/08606-1
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: November 01, 2021 - October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Cooperation agreement: University of Wollongong
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal researcher: Paulo Antonio de Almeida Sinisgalli
• Grantee: Paulo Antonio de Almeida Sinisgalli
• Principal researcher abroad: Jennifer May Atchison
• Institution abroad: University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia
• Home Institution: Instituto de Energia e Ambiente (IEE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Alexander Turra ; Emma Asbridge ; Kerrylee Rogers ; Pedro Roberto Jacobi
• Associated research grant: 15/03804-9 - Environmental governance of macrometropolis paulista in face of climate variability, AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

The Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE) of University of São Paulo, the Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space (ACCESS) and the School of Earth, Air and Life Sciences (SEALS) of University of Wollongong are respectively at the forefront of interdisciplinary research that seeks to address the challenge of investigating issues of global significance, especially the human impact on Earth, the management of valuable landscapes and ecosystem services, and the planning of cities and regions. Coastal zones are key important areas in providing ecosystems services for human well-being including food and other resources, water treatment and purification, a source of recreation and education, and other social and cultural needs. However, coasts are particularly at risk from human impact and environmental change because they often occur at the confluence of the historical focus for settlement, renewed contemporary urban expansion and densification, and now rapid environmental change due climate change and sea level rise. The current literature suggests that both the historical dynamism of coastal environments and future anticipated changes are not well understood, and are also often not clearly anticipated within contemporary policy (Rogers et al. 2016) meaning that there is a knowledge gap between science and policy, and as a consequence, reduced capacity for social and environmental adaptation to change in coastal environments. EcoSciPol brings the two institutions together to combine research efforts in assessing the current knowledge on ecosystem services in each country for improved coastal environmental governance, and then, to develop novel frameworks/strategies on how to improve the science policy gap in this area. (AU)