Water, Climate Change and the Boomerang Effect. Unintentional Consequences for Resource Insecurity.
December 5, 2018 | 17:00 h - 18:30 h
Risk and Uncertainty lecture/book presentation with Professor Larry Swatuk, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), in the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo.
The Center for Development Research (ZEF), the United Nations University - Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), and the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) are jointly organizing a seminar series on Risk and Uncertainty for Sustainable Development in Bonn.
Our next lecture of the joint seminar series which is a book presentation on: Water, Climate Change and the Boomerang Effect. Unintentional Consequences for Resource Insecurity
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Larry Swatuk, Director, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), in the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo
Chair: Lars Wirkus, Senior Researcher at BICC
Discussant: Nikita Shah, co-author, Master of Global Governance, London
Venue: Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn University, Genscherallee 3, 53113 Bonn, right conference room.
Please register at <link mail internal link in current>pr@bicc.de
Abstract of lecture
In line with COP21 agreements, state-led actions regarding climate change mitigation and adaptation are being undertaken to transition to carbon-neutral, green economies. However, the capacity of many countries for action is limited and may result in a ‘boomerang effect’, defined as the unintended negative consequences of such policies and programs on local communities and their negative feedbacks on the state, including the risk of violent conflict. To avoid this from happening, there is a need to understand the policy drivers, decision-making processes, and impacts of such action to determine how negative effects can be minimized and mutually beneficial policy outcomes maximized.
The book “Water, Climate Change and the Boomerang Effect. Unintentional Consequences for Resource Insecurity”, directly engages in the policy debates surrounding water resources and climate actions through both theoretical and comparative case studies. It develops the ‘boomerang effect’ concept and sets it in relation to other conceptual tools for understanding the mixed outcomes of state-led climate change action, for example, ‘backdraft’ effect and ‘maldevelopment’. It also presents case studies illustrative of the consequences of ill-considered state-led policy in the water sector which often results in dramatic social and environmental instability, including mass migration and resource-related violent conflict.
Information about the speaker: Please find Larry Swatuk's cv <link https: uwaterloo.ca school-environment-enterprise-development people-profiles larry-swatuk external-link-new-window internal link in current>here
<link https: uwaterloo.ca school-environment-enterprise-development people-profiles larry-swatuk external-link-new-window internal link in current>
Background information on the "Risk and Uncertainty for Sustainable Development" series:
In this seminar series we address opportunities, risks and uncertainties for development. Uncertainty, i.e. the unknown unknowns, is a particular challenge. Risk and uncertainty have become a focal topic among development researchers, policy makers and practitioners as worldwide, economy and ecology have been assailed by a series of global crises: financial crisis, high and volatile food and oil price, and/or climate change. These crises present threats to development and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The understanding, mitigating and controlling of risk and uncertainty is far from being understood. The seminar series provides a forum for agenda setting and discussion on related themes with leading experts in this field of research and policy.
For more information on the speaker or book please contact Susanne Heinke, Head of Public Relations, BICC, phone: +49 (0)228/911 96-44 / -0, e-mail: <link>pr@bicc.de
Find a pdf of Larry Swatuk's power point presentation <link file:7171 download internal link in current>here.
