Policy Paper Sustainability Science_final3

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Table of Contents A. Context and background ................................................................................................... 1

B. Sustainability Science as Concept and Initiative ............................................................... 3

C. Delivering the Science-Policy-Society Interface ................................................................ 4

C.1. UNESCO’s Sustainability Science Approach .......................................................... 4

Vision ............................................................................................................................. 4

Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 5

Principles ....................................................................................................................... 6

Implementation Strategies ............................................................................................. 6

C.2. Science-Policy-Society Interface in Practice: Examples from Selected Demosites in

Southeast Asia .................................................................................................................. 7

1. Strengthening the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, Indonesia ................... 8

2. Restoring and Enhancing Angkor World Heritage Site and Siem Reap City Water

Systems, Cambodia ..................................................................................................... 10

3. Promoting Sustainable Tourism in the Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia .................... 11

4. An Intersectoral Approach towards Enhancing Resilience in the Island of Mindanao

12

5. Restoring and Managing the Langat River through Innovative and Participatory

Urban Water Management Programmes ...................................................................... 13

6. Addressing Threats to Rice Terraces of Philippines Cordilleras through Community-

Based Sustainable Development ................................................................................. 14

D. Way Forward .................................................................................................................. 15

References ......................................................................................................................... 19

DRAFT VERSION 121115

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Promoting Sustainability Science in ASEAN Countries

A. CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

The notion of sustainability has become key for global development policy, representing a

more integrated and durable understanding of development now than ever before. With the

launching of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (or Agenda 2030 for short) which

was officially adopted by UN Member States in New York in September 2015, the world has

shown its commitment to working together towards a more peaceful and sustainable future

(United Nations, 2015).

Following the successes and remaining challenges of the MDGs, the 17 SDGs and their 169

associated targets emphasise environmental sustainability as one of the transformative shifts

required to take development to the next step, while ensuring inclusiveness and resilience on

all accounts. By expanding the preceding MDG 7 on ‘environmental sustainability’ to underline

the core of a number of separate yet interrelated SDGs1 in Agenda 2030 which have

succeeded the former, the need to address challenges to environmental well-being is now at

the forefront of global action plans.

Four particular areas2 have been highlighted as necessary for achieving the ambitions of

Agenda 2030: economic transformation, governance and accountability, local action and

empowerment, and education. These four areas combine to put the world on a sustainable

development trajectory that fully integrates environmental sustainability with human

development. In addition, in their reflection papers on the Post-2015 Development Agenda,

the OECD argues that the new development framework must engage in both global and local

environmental issues by forming multi-stakeholder partnership and multi-level governance,

from subnational to supranational levels (OECD, 2014).

Similarly, as a regional organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is

one example of a multi-level governance which integrates a fully-fledged vision of

1 These include SDG 6 on ‘sustainable management of water and sanitation’; SDG 9 on ‘resilient infrastructure’ and ‘innovation’; SDG 11 on making cities and settlements ‘inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’; SDG 13 on combatting climate change and its impacts; SDG 15 on restoring ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss; as well as SDG 17 on revitalizing ‘global partnership of sustainable development’, with specific targets calling for the dissemination of knowledge and technology. 2 The report of the thematic consultation on environmental sustainability in the post-2015 agenda named Breaking Down the Silos – Integrating Environmental Sustainability in the Post-2015 Agenda’. The consultation was co-hosted by the Government of France and Costa Rica and co-led by the UNDP and UNEP.


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environmental sustainability in its Charter. The Charter acknowledges the following three

substantial policies to support environmental sustainability: Environmental Protection and

Management, Responding to Climate Change, and Conservation of Water and Natural

Resources (ASEAN Secretariat, 2007). Furthermore, eleven substantial policies on

environmental sustainability were also discussed on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community

2009-2015 section D3 of the Charter (ASEAN Secretariat, 2009). Some of these policies, in

tandem with Agenda 2030, address global environmental issues (P1), promotion of

sustainable development through environmental education, and public participation (P3).

As both a regional concern for ASEAN and a global and national one for UN Member States,

achieving environmental sustainability, while at the same time integrating economic and social

dimensions, is the key to take development to the next step.

In this vein, science as a discipline must take a place at the policy table, considering its vital

role in achieving sustainable development. Along with technology and innovation,

science is central for forging development policies and solving some of the world’s most

pressing issues, not least those related to environmental well-being, or lack thereof. In

addition, science has the potential to have a significant impact on all three dimensions of

sustainable development– economic, social and environmental.

Sustainability Science thus emerges as a concept and approach, seeking to address

sustainable development by encompassing the very notions of sustainability, governance, and

education which are promoted by global and regional development agendas.

In a nutshell, Sustainability Science works across different sectors and disciplines to offer

more holistic responses to issues arising from the lack of environmental sustainability. As the

UN Education, Science and Cultural Organization, UNESCO can play key role in

mainstreaming a multifaceted response to sustainability due to the organization’s own multi-

disciplinary nature, thus combining aspects from its various sectors and units, including

Environmental and Water Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Education,

Communication and Information.

3 Policies discussed in ASEAN’s Roadmap Section D: 1) Addressing global environmental issues; 2) Managing and preventing transboundary environmental pollution: transboundary haze pollution, and transboundary movement of hazardous wastes; 3) Promoting sustainable development through environmental education and public participation; 4) Promoting environmentally sound technology (EST); 5) Promoting quality living standards in ASEAN cities/urban areas; 6) Harmonizing environmental policies and databases; 7) Promoting the sustainable use of coastal and marine environments; 8) Promoting sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity; 9) Promoting sustainability of freshwater resources; 10) Responding to climate change and addressing its impacts; and 11) Promoting sustainable forest management (SFM).


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As Regional Bureau for Sciences in Asia and the Pacific, as well as Cluster Office for

Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam and Timor Lest, UNESCO Office,

Jakarta, has adopted the Sustainability Science concept and is now implementing it in the

form of Science-Policy-Society Interface4 across a number of pilot sites in Southeast Asia to

promote sustainable development.

This paper seeks to address Sustainability Science as a means for achieving integrated

sustainable development on national and regional levels. The remaining sections of this paper

are threefold. Section B will delve deeper into the concept of Sustainability Science in general.

Section C will outline UNESCO’s understanding of the Science-Policy-Society Interface

followed by a number of pilot sites as examples which demonstrates how the concept is put

into practice. Finally, Section D will identify a way forward for Sustainability Science and

highlight potential pilot sites for UNESCO to engage with in the future.

B. SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE AS CONCEPT AND INITIATIVE

Sustainability Science was officially introduced as a new academic discipline in the sciences

at a World Congress entitled, "Challenges of a Changing Earth 2001", organized by the ICSU5,

IGBP6, the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change,

and the WCRP7.

While this new field is still in the process of developing a research agenda, many scholars or

organizations are still trying to determine a consensual definition for Sustainability Science,

which, due to its multifaceted nature, is no easy task. The definition that UNESCO has adopted

is outlined by Kates et al. (2001) in the Sustainability Science Program of Harvard University's

Kennedy School of Government, and is as follows:

“Sustainability science is an emerging field of problem-driven, interdisciplinary

scholarship that seeks to facilitate interventions that foster shared prosperity and

reduced poverty while protecting the environment. The field is defined by the

problems it addresses rather than the disciplines it employs. It draws from

multiple disciplines of the natural, social, medical and engineering sciences, from

the professions, and from practical field experience in business, government,

and civil society.”

4 The two terms ‘Sustainability Science’ and ‘Science-Policy-Society Interface shall henceforth be used interchangeably in this paper. 5 International Council for Science 6 International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme 7 World Climate Research Programme


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According to this definition, sustainable development can be achieved by putting the principles

of Sustainability Science into practice. This means undertaking a problem-driven approach

which combines relevant disciplines and enhances cooperation between natural and social

scientists, public and private sectors, as well the general community. As such, science policy

should be aimed at promoting these interactions to thus promote more multi-faceted and

sustainable solutions.

UNESCO’s Science-Policy-Society Interface initiative is built on existing UNESCO

programmes, drawing from the organization’s wide array of resources. The initiative was

originally developed to promote a cross-disciplinary coordination in a global cooperative effort

to advance an improved understanding of human-environment interactions and systems. This

call for joint action between disciplines results from increasingly complex environmental

problems which require integrated action in order to achieve long-term environmental

sustainability. In this vein, UNESCO aims to strengthen the collaboration between its Natural

Science (SC) and Social and Human Sciences (SHS) sectors, while benefitting also from the

Education, Culture, and Communication/Information mandates of the organization.

UNESCO Office, Jakarta’s application of the Science-Policy-Society Interface is expected to

address economy-environment interactions and contribute to sustainable development in the

Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere by engaging across economic, social and environmental

sectors. As such, it means strengthening the links between science, policy and society for

improved natural resources management frameworks in ASEAN countries.

A more concrete synthesis of UNESCO’s vision, principles and implementation strategies of

the Science-Policy-Society Interface concept follows in the next section.

C. DELIVERING THE SCIENCE-POLICY-SOCIETY INTERFACE

C.1. UNESCO’s Sustainability Science Approach

Vision

Achieving sustainability in scientific fields - whether on a global, regional or national level -

requires creativity, new advances in scientific knowledge, discoveries and innovative

approaches. Innovation geared towards sustainable development has the potential to trigger

economic growth, create green jobs and boost social development, while at the same time

contributing to environmental protection and conservation.


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UNESCO’s approach to Sustainability Science aims to raise awareness about environmental

sustainability issues among policymakers with a view to integrating them into national, regional

and international science, technology and innovation policy.

By fostering dialogue, cooperation, networking, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing

between scientists, decision-makers, and civil societies, the Sustainability Science approach

contributes to the ultimate goal of development where the latter will be able to ‘meet society’s

needs via science-based solutions’.

Objectives

As state by UNESCO Office Jakarta, Institute for Environment and Development

(LESTARI), and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (2013):

“Sustainability Science is a vital part of the solutions to the sustainability

challenges we face. The scientific community now needs to […] take a leading

role in providing the knowledge needed for societal transformations for a

sustainable world”.

Based on above statement, hence specific objectives of Sustainability Science include:

Promoting interdisciplinary approaches to address global, regional and national

environmental challenges

Enabling interface of science, policy and society dimensions for want of a more

integrated approach towards achieving sustainable development

Promoting participation from all relevant stakeholders at policy level, including

public and private sectors, civil society, and local communities

Strengthening international scientific co-operation in the region

Ensuring durable well-being of human beings without jeopardizing ecological systems

Moreover, several strategies help to enhance Sustainability Science. These include:

- Understanding past efforts

- Integrating various disciplines

- Harmonizing societal priorities by increasing the carrying capacity of socio-ecological

systems

- Formulating a vision for sustainable development


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Principles

The Science-Policy-Society Interface is based on a set of basic conditions or principles which

ensure multifaceted approaches towards achieving integrated sustainable development

across economic, environmental and societal sectors. These principles are outlined below.

- Intersectoral Approach: As an interdisciplinary approach employing expertise from

various fields, Sustainability Science seeks collaboration between different sectors

including the natural and social science sectors – in order to better understand the

multidimensional aspects of socio‐ecological systems and develop practical solutions

that integrate ecological, economic and social sustainability. These would then in turn

serve to bridge the gap between science, practice and politics.

- Mobilization of sciences for the service of sustainable development: The

Science-Policy-Society Interface helps scientific communities move from theoretical

aspirations towards the implementation of practical solutions by building and

maintaining the adaptive capacity needed to deal with the shocks, surprises, and

longer-term structural transformations that are increasingly characterizing our world.

- Multi-stakeholder participation: As a problem-driven approach, Sustainability

Science promotes participation from a wide array of stakeholders, including

governments, businesses, scientists, civil societies and local communities in order to

employ multiple forms of knowledge leading to sound policies. It is in this principle

where the intersection between society and policy really gains ground.

The principles outlined here are then used as a framework for action which are used at the

implementation stage.

Implementation Strategies

By drawing on principles like an intersectoral approach, multidimensional integration and

multi-stakeholder participation, UNESCO then employs a number of activities which help

implement Sustainability Science in the field. Some of these activities are detailed below.

Promotion of the Science-Policy-Society Interface: Under this component, several

activities are being developed to position Sustainability Science as an important tool or

methodology to address and solve key current and future global challenges, while drawing on

aspects from policy and social levels.

Education, Training and Capacity-Building: Education, training and capacity-building in

Sustainability Science include development of a modular curriculum of academic courses and

practitioner trainings to enhance Sustainability Science knowledge as well as its


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implementation on the ground. This component will also require activities aiming to raise

awareness about Sustainability Science among policymakers with a view to position the

approach as an integral part of the national, regional and international science and technology

development policy.

Integration, modelling and visualisation: We are in the process of investigating the key

intersections between socio-economic sciences and the hydrological / ecological cycles. As

such, the programme is working on ways to inform and support the scientific community,

managers and political agents to make decisions while drawing on the Sustainability Science

approach. In developing Sustainability Science from its core beliefs and principles, while using

the systems approach, there has been a conscious effort to integrate new paradigms from

across several disciplines and critical thinking to develop tools for solving real problems.

Establishment of Sustainability Science Demonstration Pilot Projects: In order to

demonstrate the successful implementation of the Sustainability Science approach, UNESCO

has proposed to test the frameworks and models developed through a multilevel (community,

pilot area and national level) participatory process, involving several UN agencies,

universities, research institutes and other governmental institutions.

In theory, a demosite serves to enhance the concept of Sustainability Science and at the same

time serve as a testing ground for the specific issues being addressed. In this regard, key

objectives of demonstration projects include: 1) demonstrating the Science-Policy-Society

Interface approach to solve issues surrounding water, environment, and people; 2)

contributing to the development of research on Sustainability Science, increasing scientific

knowledge, and identifying solutions; and 3) qualitative and quantitative validation of the

effectiveness of the Science-Policy-Society Interface.

The following section will further show how the demonstration site concept works in practice

by detailing UNESCO Jakarta’s current pilot site projects in the Asia-Pacific region.

C.2. Science-Policy-Society Interface in Practice: Examples from

Selected Demosites in Southeast Asia

As Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO Office, Jakarta, plays a

leading role in raising awareness about Sustainability Science and environmental

sustainability issues among policymakers in countries of the region, with the aim of integrating

this approach into of national, regional and international science, technology and innovation

policies. Six pilot sites have been established in selected countries to demonstrate and

determine the value of the Sustainability Science approach to achieve these aims. These pilot


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sites include the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS), Indonesia; the Angkor

World Heritage Site in Siem Reap, Cambodia; the Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia; the island of

Mindanao, Philippines; the Langat River and surrounding areas, Malaysia; and the Rice

Terraces of Cordilleras, Phillipines.

These pilot projects were particularly selected to demonstrate Regional Flagship Programmes

(FRPs) based on their suitability and potential to benefit from multifaceted response to

sustainable development, as proposed by the Sustainability Science approach.

What follows is a synthesis of the issues affecting these pilot sites and solutions proposed by

UNESCO’s Science-Policy-Society Interface, which are also in line with the global

development agenda and SDGs, therefore illustrating how Sustainability Science works at the

implementation stage.

1. Strengthening the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra,

Indonesia

The TRHS constitutes one of the last and largest remaining tropical rainforests, not only in

Southeast Asia, but in the world. The 2.5 million hectare TRHS includes three major national

parks in its vicinity in Sumatra: the Gunung Leuser, the Kerinci Seblat, and Bukit Barisan

Selatan national parks. TRHS was also designated as a World Heritage site in 2004. Since

the time of inscription, the World Heritage Committee has been advised to place the property

on the ‘In Danger’ list as a result of continuous, aggravated and largely anthropogenic threats

to its value and integrity. These threats were identified as follows (World Heritage Committee,

n.d.):

• Uncontrolled deforestation

• Decreasing population trends for key fauna and flora species (Sumatran Elephant,

Tiger, Rhino and Orangutan) due to human-wildlife conflict

• Road development plans

• Excessive mining

• Lack of proper boundary demarcation

• Poor law enforcement

• Poor management of the wider landscape

Ensuring the integrity of the TRHS is key for guaranteeing ecological services for people living

in the seven provinces on Sumatra, as well as for climatic regulation in the region and beyond

(UNESCO, 2015). Consequently, several measures have been identified to address these

issues, employing Science-Policy-Society Interface approach in the process. These solutions

are described below.


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Problem Solution proposed by Sustainability

Science

Uncontrolled deforestation Restoring degraded critical

ecosystems inside the national park

Eco-tourism and agroforestry

(SDG15)

Environmental awareness

campaigns (schools, local

communities, government

institutions) (SDG 4 &15)

Decreasing population trends for key fauna

and flora species

Property-wide monitoring of key

species through enhanced

collaboration between government,

NGOs, and universities;

Habitat improvement and ecosystem

restoration programmes (SDG 15)

Alternative, eco-friendly livelihoods

(SDG 11)

Road development plans Strategic Environmental

Assessment to identify transport

options and technologies (SDG 15)

Community participation in

assessing alternatives to road

development (SDG 16)

Excessive mining Environmental Impact Assessments

for all proposed development

projects (SDG 15)

Lack of proper boundary demarcation Multistakeholder participation in

identifying and maintaining property

boundaries

Poor law enforcement and management of

landscape

Capacity-building and training of law

enforcement personnel (SDG 15)

Strategic plans to deal with illegal

wildlife trade and encroachment.

(SDG 15)

Providing law enforcement agencies

with adequate resources to expand

their activities

Mediating between international and

national stakeholders to promote

stronger coordination mechanisms

(SDG 17)

Encourage equal participation of

women in management and

coordination (SDG 5)


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2. Restoring and Enhancing Angkor World Heritage Site and Siem Reap

City Water Systems, Cambodia

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat is located in northern Cambodia’s Siem

Reap Province and the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Renowned among tourists for its

historical value and architectural wonders, including the superstructure of the ancient

sandstone temple, it now suffers from environmental degradation, due largely to:

• Unsustainable tourism

• Increasing numbers of human settlements

• Excessive ground water extraction

• High levels of pollution

• Periodic flooding

• Declining ecosystems of the Tonle Sap river

Potential solutions can be reached by putting the principles of Sustainability Science into

practice. These are outlined below.


Science

Impacts of excessive tourism Sustainable tourism (SDG 8)

Raising awareness about harmful

environmental practices (SDG 4)

Sustainable waste management

(SDG 12)

Alternative, ecologically sound

livelihoods (SDG 11 &12)

Increasing numbers of human settlements Sustainable urban management

plans (SDG 11)

Excessive water and ground water

extraction

Strategic planning of surface and

ground water systems of Siem Reap

(SDG 6)

Capacity-building of local

communities, both men and women

(SDG 5)

Raising awareness on sustainable

water management practices (SDG

6)

High pollution, flooding & ecosystem

degradation

Strategic planning and monitoring of

affected areas (SDG 14 & 15)

Alternative ecosystem services,

while encouraging intersectoral

collaboration (SDG 12 & 15)


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3. Promoting Sustainable Tourism in the Langkawi Geopark, Malaysia

The Langkawi Geopark is the only Geopark in Southeast Asia to have been endorsed by

UNESCO (in 2007 and 2011). It is especially renowned for its exceptional landscapes and its

ecological and archaeological value to residents, wildlife and visitors alike.

Due to the rapid development of mass tourism activities in the area, however, the Langkawi

Geopark is currently facing adverse threats, some of which include:

• Ecosystem degradation

• Decline of natural resources

• Increasing water, air and noise pollution

• Disturbances to local communities

The main line of solutions offered by Sustainability Science lies primarily in combining

conservation, education and geo-tourism, while encouraging participation from local

communities, as detailed below.


Science

Ecosystem degradation and decline of

natural resources

Education for Sustainable

development and Green Schools

(SDG 4)

Youth leadership programmes

(SDG 4 & 8)

Training on sustainable resource

utilization (SDG 12)

Innovative socio-economic

activities (SDG 8)

Alternative, eco-friendly uses of

ecosystem services (SDG 12,

15)

Unsustainable tourism and associated

impact

Sustainable geo-tourism as

social, economic and ecological

solution (SDG 8 & 12)

Water and environmental

management (SDG 6)

Alternative socio-economic

activities for both genders (SDG

12)

Cultural heritage conservation

(SDG 11)


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4. An Intersectoral Approach towards Enhancing Resilience in the

Island of Mindanao

Located in the southernmost point of the Philippines and surrounded by four seas, Mindanao

is the second largest island of the country, with a population of over 21.5 million. Due to its

location, however, Mindanao is vulnerable to adverse weather effects, as well as periodic

typhoons and flooding. The city of Davao in particular is especially prone to suffering from

natural disasters, the rates of which are increasing due to climate change (Mindanews, 2014).

The main environmental issues currently affecting Mindanao can be summed up as:

• Increasing rates of natural disasters like flooding, storms, landslides

• High vulnerability to climate change impact

• Restricted access to safe water, especially after Typhoon Bopha (Dec 2012)

• Frequent misuse of groundwater resources

Again, Sustainability Science can be drawn upon to offer, not just an immediate response to

these pressing environmental issues, but more durable solutions as well, by drawing on its

intersectoral approach, and thus combining its strengths in natural, social and educational

sciences. These potential solutions are outlined below.


Science

Climate change impact and natural

disasters

Education on climate change

adaptation and mitigation (SDG

4)

Integrated planning and

coordination

Mobilizing science to build

resilience among local

communities (SDG 13)

Early warning systems (SDG 13)

Restricted access to safe water facilities Assessment of use of

groundwater resources as

substitute resource in flood-

prone areas (SDG 6)

Capacity-building to enhance

urban, water-resilient

communities (SDG 6 & 13)


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5. Restoring and Managing the Langat River through Innovative and

Participatory Urban Water Management Programmes

The Langat River Basin is unique in Malaysia because it stretches across three different

administration units, including Selangor State, Negeri Sembilan State and the Putrajaya

Federal Territory. As it is located 27 km south of Kuala Lumpur, it is highly susceptible to urban

conditions, especially in Sungai Langat, where the majority of the population is urban. As such,

some of the main threats the Langat River faces include:

• Degradation of water organisms and ecosystem (impact of sewage discharge in the

river; high dynamics of storm water runoff; limited groundwater recharge;

fragmentation; canalization; etc.)

• Decline of urban water supplies

• Increasing water pollution

• Higher rates of public health risks

• Increasing probabilities of flooding

• Vulnerability of urban waters to adverse climate impact like drought or heavy rainfall

• Loss of quality and aesthetic value of urban spaces

Sustainability Science offers solutions through multidisciplinary and participatory approaches,

like innovative urban water management programmes, combining social, ecological and

economic dimensions. These are detailed below.


Science

Degradation of water ecosystems, decrease

of water supplies, and flooding

Urban storm water management

systems, combining focuses on

social and ecological needs (SDG 6

& 14)

Innovative conservation

programmes (SDG 15)

Holistic eco- hydrological approach

to management of river catchments

(SDG 6)

Higher rates of water pollution and public

health risks

Health education (SDG 3 & 4)

Tools and techniques for adequate

mitigation tactics (SDG 13 & 17)


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Science

Adverse climate impact on urban waters

(drought, heavy rainfall, etc.)

Rehabilitation of degraded urban

water systems (SDG 6)

Creating wetlands

Other storm and water mitigation

measures to buffer future climate

impact (SDG 13)

Decline in quality and aesthetic value of

urban spaces

Rehabilitation combined with

community development (SDG 11)

Capacity-building of local

communities with equal participation

from both genders (SDG 5)

Enhancement of opportunities for

economic prosperity and social life

around river basin (SDG 8)

6. Addressing Threats to Rice Terraces of Philippines Cordilleras

through Community-Based Sustainable Development

The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were inscribed on the UNESCO World

Heritage List in 1995 and were the first ever property to be included in the cultural landscape

category of the World Heritage List. This inscription includes five main sites: the Batad Rice

Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao),

Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan) and the Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan), all

located in the Ifugao Province of the Philippines. The terraces illustrate a persistence of

cultural traditions and remarkable continuity of past traditional practices which have been

ongoing for over two millennia, employing a cooperative community-based approach.

Currently, however, the Rice Terraces face increasing threats from a variety of sources,

including:

• Unrestrained Deforestation

• Climate change impact

• Increasing rates of earthquakes

• Technological changes impinging on traditional culture and social equilibrium

• Increasing frequency of rural to urban migration (mainly youth)

• Lack of knowledge for sustainable agriculture, water and land management


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• Technological changes impinging on traditional culture and society

Again, holistic solutions proposed by Sustainability Science involve taking a more

multidimensional and integrated approach, with a key focus on science and community

development.


Science

Unrestrained deforestation Landscape restoration

Documentation and rehabilitation of

degraded areas (SDG 15)

Environmental Impact Assessments

Alternative ecosystem services and

mitigation tactics (SDG 13)

Climate change impact and earthquakes Capacity-building for mitigation

tactics (SDG 13)

Implementing early warning systems

Rural to urban migration Raising awareness on value of

traditional farming as cultural

heritage (SDG 11)

Youth training programmes (SDG 4

& 8)

Ensuring equal participation of men

and women (SDG 5)

Lack of knowledge for sustainable

agriculture, water and land management

Education for sustainable

development (SDG 4)

Capacity-building for preservation of

natural resources (SDG 4, 13 & 15)

Management training

Threats to traditional culture Reviving traditional practices

Integrating local knowledge into land

management practices

D. WAY FORWARD

Sustainability Science is an emerging academic discipline that is trying to explain the essential

aspect of interactions between Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and how these

interactions can better promote sustainable development. For UNESCO, it is a call to integrate

the multiple disciplines within which the organization works. In this vein, Sustainability

Science’s emphasis on a multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach will help ensure that an

amalgamation of all of UNESCO’s strengths are employed to address environmental issues

as highlighted in Agenda 2030 and thus achieve more comprehensive results, all the while

actively addressing cross-cutting SDGs 5 in ensuring equal representation of genders and


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gender empowerment in all projects; as well as SDG 17, in working to strengthen global

partnerships for sustainable development.

The aforementioned pilot projects, which have for the most part been successful, are the

evidence of how environmental sustainability might be achieved in the long-term, through

applying multifaceted solutions that have emerged from the UNESCO’s Science-Policy-

Society Interface in the process.

Following these successes, a number of a new pilot sites are needed to upscale the results

as well as to continue enhancing the Science-Policy-Society Interface framework at the same

time. In this vein, the organization is in the process of identifying new pilot sites, some of which

are described below.

1. Nino Konis Santana National Park (NKSNP) and Potential Biosphere Reserve,

Timor Leste

Established as a national park in 2007, NKSNP is home to wide range of flora and some

of the rarest and most critically endangered bird species in the world. Currently, the park

is vulnerable to a number of threats including illegal logging, hunting, overfishing and

development pressures (Cowie, 2006). By employing a multi-stakeholder participatory

approach, UNESCO’s Sustainability Science approach could offer solutions like eco-

tourism (SDG 8), promotion of alternative ecosystem services, and capacity-building of

national park authorities and law enforcement, while at the same time helping to accelerate

the designation of the NKSP as a biosphere reserve (SDG 15).

2. Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia

Even though it is part of the TRHS, which is already a pilot site for UNESCO’s

Sustainability Science approach, the GLNP could benefit from becoming a demosite on its

own, given the grave conservation challenges it faces. Some of these threats include

poaching and hunting of endangered biodiversity species, like the Sumatran orangutan,

human-wildlife conflict, and deforestation (Wich et al, 2011). Again, Sustainability Science

offers an intersectoral approach to finding solutions, including community development,

education for sustainable development among local communities (SDG 4), and eco-

tourism (SDG 8 & 12).


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3. Tonle Sap, Cambodia

Designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1997, the importance of the Tonle Sap Lake goes

far beyond the national boundaries in terms of biodiversity significance and flood

regulations. The future of the community’s livelihood from their economic activities has

been hampered by environmental degradation, which is mainly caused by over-

exploitation of forest resources, fish and wildlife, as well as declining river quality due to

increasing nutrients load, decreased water level, sedimentation and siltation (Kingdom of

Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment, 2001). The Sustainability Science approach could

be effectively carried out on the site to address these problems. This could include efforts

like improving the legal and institutional framework, raising awareness by applying

environmental education (SDG 4) through the pilot project, and establishing eco-tourism

as an alternative livelihood for communities (SDG 8). This would lead to the enhanced

capacity of local communities in planning, organization, and participation, as well as

establishing a research station for scientists, academics, and other stakeholders.

4. Giam Siak Biosphere Reserve, Indonesia

Located in the island of Sumatra, Giam Siak consists of swamp forest and peatland areas

providing a unique habitat for rare and endemic biodiversity species to thrive, including

endangered biodiversity species like the Sumatran tiger, elephant, tapir and sun bear, as

well as about 189 endemic plant species. Currently, the conservation value of the site is

extremely vulnerable to the outbreak of haze and forest fires that is affecting the area. This

is due and largely aggravated by traditional slash-and-burn agriculture techniques, oil palm

plantations and illegal logging (NASA, 2014). Sustainability Science could offer solutions

like proposing improved and sustainable agricultural methods to replace slash-and-burn

practices, rehabilitation of degraded lands (SDG 15), as well as water management plans

(SDG 6) and training to improve land cover resilience to expansion of forest fires and other

threats (SDG 13).

5. Borobudur temple and surrounding area, Indonesia

As one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world dating back to 8th and 9th Century

AD, the World Heritage Site of Borobudur temple is one of the most renowned touristic

hotspots in all of the Indonesia. However, this tourism is sometimes excessive and

unsustainable, thus leading to problems like waste management issues, over-extraction

of groundwater, as well as noise pollution. Given UNESCO’s existing water programmes

in Central Java where Borobudur is located, it would prove suitable and convenient to

extend these to address the issues currently threatening the integrity of the Borobudur site


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as well. As such, Sustainability Science can be applied here to promote sustainable water

management techniques (SDG 6), sustainable eco-tourism (SDG 8), and the promotion of

alternative socio-economic activities for local communities to engage in.

Other threats to the conservation of the compound itself include natural disasters like

earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the most recent of which was in 2010 (Nagaoka,

2011). Again, by undertaking an intersectoral approach, Sustainability Science offers

solutions like early warning systems, as well as training programmes to advance mitigation

tactics among communities (SDG 13).

Overall, UNESCO, Jakarta, aims to continue promoting Sustainability Science in the Asia-

Pacific region through its engagement with more demosite projects and collaboration with

ASEAN and other actors. This aligns with the Regional Bureau’s Science Support Strategy

2014-2021 document, as it does with Agenda 2030, which emphasises the enhancement of

interlinkages between science, policy and interface, as well as the strengthening international

cooperation for sustainability (UNESCO Office Jakarta, 2014). Furthermore, by doing so,

UNESCO can also mobilize science, technology, innovation and policy, to enable Member

States in the region to address new and emerging challenges that could facilitate to set a

course for a sustainable future.


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ASEAN Secretariat. (2009). Fourth ASEAN State of the Environment Report 2009. Jakarta. Retrieved from http://www.aseansec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/SoER4-Report.pdf

Cowie, I. (2006). A Survey of Flora and Vegetation of the Proposed Jaco–Tutuala–Lore National Park, Timor-Leste (East Timor). Palmerston, NT.

Kates, R. W., Clark, W. C., Corell, R., Hall, J. M., Jaeger, C. C., Lowe, I., … Svedin, U. (2001, April). ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: Sustainability Science. Science, 292(5517), 641–642. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1059386

Kingdom of Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment. (2001). Tonle Sap Ecosystem and Value. Retrieved from http://www.mekonginfo.org/assets/midocs/0001325-environment-tonle-sap-ecosystem-and-value.pdf

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Nagaoka, M. (2011). Revitalization of Borobudur. Heritage Tourism Promotion and Local Community Empowerment in Cultural Industries. Paris: The 17th ICOMOS General Assembly and Scientific Symposium. Retrieved from http://openarchive.icomos.org/1271/1/III-3-Article1_Nagaoka.pdf

NASA. (2014). Smoke and fires from Sumatra. Retrieved October 25, 2015, from http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2014-03-21

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UNESCO Office Jakarta. (2014). The Regional Bureau’s Science Support Strategy 2014-2021. Jakarta. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002328/232856E.pdf

UNESCO Office Jakarta, Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), & Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. (2013). Sustainability Science: A science based approach to realise the future we want for all. Technical Report. Jakarta.

United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Retrieved October 28, 2015, from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld


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Wich, S., Riswan, Jenson, J., Refisch, J., & Nellemann, C. (Eds.). (2011). Orangutans and the Economics of Sustainable Forest Management in Sumatra. Birkeland- Norway: UNEP. Retrieved from http://www.unep.org/pdf/orangutan_report_scr.pdf

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