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Scientists debate the role of ecology in times of crisis

Renowned experts expose the challenges of the area at two international events at Unicamp

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IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) warns of the biodiversity crisis. This week we had at Unicamp a international seminar which discusses the plurality of aspects of environmental crises. Setbacks in environmental legislation disregard scientific evidence. We have, on the other hand, the science funding crisis which goes hand in hand with the country's economic crisis. Amidst so much uncertainty, ecologists will meet from Sunday (19) at the Second Meeting of the Brazilian Association of Ecological Science and Conservation (2nd Rabeco) and at the Sixth Theoretical Ecology Seminar (6th SET), which will take place at the Convention Center of Unicamp, to advance the following reflection: how to be relevant in times of crisis?

“In a country of such size and environmental diversity, evaluating ongoing changes and understanding their consequences are monumental tasks. Many ecologists focus especially on the biodiversity crisis, but it cannot be separated from the consequences that this crisis also brings to the conditions and quality of human life, now and in the increasingly imminent future”, explains Thomas Lewinsohn, professor at the Institute of Biology (IB) at Unicamp and president of Rabeco.

Reflecting on how to integrate the knowledge produced by ecological science to help stop the crises that arise on all sides is not an easy task, nor is it exclusively up to scientists. From August 19th to 22nd, professors, postgraduate students, analysts, communicators and members of environmental agencies and NGOs were also invited to speak and present their perspectives during the 2nd Rabeco and the 6th SET.

Leo Ramos Chaves | Fapesp Agency
Professor and president of Rabeco, Thomas Lewinsohn: “Ecological science is not a miracle worker, but it offers conditions for better understanding the nature of these crises” Photo: Leo Ramos Chaves | FAPESP Research

“The ecological research produced in Brazil can be compared to what is done today in countries that lead global ecological science”, says Lewinsohn. The opportunity is to take advantage of this expertise to take a leap forward in tackling environmental challenges and problems in Brazil. “It’s about incorporating this knowledge into the design and implementation of better public policies and socio-environmental practices”, says the professor.

This topic becomes especially relevant and sensitive when it comes to producing technical subsidies to improve public policies. As Professor Carlos Joly, from the Unicamp Biology Institute and invited to reflect on the topic in the opening debate, warns, we face a paradox: “although we have quality ecological science, we are living in a moment of regression in environmental legislation in the country”.

“We are unable to translate our advances in knowledge into a language that can be used by our decision makers or because lobbies class groups that have prevented these advances from actually being incorporated [into legislation]”, says Joly.

The disregard for scientific knowledge in decision-making also worries Lewinsohn: “short ideas are worse than short money, and these reach us from the top of the three powers. It is scary to see that, like President Donald Trump, there are former Brazilian ministers who are openly deniers of climate change, evolution, or the critical loss of biodiversity.”

Another facet of the crisis that afflicts ecologists – and all scientists in the country – is the uncertainty regarding future funding. Cuts in financial resources profoundly affect all areas of science and technology. In the case of ecology, this is reflected in the discontinuity of monitoring ecological processes. “Ecology is especially sensitive because its research involves long-lived organisms and is largely done in the field. You cannot turn off the ecological processes you are researching, only to turn them back on when there is money to continue the research”, warns Lewinsohn.

According to Lewinsohn, abrupt and arbitrary cuts cause the loss not only of money already invested, but mainly of time – years, sometimes decades, that definitely cannot be replaced.


Crisis and relevance

The meaning of crisis can take on different dimensions, including transition, and depending on how the transition is handled, the crisis can lead to a “better” or “more desirable” state than the previous state, as explained by forestry engineer Fabio Scarano , from the Brazilian Foundation for Sustainable Development (FBDS) and speaker at the opening debate. “Crisis, in its Latin etymological origin, means 'moment of sudden change', while in its Greek root it means 'difficult moment of decision'”.

For the speaker, the Crisis, therefore, is the interval between the good times – when everything flows – and a new “normal” state. “The period of crisis, this gap between two normal times, is called post-normal times by scholars of the future. Chaos, complexity and contradiction characterize these times. I think it's unlikely that 'normal' science will be relevant in post-normal times. Post-normal times demand post-normal science”, anticipates the speaker, who will propose a new perspective to overcome the crisis.

One of the paths suggested to make ecological science relevant is to focus on different forms of integration between researchers, teachers, managers and decision makers.

José Alexandre Diniz Filho, biologist and professor at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), argues that one of the greatest challenges that ecology has faced in recent years is integrating different perspectives on nature. It is about understanding the multiple relationships established between organisms and their environment on a temporal and spatial scale.

Photo: Perri
Carlos Joly, professor at the Institute of Biology: “Although we have quality ecological science, we are experiencing a period of regression in environmental legislation in the country”

The exercise of transposing scales and groupings of species inclined ecological science to operate in inter and multidisciplinary models. This configuration, according to Diniz-Filho, favors effective planning for the conservation of biodiversity and the understanding of the different anthropogenic impacts on it.

“In practice, success in implementing these various integrations ultimately depends on the ability to manage groups and networks of researchers and students”, explains the speaker at the opening table, whose thematic axis will be crises and their implications.

“We increasingly need to train these students not only to develop their activities as researchers and teachers, but also to train them as leaders, with a better understanding of the complex social engineering involved in managing these networks and groups”, proposes lecturer Diniz- Son.

For Lewinsohn, ecologists have a lot of experience in investigating seemingly isolated problems that can only be solved through interconnected solutions. This practice is very useful in times of crisis, however, highlights the president of Rabeco, “ecological science is not a miracle worker, but it offers conditions for better understanding the nature of these crises”.


Rabeco and SET

The Theoretical Ecology Symposium (SET) was created by a group of postgraduate students from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in 2004. These symposia became a unique space in Brazil to expose and discuss ideas and theories about ecology . In 2013, the Brazilian Association of Ecological Science and Conservation assumed its continuity, so that, when the association held its first meeting (RABECO), in 2016, the SET was naturally incorporated.

Rabeco is larger and has a more comprehensive thematic arc, but two essential characteristics of previous SETs are always maintained: the active participation of postgraduate students in choosing topics and speakers, and the recognition of the importance of theory to underpin the entire basic or applied research.

Photo: Perri
Engineer Fabio Scarano: “I think it's unlikely that 'normal' science will be relevant in post-normal times. Post-normal times demand post-normal science”

The event is organized into two debates, seven conferences and fifteen symposiums with three lectures each, in addition to three preliminary activities – two workshops and a dialogue between scientists and journalists. Among the highlights of the program are lecturers Emmett Duffy (Smithsonian Institution, USA), Jean Paul Metzger (University of São Paulo), Maria Carmen Lemos (University of Michigan, USA), Robin Chazdon (University of Connecticut, USA), Susan Trumbore (Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany), Wolfgang Weisser (Technische Universität München, Germany) and William Sutherland (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom).

The three and a half day meeting aims to promote the exchange of experiences between researchers, teachers, postgraduate students, analysts, communicators and members of environmental agencies and NGOs. There will be 146 posters with research results in ecology that will be displayed in the tent set up in front of the Convention Center.

Registration can be done at the event's registration desk, with a discount for students. Prices, addresses, details about the program and other information can be found on the website www.rabecoset2018.com.br.

The event is organized by Abeco (Brazilian Association of Ecological Science and Conservation) in partnership with the Unicamp Biology Institute and Nepam (Environmental Studies and Research Center), from the same University. Supporters are: Fapesp (São Paulo State Research Support Foundation), CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), Capes (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), Serrapilheira Institute, INCT EECBio (National Institute of Science & Technology in Ecology Evolution Biodiversity Conservation) and Fundação Grupo Boticário.

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When: 19 to 22 August 2018

Where: Unicamp Convention Center

More information: www.rabecoset2018.com.br

https://www.facebook.com/events/358312237993613/

 

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