Conferences
Risk and Response to Global Warming andEnvironmental Change:
Lessons from Cross-National and Global Social Science Research
When: Thursday, January 25 and Friday January 26, 2007
Where: Cowles Auditorium
Humphrey Institute
301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis
University of Minnesota
This event is free and open to the public.
We do ask that parties interested in attending the conference RSVP to one of the organizers listed below.
For information about the conference:
Allison Lindberg or Klaas van der Sanden
612-626-1844 or 612-625-1856
Lind1101@umn.edu or vande001@umn.edu
Institute for Global Studies
University of Minnesota
214 Social Sciences
267 – 19th Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Introduction
What conditions in society help or hinder our attempts to fix the looming problem of global warming (graphically presented in Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth)? So far, some nations have been more successful than others. But given the enormity of the problem, all nations leave much to be desired. To fix global warming, we all need to reduce, and even drastically cut, our output of greenhouse gasses. But since around 1990, when we first became aware of the problem, the world output of greenhouse gasses, the chief culprit in global warming, has gone up, not down. How can nations and the world as a whole sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions? To answer this question, we need to know what societal forces drive up GHG output, how much risk we attach to the problem, and what can be done about it. The conference tackles this thorny problem. Leading social scientists present the conclusions of their global and comparative (cross-national) research projects on these questions. These scientists take different theoretical approaches and arrive at somewhat different conclusions about the critical factors determining human risk and response to global environmental change. The day after the conference, Saturday, January 27, conference speakers and country investigators will take part in a workshop to build on the conclusions presented at the conference and design a new research project. This new project will test the ideas and questions raised by the reports and in so doing, further advance our about how to respond to global warming and other global environmental problems.
Conference Program
Thursday, January 25
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute
7:00 p.m. Conference Introduction:
Steven J. Rosenstone, Dean, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota
Walter F. Mondale, former Vice-President of the United States and Ambassador to Japan.
7:20 p.m. Keynote Address:
Leslie King, “Findings from the Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Project: a Progress Report and Synthesis”
Dr. King is the dean of the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources at the University of Manitoba and she serves as the Synthesis Coordinator of the Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change-IDGEC- of the United Nations.
8:00 p.m. Discussion and Q&A
Friday, January 26
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute
8:00-8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
Morning Topic: Global Responses to Global Environmental Change
8:30 a.m. Welcome - Deborah Swackhamer, Director, Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota
8:30-9:50 a.m. Panel 1: The Kyoto Protocol and National Responses
Moderator: Brad Karkkainen, University of Minnesota
Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia, “Ideas, Interests, and Institutions: The Comparative Politics of Climate Change”
Norman Vig, Carleton College, "Global Comparative Survey of Climate Change Responses: Current Trends and Emerging Policy Instruments"
Discussion and Q&A
9:50-11:00 am Panel 2: Global Norms and National Policy Change
Moderator: Clarence Lehman, University of Minnesota
Evan Schofer, University of Minnesota, “World Society and Global Environmental Change”
Radoslav Dimitrov, University of Western Ontario, “Science and International Environmental Policy: Regimes and Nonregimes in Global Governance”
Discussion and Q&A
11:00-11:15 a.m. Coffee Break
11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Panel 3: Networks and Knowledge in Global Regimes
Moderator: Deborah Swackhamer, University of Minnesota
Penelope Canan, University of Central Florida, “Successful Implementation of the Montreal Protocol through Building and Fostering Networks of Technology Experts”
Myanna Lahsen, Regional Office of the International Geosphere Project, Rio de Janeira, "Promises and Problems of Knowledge in the Climate Regime"
Discussion and Q&A
12:30-1:45 p.m. Lunch
Afternoon Topic: Comparing National Responses to Global Environmental Change
1:45-3:00 p.m. Panel 4: Cross-National/Regional Comparative Research Project Reports
Moderator: Emi Ito, University of Minnesota
Miranda Schreurs, University of Maryland, “Findings of the Social Learning Group and Conclusions of Comparative Research Projects: Environmental Politics in Japan, Germany, and the United States"
Peter Ester, Tilburg University, “Findings from the Comparative Study: Culture and Sustainability: A Cross-National Study of Cultural Diversity and Environmental Priorities among Mass Publics and Decision Makers”
Discussion and Q&A
3:00-3:15 p.m. Refreshment Break
3:15-4:30 p.m. Panel 5: Cross-National/Regional Comparative Research Project Reports
Moderator: Dennis Becker, University of Minnesota
Kristine Kern, University of Minnesota, “Climate Change Policy in the European Multi-Level System”
Uday Desai, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, "Protecting the Environment: Who Do Nations Vary? Environmental Policy and Performance in Rich and Poor Nations"
Discussion and Q&A
4:30-5:00 p.m. Panel 6: Lessons Learned: Summary and Wrap-Up
Moderator: Jeffrey Broadbent, University of Minnesota
Summary Statement and general Discussion
5:00-7:00 p.m. Closing Reception – Humphrey Auditorium
Saturday, January 27
Research Design Workshop – Invited Participants Only
Humphrey Institute – Room 186
8:00-8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Humphrey room 186
In the morning session, experts will present talks on policy network and related research design and methods. In the afternoon, starting with a summary talk and discussion, breakout groups will discuss how to design the new survey, and then reconvene to present and synthesize the results.
Joerg Raab, University of Tilburg, “Taking Stock of Policy Networks: Do They Matter?”
David Knoke, University of Minnesota, "Historical development of the National Policy Domains Studies & Comparing Policy Networks Methods"
Miranda Schreurs, University of Maryland, report on 1997 Global Environmental Policy Network (GEPON) research project on the implementation of the US case study.
Joe Galaskiewicz, University of Arizona, on new network analysis techniques for the project
John Mohr, University of California at Santa Barbara, “Using Formal Analysis to Help Assess and Analyze Institutional Discourse on Climate Change”
12–1:15 p.m. Lunch
2–5 p.m. Afternoon Session
Plenary Session 1
Chair: Jeffrey Broadbent, University of Minnesota.
Overview of strengths of weaknesses of policy network approach, the range of hypotheses to be considered, problems of cross-level interaction analysis (global/regional/national/local), examples of using network data from the Comparing Policy Networks and GEPON data sets for testing hypotheses, comparison of CPN and GEPON questionnaires, suggestions on how to design the new survey questions so as to test the different hypotheses and their theorized causal factors or dimensions.
Click here for a pdf version of Prof. Broadbent's presentation.
Breakout Session
Groups revise existing policy network survey instruments to suit current project.
Plenary Session 2
Whole group reconvenes, breakout groups report, whole group discusses design of new survey instrument.
Sponsors: Institute for Global Studies, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, Institute for Advanced Study, Institute on the Environment, UM Graduate School Intercollegiate Research Grant, Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, Interdisciplinary Center on the Study of Global Change, Department of Political Science, UM Climate Change Network, Humphrey Institute.