On 6th December 2022, most of the French speaking partners of the Belmont Forum Pathways to Sustainability call gathered for a webinar focused on the modalities and implications of engaging societal actors in research projects. Discussions were based on four projects’ presentations answering the problematic mentioned above:
- Olivier Barreta for PathFinding;
- Gauthier Dobigny for SCARIA;
- Rodolphe Devillers for Fish2sustainability;
- Jeanne Cottenceau for PREMISS.
All of them shared difficulties they faced and solutions set up to insure the participation and engagement of social actors in their research project. The presentations were followed by discussions on the following question: Given the context-dependence of the modalities, objectives, impacts… of the involvement of societal actors in the projects, how can we draw from the projects knowledge and generalize information that can be useful at other scales? Participants did not all agree on the possibility to generalize. Some found this new approach to research to be particularly difficult. Others thought difficulties were probably due to how recent the approach implementation is in actual projects. With the proper training, facilitation, and a change of mindset, it is possible (as demonstrated already) and very much necessary! This webinar offered a space for key discussions on issues all projects are facing to a different extent; and a needed catchup on other projects in the network.
on 20th December, another webinar is organised by Future Earth, in English this time. It will address the following topic: “Engaging in meaningful co-productive practices for sustainability”. Registrations are open here