Applied Policy Research
The objective of the proposed research programme is to build a regional community of practice on sustainability assessments through sharing of tasks, production of combined outputs, refinement of analytical tools and methodologies, facilitation of interaction between external and indigenous researchers, thus enhancing the capacity of both groups, and laying the basis for a reasoned dialogue between different stakeholder groups, based on independent research and analysis.
The programme is envisaged in three principle areas: regional futures and scenarios, integrated assessment of the impact of drivers of change on human and ecological resources, and sustainable development and globalization. Two perspectives provide the conceptual background for the research: the situation of poor and vulnerable communities and vulnerable ecosystems; and the role of knowledge in engendering sustainable development.
