Title: Integrative education for climate change resilience x sustainable development transformations

Authors: Timothy J. Downs; Nikita Golovko

Addresses: Environmental Science and Policy Program, Department of International Development, Community and Environment, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, USA ' Department of Philosophy and Institute of Philosophy and Law, Novosibirsk State University, 2 Pirogova Street, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia

Abstract: To meet society's need to better understand and respond to complex, interwoven problems of climate and sustainability, we herein introduce an integrative framework being applied in a US university setting for conceptualising, designing and deploying educational programs that interconnect climate change resilience (CCR) with sustainable development (SD). The framework weaves together five main strands of integration: 1) socio-political stakeholder interests and influences; 2) development sectors; 3) knowledge types; 4) socio-technical capacities, including education; 5) the smart networking of project sites across varying geographical scales. We pose and answer: what kinds of integrative educational programs, curricula and project practicums can enable transformations in CCRxSD practice? A philosophical foundation undergirds the knowledge and skills base of the suggested programming. Two collaborative case studies illustrate integrative practicums: 1) Fisherville Mill Site, Grafton, Massachusetts, USA - a showcase in urban sustainability; 2) Fijian Islands - a prospective case study in integrative CCRxSD program design.

Keywords: integrative approach; climate change resilience; sustainability; social learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2017.084792

International Journal of Global Warming, 2017 Vol.12 No.3/4, pp.468 - 482

Received: 06 Oct 2015
Accepted: 16 Jan 2016
Published online: 29 Jun 2017 *

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