Linking Global and Local Scales: Design Guidelines for Dynamic Assessment & Management Processes David W. Cash Susanne C. Moser Pre-doctoral Fellow Post-doctoral Fellow Global Environmental Assessment Project Harvard University Affiliate fellows of the CMU CIS-HDGC April 30, 1999

2 Abstract Assessors and policy makers increasingly recognize the importance of scale and cross-scale linkages, yet there is little systematic understanding of how these issues can effectively be addressed. Our research suggests that m anagement of cross-scale environmental problems can be effectively supported by assessment and decision systems which: –create or utilize existing boundary institutions to coordinate across levels –capitalize on scale-dependent comparative advantages –rely on adaptive processes

3 The Challenges How to link... global processes of climate and economic change to impacts and institutional & economic responses at the local/regional scale, and vice versa science and decision-making through effective assessment processes institutions and individuals within science, assessment and decision-making across scale, space, and institutional boundaries

4 Scale-Related Challenges for Policy Relevant Assessment Avoiding scale mismatch –human  biogeophysical systems –assessment  management systems *Scale discordance (i.e. aligning management resolution and model resolution. SEE Figure 1.) Accounting for cross-scale dynamics –in decision making –in information flows –in integrating decision making and information

5 Figure 1 - Scale-dependent distribution of impacts Expected Benefits- Costs SITE Local Sub-national National Regional Global +ev -ev 0 Effects of geographic/economic scale on net gain (benefits minus costs) arising from effects of environmental change on society. Adapted from The Canada country study: climate impacts and adaptation, national summary for policy makers

6 Effective multi-scale assessment/management systems... create or use existing boundary institutions which support –multi-directional communication (e.g., users’ needs, producers products) –multi-level participation –information brokers/translators (cont.)

7 capitalize on scale-dependent comparative advantages –technical capacity (e.g., modeling, data collection, etc.) –functional specialization (local tailoring of regulations, option creation, monitoring, enforcement, funding, education, etc.) –enabling decision making which decreases constraints and provides opportunities (economic, institutional, boundary crossing/translation, educational, etc.) (cont.) Effective multi-scale assessment/management systems...

8 establish an adaptive process to -consciously commit to a long-term, iterative, learning process as science is advanced and decision-making experience is accumulated -accommodate and address both endogenous and exogenous technical, political and environmental changes (e.g., provide technical means of addressing scale discordances) through policy and assessment experimentation Effective multi-scale assessment/management systems...

9 Implications Understanding cross-scale dynamics is critical to producing assessments that will successfully inform decision makers at different levels. Create information/decision systems which consciously addresses cross-scale dynamics (e.g., “distributed assessment system”.) Adherence to either top-down or bottom-up approaches creates a false (and sometimes counterproductive) dichotomy.