The multiple communities of low-carbon transition: an assessment of communities involved in forest carbon measurement

Abstract

In recent writing on sociotechnical transitions theory communities are mostly conceived of as being local and place-based (“grassroots”). In this paper the implications for sociotechnical transitions theory of having multiple communities operating at different geographical scales, and with different objectives, are examined through a case study of low-carbon innovation in forests. The focus of analysis is the communities promoting sociotechnical innovations in the measurement of forest carbon. Innovation is being driven by the international United Nations climate policy initiative “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation” (REDD+). The rise of REDD+ policy has prompted a flurry of activity in related scientific research, especially in the field of remote sensing. But other types of community are also actively positioning themselves as experts in forest carbon measurement: there are multiple communities at work, each with varying claims to innovation and expertise, from local (place-based) forest communities to international communities of foresters and forest ecologists. Recognition of the multiple communities operating within sociotechnical systems usefully draws our attention to the politics of innovation.

Keywords:

• multi-level perspective on sociotechnical transitions
• community
• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation
• measurement
• reporting and verification
• epistemic community
• innovation niche

Acknowledgements

The content of the chapter is based on empirical research completed under the below-mentioned grant, held jointly with Professor Donald MacKenzie at Edinburgh University. The generosity of all interviewees and survey participants is much appreciated, as is the valuable assistance of Dr Brice Mora and Professor Martin Herold at the Global Observation of Forest and Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD), and my colleague Professor Iain Woodhouse at Edinburgh University, who generously agreed to me following him around one summer. Many thanks are due to two additional anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts.

Funding

Dr Lovell would like to acknowledge the financial support of the UK Nuffield Foundation for a New Career Development Fellowship – Fungible Carbon [NCF/35037], 2008–2013.

Notes

1. At meetings and international conferences, including the 2010 International Commonwealth Forestry Conference, and the UNFCCC annual COP in Doha/Forest Day 6, Qatar, 2012.