Sixteenth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Boundary organizations are structures that act as an interface between the researcher and actors from the society to co-create scientific responses to face the socio-environmental issues raised by the territories’ actors. In light of climate change, Ouranos, CCCA and Futurs ACT are working together with an objective of mobilising and accompanying a science-society project around the science of anticipation. Having observed the existing gap between the research world and society, it has become much more evident that there is a lack of linkages between researchers and society. Current socio-environmental challenges, which are shared by science, society and boundary organizations, could be faced by co-constructed projects and by mobilizing research tools. This dynamic at the interface between society and science is increasingly important as shown through the rise of participatory research projects. Hence, for 3 years now, the collaboration between Ouranos, FA, and CCCA has permitted the emergence of common questions. We focus on them through international webinars and participation in two international symposia. For example, as a part of the «European Climate Change Adaptation» in Dublin, we facilitated an exchange between boundaries organizations. Also, during the ‘‘Adaptation Future’’ symposium in Montreal, a large number of boundary organizations met around their mobilization’s strategies for anticipating climate change. By undoubtedly continuing the use of this same approach, we want to promote ostensibly our inclusive approach to science-society co-construction, which we reasonably believe is essential to address the anticipation of environmental and social challenges by strengthening the link between research and the society.