{"id":14799,"date":"2021-06-05T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2021-06-04T23:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/?p=14799"},"modified":"2024-06-25T14:19:17","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T04:19:17","slug":"world-environment-day-2021-reimagine-recreate-restore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/2021\/06\/05\/world-environment-day-2021-reimagine-recreate-restore\/","title":{"rendered":"World Environment Day 2021\u2014\u2018Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Profile
Dr Ed Morgan, Griffith Research Fellow at the Cities Research Institute.
Image courtesy of Dr Ed Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.<\/span><\/i>\u2014\u00a0is the theme\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>World Environment Day<\/span><\/a>\u00a0this year.\u00a0It\u2019s a day that\u00a0recognises\u00a0that while we can\u2019t turn back time, we are the generation that can\u00a0take action to\u00a0reverse the degradation of\u00a0ecosystems\u00a0worldwide.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this Q&A, we spoke with\u00a0<\/span>Dr Ed Morgan<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0a Griffith\u00a0Research Fellow at the Cities Research Institute, about his\u00a0research\u00a0in\u00a0developing landscape planning for ecosystem-based climate change adaption and forest protection to\u00a0support sustainable community development and climate change mitigation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Q&A:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u00a0sparked your passion for\u00a0this\u00a0area of research?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I was growing up, the environment was in the news a lot\u2014the\u00a0destruction\u00a0of the Amazon, climate change,\u00a0pollution. Crucially, I was taught and came to understand the links between environment and society\u2014we are totally dependent on the environment. Everything we do\u00a0to it\u00a0ultimately\u00a0impacts on us and the ways we live. We aren\u2019t separate from the environment but part of\u00a0it and we need to think and act accordingly.\u00a0My research is about understanding our impacts and finding ways to live better within the limits of the environment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Naively, I also thought these problems would be easy to solve.\u00a0I remember seeing a news report on climate change when I was around 12 years old and thinking\u00a0how easy\u00a0it would be to solve\u2014just stop\u00a0greenhouse gases.\u00a0I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t have thought\u00a0I\u2019d be working\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0climate change\u00a0area\u00a030 years later!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018W<\/span><\/span>e need to\u00a0<\/span>recognise<\/span>\u00a0that change is going to happen\u2014it’ll either be forced upon us by crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss, or we can choose to make changes and manage it in a way that\u00a0<\/span>minimises<\/span>\u00a0disruption and supports positive change in other areas.\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why is research in this area important?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Forests, and especially what we call primary forests\u2014those that haven\u2019t been disturbed by significant industrial extraction\u2014are vital ecosystems. They are a crucial part of combatting climate change and biodiversity loss globally.\u00a0They support water supply and water quality regionally and they are\u00a0essential\u00a0sources of \u2018food, fuel and\u00a0fibre\u2019\u00a0for local communities, not to mention their cultural importance to many\u00a0people. Unfortunately, forest loss and degradation\u00a0are\u00a0still major and increasing problems\u2014as\u00a0shown\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span>recent events in the Amazon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and elsewhere.\u00a0This deforestation is often driven by a conventional industrial pathway based on extraction\u00a0and usually fails to support the wellbeing and livelihoods of the local communities. However, the communities want the benefits of development\u00a0and aren\u2019t\u00a0presented with alternative choices other than increasing extractive exploitation of the forest.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This research is important because it is about both protecting these forests and\u00a0helping\u00a0improve\u00a0community wellbeing. Because the project focuses on forests it works across some very different contexts. My focus is on developing countries\u2014forests in the Amazon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Melanesia. Working in these contexts is a real challenge and at times confronting\u00a0but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0also an incredible opportunity to help bring about positive change.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My research is part of a global collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to protecting these vital forest ecosystems.\u00a0The project includes\u00a0ecologists and data-scientists creating a better understanding of forests, people influencing\u00a0international policy on climate and biodiversity\u00a0and\u00a0economists\u00a0developing better evaluations of the benefits of\u00a0forests.\u00a0My role is to research\u00a0participatory\u00a0planning and governance\u2014how people, especially communities,\u00a0can choose to protect their forests and put in place the\u00a0mechanisms to both protect the forest and benefit from this protection. If the forests are benefiting us all, local communities should be\u00a0rewarded\u00a0for\u00a0looking after them.\u00a0This needs innovative methods of valuing,\u00a0governing\u00a0and planning forests and development.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the\u202freal-life\u202fimpact\u202fof your research?\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the long-term, the research will hopefully lead to better protection of forests, while at the same time support\u00a0sustainable\u00a0community development for\u00a0communities that own and manage forests,\u00a0especially\u00a0those in the developing world.\u00a0The research will develop pilots of alternative development approaches that use forest protection\u00a0as a way to\u00a0create\u00a0incomes and development for communities\u2014sometimes called a \u2018conservation economy\u2019.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the short term,\u00a0the research is\u00a0generating vital evidence to influence international and national policy on forests and climate change and identifying new and better ways to value, plan and govern forests and development. Also,\u00a0and probably most importantly,\u00a0by working participatively\u00a0with communities\u00a0we are building capacity\u00a0to\u00a0empower them\u00a0to\u00a0improve their governance and planning.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Dr Ed Morgan discusses sustainable development and forest protection with government and community stakeholders in Mbandaka, Democratic Republic of Congo (November 2019). Image courtesy of Dr Ed Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u00a0are some actions\u00a0individuals\u00a0can\u00a0make towards raising awareness and protecting our environment\u00a0this World Environment Day?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are lots of simple day-to-day changes we can make\u2014reducing our consumption is probably the biggest, but also\u00a0recycling, reducing\u00a0our energy use,\u00a0buying renewable\u00a0energy, talking\u00a0to your friends and family about why\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important. There are bigger ones\u00a0available\u00a0to some people\u2014move your\u00a0superannuation to a \u2018sustainable\u2019 fund,\u00a0get solar panels\u00a0and\u00a0buy\u00a0sustainable,\u00a0organic\u00a0and ethical products. Then there are more \u2018political\u2019 ones\u2014join movements, go on marches,\u00a0get involved in activism.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All of these have\u00a0their\u00a0problems and will attract criticism,\u00a0none of them are perfect\u00a0but they are all important. The challenge for many people is increasing\u00a0their\u00a0action\u2014we can do the simple ones, but the bigger ones are \u2018hard\u2019. However,\u00a0many of\u00a0us are enormously\u00a0fortunate\u00a0and wealthy on a global scale and so we need to take responsibility.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Personally,\u00a0I think the\u00a0most important\u00a0one is to\u00a0rethink\u00a0our lifestyles to\u00a0reduce our\u00a0impact on the environment.\u00a0This\u00a0is sometimes about\u00a0sacrifice but\u00a0can often be about\u00a0positive\u00a0change\u00a0too\u2014choosing\u00a0to use the car less\u00a0and eating less meat\u00a0can mean more exercise and a healthier lifestyle.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, we need to\u00a0recognise\u00a0that change is going to happen\u2014it’ll\u00a0either\u00a0be forced upon us by crises such as climate change\u00a0and biodiversity loss,\u00a0or we can choose to make changes\u00a0and manage it in a way that\u00a0minimises\u00a0disruption and supports positive change in other areas.\u00a0That\u2019s the choice we\u00a0face\u00a0and it is growing ever more pressing.\u00a0I passionately believe\u00a0most of us can reap benefits from living within the\u00a0limits of the\u00a0environment, if\u00a0we choose to.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are no easy\u00a0solutions, but the fundamental problem is the\u00a0straightforward\u00a0one my naive\u00a012-year-old-self\u00a0understood\u2014we\u00a0do\u00a0have to stop doing certain things\u00a0like\u00a0burning fossil fuels, polluting, destroying habitats.\u00a0The\u00a0difficult\u00a0part\u00a0is\u00a0working out what we really value so that we can\u00a0keep\u00a0and improve these\u00a0important things\u00a0as we change.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I believe the future of research and academia lies in collaboration and teamwork. Finding good genuine collaborators and building a team of people who are not only good at research\/teaching but also good at being in a team, is a great way to manage the challenges.\u2019<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What advice do you have for PhD researchers\/students and researchers?<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research is hard and academia can be a difficult place to work\u2014especially\u00a0at the moment\u00a0as it is undergoing change and isn\u2019t always seen as that important.\u00a0You\u00a0have to\u00a0be passionate about your research (and teaching) and you have to look after yourself\u2014and these\u00a0can\u00a0pull you in different directions. There is always more work to do\u2014another paper to write, another idea to turn into a proposal, another student to help, another committee to be on.\u00a0Also, by its nature, research means being critical and so it is easy to feel constantly under scrutiny, from yourself and others<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and the precarious nature of it means you feel the need to constantly justify yourself. Finally, the positive impacts of your research may feel a long way off,\u00a0especially when working in environmental issues, and it is easy to question your value\u00a0and impact.\u00a0Finding ways to manage demands and achieve what you think is important is vital, but not always easy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Personally, I believe the future of research and academia lies in collaboration and teamwork. Finding good genuine collaborators and building a team of people who are not only good at research\/teaching but also good at being in a team,\u00a0is a\u00a0great\u00a0way to manage\u00a0the challenges,\u00a0but it does mean asking yourself\u2014am I a good collaborator?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Interested\u00a0in learning more?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read Dr Ed Morgan\u2019s research about\u00a0developing landscape planning for ecosystem-based climate change adaption and forest protection\u00a0on\u00a0<\/span>Griffith Research Online<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.\u2014\u00a0is the theme\u00a0of\u00a0World Environment Day\u00a0this year.\u00a0It\u2019s a day that\u00a0recognises\u00a0that while we can\u2019t turn back time, we are the generation that can\u00a0take action to\u00a0reverse the degradation of\u00a0ecosystems\u00a0worldwide.\u00a0\u00a0 In this Q&A, we spoke with\u00a0Dr Ed Morgan,\u00a0a Griffith\u00a0Research Fellow at the Cities Research Institute, about his\u00a0research\u00a0in\u00a0developing landscape planning for ecosystem-based climate change adaption and forestContinue reading “World Environment Day 2021\u2014\u2018Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.\u2019”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":17411,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,172,5,3],"tags":[162],"class_list":["post-14799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-researcher-profile","category-researchers","category-students","tag-general"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Vanessa Gatt","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2021\/06\/Dr-Ed-Morgan-Griffith-Research-Fellow-at-the-Cities-Research-Institute.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14799"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14799\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testblogs.griffith.edu.au\/library\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}