Governance in socio-environmental research: an analysis of multi-stakeholder cooperation mechanisms in two research laboratories in Yucatan, Mexico

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the governance of socio-environmental research in two laboratories in Yucatan, Mexico, LANRESC and LENERSE, aiming to explore the operation of cooperation mechanisms involving multi-stakeholder interaction processes that support the generation of knowledge and the development of strategies to solve complex socio-environmental issues. The analytical-conceptual framework was that of complex associative systems, a governance approach focused on understanding associative efforts among heterogeneous stakeholders seeking to reach a common objective. The present research was based on two case studies from a comparative perspective. We found that both experiences have involved the development of relatively stable networks adapted to meet their objectives. However, the less conventional LANRESC research scheme has succeeded in producing more innovative structures and mechanisms to operate as non-scientific stakeholders and be recognized as a national laboratory. For their part, the mechanisms of research organization at LENERSE, being more traditional and technocentric in nature, have not been able to fully establish links with social and business actors to participate in the regional energy transition. In the case of LENERSE, the traditional and technocentric evaluation mechanisms in place have inhibited the establishment of links with social and business actors to influence energy transitioning in the region. In both cases, betting on inter- and trans-discipline will be essential for improving their contributions to solving problems such as climate change or oil depletion.

RESUMO

Este artigo analisa a governança da pesquisa socioambiental em dois laboratórios de pesquisa em Yucatan, México: LANRESC e LENERSE, examinando como funcionam os mecanismos cooperativos gerados nos processos de interação entre atores, que possibilitam a produção de conhecimento e soluções para problemas socioambientais complexos. A estrutura analítico-conceptual empregada enquadra-se nos chamados sistemas associativos complexos, uma abordagem da governança focada na compreensão dos esforços associativos entre atores heterogêneos, procurando um propósito comum. A pesquisa foi baseada em dois estudos de caso em perspectiva comparativa. Constatou-se que ambas as experiências desenvolveram redes relativamente estáveis que se adaptaram para atingir seus objetivos. No entanto, o esquema de pesquisa menos convencional do LANRESC conseguiu gerar estruturas e mecanismos mais inovadores para se integrar com atores não científicos e se posicionar como um laboratório nacional. Por outro lado, os mecanismos de organização da pesquisa mais tradicionais e tecnocêntricos do LENERSE não têm conseguido associações suficentes com atores sociais e empresariais para influenciar a transição energética regional. Em ambos os casos, a inter e transdisciplinaridade serão fundamentais para melhorar as contribuições destes laboratórios para a resolução de problemas como as mudanças climáticas ou o esgotamento de hidrocarbonetos.

RESUMEN

En este artículo se analiza la gobernanza de la investigación socioambiental en dos laboratorios de investigación en Yucatán, México: LANRESC y el LENERSE, estudiando cómo operan los mecanismos cooperativos generados en procesos de interacción multiactoral, que posibilitan la producción de conocimientos y soluciones a problemas socioambientales complejos. El marco analítico-conceptual fue el de los llamados sistemas asociativos complejos, enfoque de la gobernanza centrado en comprender los esfuerzos asociativos entre actores heterogéneos que buscan un propósito común. La investigación se basó en dos estudios de caso en perspectiva comparada. Se encontró que en ambas experiencias se han desarrollado redes relativamente estables que se han adaptado para cumplir sus objetivos. Sin embargo, el esquema de investigación del LANRESC, menos convencional, ha logrado generar estructuras y mecanismos más innovadores para integrarse con actores no-científicos y lograr un posicionamiento como laboratorio nacional. Por su parte, los mecanismos de organización de la investigación en el LENERSE, al ser de carácter más tradicional y tecnocéntrico, no han logrado concretar del todo vínculos con actores sociales y empresariales para incidir en la transición energética regional. En ambos casos, apostar por la inter y transdisciplina será fundamental para mejorar sus contribuciones a la resolución de problemáticas como el cambio climático o el agotamiento de hidrocarburos.

KEYWORDS:

• Socio-environmental research
• research governance
• complex associative systems
• research laboratories
• Yucatan

PALAVRAS-CHAVE:

• Pesquisa sócio-ambiental
• governança da pesquisa
• sistemas associativos complexos
• laboratórios acadêmicos
• Yucatán

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• Investigación socioambiental
• gobernanza de la investigación
• sistemas asociativos complejos
• laboratorios de investigación
• Yucatán

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Other studies on social-environmental collaborative governance are described in Gunningham (2009); Gieseke (2020); Tando and Haryanti (2020); and Duan et al. (2020).

2 Some research related to science-technology-society studies from the perspective of CASs involves analyses of regional innovation systems (Montiel 2020), knowledge networks, or the empirical case of UNAM Academic Claustro (Luna and Velasco 2017), which illustrate the existing diversity in cooperative arrangements oriented to knowledges co-production.

3 The testimonies and perspectives presented in this paper do not compromise the institutional position on the development of LANRESC and LENERSE.

4 “Report cards” are conceived as an information tool for concisely communicating the current health status of an ecosystem to guide the interaction with different social stakeholders (LANRESC 2021a).

5 These observatories are located in Sisal, Celestun, Arrecife Alacranes, Laguna de Términos, and Dos Bocas (Gulf of Mexico), Agiabambo (Gulf of California), and Copalita (South Pacific) (LANRESC 2020).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by UNAM-PAPIIT IA301820.

Notes on contributors

María Elena Giraldo

María Elena Giraldo holds a PhD in Political and Social Sciences from National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is an Associate Professor at the National School of Higher Education (ENES) Mérida, UNAM. Her main lines of research are regional science and technology policies; governance and public management; science, technology, and socio-environmental problems. She heads the project PAPIIT IA301820, UNAM.

Eliana Arancibia Gutiérrez

Eliana Arancibia Gutiérrez holds a PhD in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Campinas, Brazil. She is a Professor at the Peninsular Center for Humanities and Social Sciences (CEPHCIS), UNAM. Her research interests include relations between science, technology and development; science, technology and innovation policies for social inclusion, and social utility of scientific knowledge. She is a collaborator in the project PAPIIT IA301820, UNAM.