GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society

Small islands offer unique conditions for studying human-nature relations. Our study uses the real-world laboratory concept to reflect on a long-term transdisciplinary research process that aimed to facilitate a sustainability transition for an entire island.This article introduces a long-term transdisciplinary research process on the Greek island of Samothraki, aiming at sustainability solutions that are not only scientifically sound, but also co-designed, well received and adopted by the local community. We reflect on 15 years of socioecological research by utilizing the conceptual lens of real-world laboratories (RwLs). We present the research approach pursued on the island, based on a sociometabolic understanding of society-nature interaction, by relating local natural resources (and their self-regenerating capacities) to their social utilization and the resulting environmental pressures. We reflect on the research activities by using an established evaluation framework based on the three RwL principles: the “lab context”, “experiments”, and “interventions”. We describe success and setbacks by integrating, as objects of evaluation, the research process, its outputs, outcomes, and impacts. While we can certainly showcase success in terms of research design, scientific outputs, and institutional outcomes, gauging potential impacts poses a more challenging task.

The teaching component is widely lacking in the discussion of real-world laboratories. We introduce a sustainability learning lab, where students both profit from this platform and also contribute to the success of the lab.In the discussion of real-world laboratories, the teaching component is widely lacking. We address this by introducing a prototype of a sustainability learning lab (SLL) in the global South using a case study of the Seychelles as an example. In 2015 the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab) of ETH Zurich initiated a long-term collaboration with the University of Seychelles (UniSey) and the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC). Teaching activities include transdisciplinary case studies (tdCS) for students from UniSey and ETH, alternated with courses for UniSey only. BSc and MSc theses as well as internships complement these. In 2016 the TdLab, UniSey and MEECC jointly decided to focus on solid waste in a tdCS that engaged 18 ETH and 18 UniSey students with diverse backgrounds. This collaborative approach in a real-world setting with students from different cultures and engaging with a broad range of stakeholders is promising. Students managed to bring novel observations and insights to the surface. Thus, students both profit from this learning platform and also contribute substantially to the further development of the SLL.