An Evolving Understanding of Sustainability in Governance

By Emma Clark

This is the cover page for the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, one of the resilience collaboratives that I have been tasked to analyze.

My understanding of how my research as a Sustainability Fellow has been conducted has certainly evolved over the course of this experience, influenced by several factors.

As I’ve worked with the Apalachee Regional Planning Council on developing a resilience collaborative for the Apalachee region, I’ve come to recognize the important role that institutional structure plays in either enabling or hindering sustainability. At the beginning of the summer, I viewed sustainability largely through a straightforward, technical lens (could be achieved through implementing local recycling programs or setting limits on energy use). I’ve since come to understand that the underlying governance models (how decisions are made, who has oversight, and how transparent those processes are) ultimately determine the success (or lack thereof) of sustainability efforts.

Since becoming a Sustainability Fellow, I’ve developed a deep reverence for the natural world. One of the key themes in our curriculum has been the idea of interconnectedness in sustainability – that actions taken in one part of an ecosystem ripple out. Namely, how human behavior can profoundly affect niche species, and ultimately greater ecological systems. This view extends to human social and economic structures as well. I certainly see my own role in the world a bit different now. As humans, we tend to centralize ourselves but, in reality, we are just a part of an interdependent system.

My (virtual) environment this summer has grown more diverse, which has made my learning much more engaging. Most of my fellow Sustainability Fellows come from backgrounds in environmental science or related fields – disciplines I had little exposure to before joining this program. I’ve not only learned from their academic insights, but I’ve also been deeply inspired by their passion. Their enthusiasm has encouraged me to engage more deeply with the field of sustainability, which has certainly shaped the direction of my Capstone. Through these relationships, I’ve come to see sustainability as a truly urgent priority.

In regards to future direction, I can definitely say that my analysis of regional resilience collaboratives has helped clarify how different governance structures either facilitate or inhibit sustainability (ex. through the nature of their decision-making processes). These observations are directly informing how I will approach the topic in my Capstone. By noticing and comparing the strengths and weaknesses of various collaborative models, I’m beginning to see how these choices impact outcomes. To better understand the theme of sustainability in governance, I plan to interview engaged community members who witness firsthand the need for effective governance. I also hope to conduct comparative research on similar collaboratives at the national level to broaden my understanding.