It is impossible to consider human survival on Earth without taking environmental resources into account.³ In the past, the industrial revolution caused a division between human development and nature. Nonetheless, socio-environmental issues have contributed to the depletion of natural resources, particularly in recent decades. There is a conflict between our development approaches and the need to safeguard life.⁵ Population growth, consumption and production patterns have depleted the planet’s non-renewable resources. To ensure a possible tomorrow, it is paramount that we reflect on the future of the planet and its inhabitants.

One issue that emphasizes the urgency of socio-environmental issues is climate change.¹ A change in climate will lead to changes that can impact all environmental systems on the planet.² Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels increases greenhouse gas emissions, causing climate change and global warming. Sea levels rising, high frequency of extreme weather events, and shifting weather seasons, are some of the consequences of human induced climate change. This puts the global economy and public health in jeopardy.⁴ While climate change affects the entire planet, it's crucial to understand that impoverished and marginalized populations are more affected than others. Extreme weather patterns bring high rainfall, which in turn causes floods. Flooding has increased for those who live in poor communities, especially near the ocean. To ensure that everyone is treated fairly in light of these issues, environmental justice is essential.

The complexity of socio-environmental concerns calls for a holistic approach that recognizes how these issues are connected. One valuable tool for resolving these problems is collaborative learning. Here, active participation of a variety of stakeholders with different viewpoints is encouraged. Stakeholders get the opportunity to learn, share knowledge, and create a common goal for the environment. Under this approach, decision-making and problem-solving are made accessible to communities and individuals. These people must be included, especially those who are disproportionately impacted by the devastating circumstances. This guarantees their equal rights in the decision-making process and empowers them to voice out their worries and experiences and share their understanding of the problem.

The importance of stakeholders management cannot be overemphasized. Even though collaborative learning is a useful tool for addressing complex issues, the identification and prioritization of stakeholders who should be involved in the process has a significant impact on the design of communication and engagement strategies. One way of achieving this is through stakeholder mapping.

During the Science for Environmental Management class, we discussed increased flooding and climate variability and their current impact, challenges, and successful outcomes. We delved into identifying what groups of stakeholders are required to collaborate to solve these problems. We used the stakeholder mapping exercise. This mapping has two dimensions: the level of influence and the level of interest. Stakeholders who should participate in the problem-solving were identified and then placed into a quadrant of low to high influence and low to high interest. Embarking on this exercise gave us insights into who should be managed closely, who should be monitored, who should be kept informed, and who should be kept satisfied. Thus, utilizing stakeholder mapping gives one the ability to manage stakeholders effectively, ensuring that resources such as time and funding are properly allocated and that key stakeholders get the desired attention and engagement needed to be able to contribute significantly to the creation of novel solutions that deal with socio-environmental problems.

Solving socio-environmental issues requires a collaborative effort to achieve that revolutionary shift we all desire. Little actions like leaving our taps running for long and our surroundings being littered, all contribute to current global issues such as the climate crisis. Recognizing how socio-environmental issues are intertwined and the fact that the things we do in one place often have an impact on other places, is crucial. Therefore, let's embrace a sustainable future with all hands on deck. Wondering how that positive change will come about? It begins with you and I.

References

1. Dalhog, Ma. I. (2023). A shift in values is needed to address climate change impacts affecting communities and the environment in the Philippines. Davao Research Journal, 14(2), 80–83. https://doi.org/10.59120/drj.v14i2.131

2. Ventura, A. C., & Davel, E. P. B. (2021). Socio-environmental Impact of Research. Organizações&Sociedade,28(99), 710–721. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-92302021v28n9900en

3. Abbass, K., Qasim, M. Z., Song, H., Murshed, M., Mahmood, H., & Younis, I. (2022). A review of the global climate change impacts, adaptation, and sustainable mitigation measures. In Environmental Science and Pollution Research (Vol. 29, Issue 28, pp. 42539–42559). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19718-6

4. Abdullahi, M. L., Jidda-Fada, S., Binbol, N. L., & Nuhu, H. (2023). PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376477687

5. Ulises, R.-S. H., Lucia, F.-M. A., Alejandro, C.-T. C., & Torre-Villaseñor, D. la. (2023). Climate Change and Its Impact on Human Health in Mexico. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change, 13(6), 219–243. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2023/v13i61819