The SocSES Nature-Based Transformations thematic working group and the Transformative Adaptation Research Alliance invite you to a webinar on transdisciplinary processes in nature-based transformations. The webinar will feature two speakers, Enora Bruley (LECA, Université Grenoble Alpes, France) and Carolin Seiferth (Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden).
🗓️ Tuesday, 24 February 2026
🕑 10:00 CET / 11:00 CAT / 14:30 IST / 17:00 AWST
🔗 Register to attend here
Talk 1: Operationalising co-production for nature-based transformations
Enora Bruley (LECA, Université Grenoble Alpes, France)
Co-production processes hold significant promise for fostering just, context-specific, and effective nature-based transformations. By reframing the decision context, these processes facilitate a shift from blind implementation to systemic approach of human-nature approach required to reshape nature and human interactions. However, if poorly implemented, they risk reinforcing existing inequalities or leading to detrimental outcomes. Drawing on empirical research in the French Alps, we examine the role of transdisciplinary processes in diagnosing and navigating social-ecological systems. Specifically, we illustrate how co-production approaches, such as historical trajectory analysis and joint problem framing, reveal critical path dependencies and identify deep leverage points necessary for transformation that remain invisible to top-down approaches. We also report a persistent gap revealed by a cross-European analysis (Adaptation AGORA project): while operational enablers are well-understood, deep structural barriers continue to be overlooked and to hinder the mainstreaming of transformative practices. We propose strategic policy recommendations to address these barriers and to unlock co-production potential for nature-based transformations.
Talk 2: The role of relational learning in knowledge co-production
Carolin Seiferth (Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden)
With the growing interest in knowledge co-production comes a need to further study the learning between different actors during dialogue-based processes, which is integral for the governance of complex social-ecological systems. Based on an empirical case of a workshop series on water and landscape governance on Öland, Sweden, we investigated how and why actors built and strengthened competencies in sustainability. Using the lens of relational learning to provide detailed examples of relationship- and trust-building and the emergence of shared experiences, we found that different discussion and interaction formats, active listening, and compassionate communication underpin the development of systems-thinking, futures-thinking, values-thinking, strategies-thinking, interpersonal, and implementation competency. We argue that supporting and tracing learning processes leverages knowledge co-production as a suitable tool for nurturing collective action for addressing sustainability challenges in complex social-ecological systems.
