Dr. Carolyn Peach Brown is an Assistant Professor and UPEI’s Director of Environmental Studies, a multidisciplinary liberal arts and science program. While previously obtaining both a Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Acadia University) and a Master of Science (University of Guelph) in the natural sciences, she ventured into the social sciences for her PhD. Carolyn completed her PhD in Natural Resource Policy and Management at Cornell University in 2005. Prior to doing her PhD she worked for over 10 years in Central Africa at the local level in agricultural and community development.
Research Interests: environmental governance, community-based resource management, international development, biodiversity conservation, climate change, knowledge systems, community resilience.
Current Teaching:
ENV 201 Introduction to Environmental Studies This course introduces students to a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental issues; and emphasizes the interrelationships among the various physical, biological, and human systems. It examines major contemporary environmental issues, such as global warming and land use, and focuses on how these issues are understood and addressed within the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
ENV 301 Integrating Environmental Theory and Practice This course provides students with opportunities to develop, integrate and apply their knowledge of environmental issues and theory. Students will be involved in 'internship' experiences with varied environmental organizations, in environmental action research on campus issues or in other settings, and in developing personal plans for environmental action and change. Classroom discussions and written work will aide students in developing a multidisciplinary and systems approach to the analysis of these experiences.
ENV 409 Special Topics (Environmental Governance) This course focuses on developing an understanding of principles, practices and emerging issues relating to environmental governance. An emphasis is placed on exploring the roles of governments, markets and collective action in environmental policy and management. Examples of governance arrangements are drawn from different parts of the world and different ecological contexts, including the uniqueness of island contexts
ENV 409 Special Topics (Student Environmental Studies Symposium) Environmental issues typically do not respect traditional academic boundaries and require scientific, technical, human and social perspectives to address. Therefore, the aim of the Environmental Studies program is to equip students with the tools to understand the environmental connections across academic fields, to critically analyze complex environmental issues, and to lead the way toward sustainable solutions. The Student Environmental Studies Symposium is envisioned as a project which will be planned and managed by highly motivated students. Through the process of organizing this symposium, students will deepen their knowledge of the complex nature of environmental issues and the challenges in finding sustainable solutions. It will provide an opportunity for active and collaborative learning as students dialogue with important stakeholders engaged in real world issues from government, the private sector and civil society. Practical outcomes of the course include the development of critical thinking and writing skills, as well as organizational, communication and team-building skills. The course spans both the Fall and Winter semesters. An organizational and information meeting will be held in September. For more information contact Dr. Brown at hcpbrown@upei.ca
Research Interests:
My research focuses on environmental governance and issues of sustainability that balance social, ecological and economic interests. Environmental sustainability in our complex world depends on the interaction between natural systems and governance institutions. The way in which different institutional configurations of the state, the private sector and civil society interact to govern the environment has implications in many international and Canadian jurisdictions. My research explores the roles played by local institutions, communities and civil society groups in environmental management, and how these institutions interface with other actors in multi-level governance systems, in the context of changing policy and a changing climate. The research draws on concepts and insights from interdisciplinary bodies of scholarship including commons theory, resilience thinking, social learning theory, adaptive governance, the natural sciences, development practice, and the policy and public administration literature.
Current Research Projects:
(1) The role of local institutions in climate change mitigation and adaptation in the
Congo Basin forest of Cameroon
This research focuses on institutional factors affecting the vulnerability and adaptation of forest-dependent communities to climate change and related international mitigation policies. The aim of the research is to enhance our understanding of the role of local institutions (civil, public, and private) in fostering resilience in forest-dependent communities in Cameroon, in the context of the risks and opportunities introduced by climate change, and a new international policy on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).
Funder: Insight Development Grant, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Collaborator: Center for International Forestry Research
Opportunity for Graduate Students: Please contact me if you are interested in conducting field research in Africa while doing a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences related to this project.
(2) Partnership for Canada-Caribbean Community Climate Change Adaptation
(ParCA)
The focus of this project is on the integration of scientific and local knowledge in understanding the multi-scale socioeconomic, governance and environmental conditions that shape vulnerability and capacity to adapt to climate change in communities in the Caribbean and Atlantic Canada.
Funder: International Research Initiative on Adaptation to Climate Change (IRIACC) of the
International Development Research Centre of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Collaborators: The project is being led by Dr. Daniel Scott of the University of Waterloo and Dr. Murray Simpson of The CARIBSAVE Partnership. Dr. Irene Novaczek of the Institute for Island Studies, UPEI and Dr. Carolyn Peach Brown were co-applicants (among many) on the research proposal.
Opportunity for Graduate Students: Please contact me if you are interested in doing a Master of Science in Environmental Sciences or a Master of Arts in Island Studies in relation to this project.
Publications:
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Somorin, O.A., Brown, H.C.Peach, Sonwa, D., Visseren-Hammer, I., Nkem, J. and Arts, B. “The Congo Basin forests in a changing climate: Policy discourse on adaptation and mitigation.” Submitted to Global Environmental Change. (Accepted pending revisions)
Brown, H.C. Peach, Nkem, J. Ndi, Sonwa, D. and Y. Bele. 2010. “Institutional adaptive capacity and climate change response in the Congo Basin forests of Cameroon.” Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 15: 263-282.
Brown, H.C. Peach and J.P. Lassoie. 2010. “Institutional choice and local legitimacy in community-based forest management: Lessons from Cameroon.” Environmental Conservation 37 (3): 1-10. (Special thematic section: Community-based natural resource management: designing the next generation).
Brown, H.C. Peach and J.P. Lassoie. 2010. “The interaction between market forces and management systems: A case study of non-wood forest products in the humid forest zone of Cameroon.” International Forestry Review 12 (1): 13-26.
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2009. “Climate change and Ontario forests: Prospects for building institutional adaptive capacity.” Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 14 (6): 513-536.
Brown, H.C. Peach, Buck, L. and J.P. Lassoie. 2008. “Governance and social learning in the management of non-wood forest products in community forests in Cameroon.” International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology 7 (3): 256-275.
Brown, H.C. Peach, Wolf, S. and J.P. Lassoie. 2007. “An analytic approach to structuring co-management of community forests in Cameroon.” Progress in Development Studies 7 (2): 135-155.
Submitted for Review
Brown, H.C. Peach. “Catching the passion: Community service-learning and the making of environmental leaders.” Submitted to Canadian Journal of Environmental Education.
Brown, H.C. Peach. “Gender, climate change and REDD+ in the Congo Basin forests of Central Africa.” Submitted to International Forestry Review (Special issue on gender and forests).
Brown, H.C. Peach, Smit, B., Sonwa, D., Somorin, O. and J. Ndi Nkem. “Institutional perceptions of opportunities and challenges of REDD+ in the Congo Basin.” Submitted to The Journal of Environment and Development.
Brown, D.R., Brown, H.C. Peach and Chris Shore. “A case study of perceptions of climate change impacts and child well-being: Implications for development programming.” Submitted to Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions.
Somorin, O.A., Coren, M., Sonwa, D., Brown, H.C. Peach and J. N. Nkem. “From conversion to conservation: can REDD+ save the Congo Basin forests? A viewpoint.” Submitted to Journal of Sustainable Forestry.
Book Chapter
Brown, H.C. Peach and V.G. Thomas. 1990. “Ecological considerations for the future of food security in Africa.” pp. 353-377. In C.A. Edwards et al (Editors) Sustainable Agricultural Systems. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, Iowa.
Book Reviews
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2010. Tenure in REDD: Start-point or afterthought? Natural Resource Issues No. 15. Cotula, L. and J. Mayers. 2009. International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK. Canadian Journal of Development Studies 31(1/2): 227-229.
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2009. Climate Change and Forests: Emerging Policy and Market Opportunities. Streck, C., O’Sullivan, R., Janson-Smith, T. and R. Tarasofsky (Editors). 2008. Chatham House/Brookings Institution Press, London/Washington. Climate Policy 9 (2): 221-222.
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2009. Invited review of Diaw, M. Chimère, Tony Aseh, and Ravi Prabhu (Editors). 2009. In Search of Common Ground: Adaptive Collaborative Management in Cameroon. Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia. (Note: review published on back cover of book)
Selected Other Publications
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2010. “Institutional Dynamics and Climate Change in the Congo Basin Forests of Central Africa: Report of Second Phase, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo”. Center for International Forest Research. Congo Basin Forests and Climate Change Adaptation Program.
Brown, H.C. Peach. 2009. “Institutional Dynamics and Climate Change in the Congo Basin Forests of Cameroon: Report of Preliminary Findings”. Center for International Forest Research. Congo Basin Forests and Climate Change Adaptation Program.
The World Bank. 2008. Forests Sourcebook: Practical Guidance for Sustaining Forests in Development Cooperation. The World Bank: Washington, DC. Contributing Author. Available at www.worldbank.org/forestsourcebook.
The Program on Forests (PROFOR) at The World Bank. 2007. Poverty and Forests Linkages: A Synthesis of Six Case Studies. PROFOR at The World Bank: Washington, DC. Contributing Author and Case Study Editor. Available at http://www.profor.info/profor/sites/profor.info/files/PovertyForestsLinkagesCaseStudiesSynthesis.pdf.
updated June 2011
Department of Biology