Tackling Normative and Action-Oriented Dimensions: The Georgia Basin Futures Project

This paper describes recent progress in the utilization of participatory scenario-based backcasting approaches to sustainability research that blend quantitative and qualitative analysis in order to explore alternative climate change futures, as undertaken in the Georgia Basin Futures Project and a range of subsequent academic, government, and private sector projects in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada.  These projects involved second generation backcasting techniques, 3D visualization tools, criteria and indicators, and multi-stakeholder participation. We explore whether such techniques can help to build capacity, design integrated policy solutions, reveal values and attitudes, build awareness, promote dialogue, and enhance collaboration among various departments, disciplines, and stakeholders. A particular challenge of this work lies in the attempt to combine the normative and action-oriented components of the research with more traditional academic research values.