Although connected by the common thread of “environmental analysis,” the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the in-class activities we do in ENVS 220 can obscure this connection. Because I’ve found it hard to visualize the big picture of environmental analysis, I decided to take a step back and reexamine a couple of the activities we’ve done.
In the second week of the course, our class explored the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the data used to prepare them. The goals, all with a target date of 2030, are huge. “No Poverty,” “Zero Hunger,” and “Good Health and Well-Being,” are just three of the seventeen. In our class discussions, many students voiced concerns that the data they viewed did not show trends that made the 2030 target seem achievable, and some students reported that the data that supposedly informed a goal was lacking or nonexistent.
The UN goals exemplify the interdisciplinarity of environmental analysis. They utilize empirical analysis through worldwide data collection, attaching numerical values to issues. The goals also require the use of conceptual analysis because officials must combine what they learn from the empirical data with other knowledge and experiences to inform their decisions about which issues make the list, determine how the goals should be prioritized, and assess their feasibility.
I think it is important to collect data on this scale and to create goals to aim toward, but when it comes to generating action, I question the effectiveness of the UN’s methods. This whole investigation made it clear that environmental analysis is complicated, and factors like scale can make things difficult.
In week five, as a supplement to empirical research we conducted during our study of land use and cover change, our class hosted a panel of local experts. The panel was our first introduction to the third type of environmental analysis; qualitative. The conversations that transpired showcased knowledge of a specific area over a large slice of time. The specificity and depth of the panel members’ knowledge proved the value of qualitative analysis.
Although the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals are important, the scale of the project does not allow for qualitative analyses to be communicated. As we try and tackle difficult environmental problems, names, faces, and personal stories that have the power to inspire action are increasingly important to investigate and highlight.
Grace Anderson 