SARChI Chair in Social-Ecological Systems (SES) and Resilience
The aim of the SARCHi Chair in Social-Ecological Systems (SES) and Resilience, held by the Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability Transitions, Prof. Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs, is to contribute to the rapidly emerging international research and policy agenda around social-ecological systems (SES) and resilience by addressing theoretical, methodological and empirical gaps in the field, specifically from a South African and African perspective. A key focus of the Chair is to foster regional networks and engaging globally in the development of SES and resilience research in order to provide governments with scientific and policy-relevant insights on SES and resilience to support urgently needed sustainability transformations regionally and globally.
Prof Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs
The work of this Chair is embedded in knowledge-coproduction processes and collaboration with local and international partners and networks to advance SES and resilience research and implementation. The Chair’s work is structured around four core themes, each involving multiple students, partners and externally funded projects:
- Advancing SES and resilience theory and methods.
- Documenting and analysing regime shifts, and tipping points in SES.
- Analysing and facilitating sustainability transformations.
- Supporting the development of regional and global networks for SES and resilience research and practice.
