Skip to main content
Log in

Interdisciplinary research and integration: The case of CO2 and climate

  • Published:
Climatic Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The possibility that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may lead to significant climate changes poses a problem of unusual breath and complexity to society. Research on this problem, and on ways society can respond to it, needs to be carefully organized and managed in an interdisciplinary and flexible manner. New means of integrating research results and ensuring their usefulness for policy decisions must be explored. Research on the CO2 problem should also be closely ‘tied-in’ with research on other social and environmental issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abt, C. C.: 1979, ‘Social Science Research and the Modern State’,Daedalus, Proc. Am. Acad. Arts Sci. 108, 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ausubel, J.: 1980, ‘CO2: An Introduction and Possible Board Game’, Working Paper WP-80–153, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria, 31 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ausubel, J., Lathrop, J., Stahl, I., and Robinson, J.: 1980, ‘Carbon and Climate Gaming’, Working Paper WP-80–152, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria, 16 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, L. W.: 1949, ‘The “Natural Science Ideal” in the Social Sciences’,Sci. Mon. 68, 386.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biswas, A. K.: 1979, ‘Climate, Agriculture and Economic Development’, in Biswas, M. R. and Biswas, A. K. (eds.),Food, Climate and Man, Wiley, New York, pp. 237–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohrnstedt, G. W.: 1980, ‘Social Science Methodology: The Past Twenty-Five Years’,Am. Behav. Sci. 23, 781.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broad, W. J.: 1980a, ‘Imbroglio at Yale (I): Emergence of a Fraud’,Science 210, 38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broad, W. J.: 1980b, ‘Imbroglio at Yale (II): A Top Job Lost’,Science 210, 171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown Jr., Hon, G. E.: 1980, ‘The CO2 Problem: Unprecedented Challenges and Opportunities’, inWorkshop on Environmental and Societal Consequences of a Possible CO 2-Induced Climate Change, CONF-7904143, Carbon Dioxide Effects Research and Assessment Program, Rept. No. 009, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., pp. 122–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butzer, K. W.: 1980, ‘Civilizations: Organisms or Systems?’,Am. Sci. 68, 517.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catton, Jr., W. R. and Dunlap, R. E.: 1980, ‘A New Ecological Paradigm for Post-Exuberant Sociology’,Am. Behav. Sci. 23, 15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Environmental Assessment Services: 1980, ‘Climate Impact Assessment: United States’, Annual Summary 1980, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, D.C. 66 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, R. S.: 1980, ‘Impacts of Carbon Dioxide Induced Climate Change’, inProceedings, Bio-Energy '80: World Congress and Exposition, Bio-Energy Council, Washington, D.C. pp. 544–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Churchman, C. W.: 1977, ‘Toward a Holistic Approach’, in Scribner, R. A. and Chalk, R. A. (eds.),Adapting Science to Social Needs: Conference Proceedings, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rept. No. 76-R-8, pp. 11–24.

  • Climate Board: 1980, Letter Report of theAd Hoc Study Panel on Economic and Social Aspects of Carbon Dioxide Increase, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 11 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Climate Board: 1981,Managing Climatic Resources and Risks, Report of the Panel on the Effective Use of Climate Information in Decision Making, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 151 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corwin, R. and Arnstein, S.: 1977, ‘Motivation and Reward Structures: What are the Incentives and Risks in Doing Problem-Oriented Research?’, in Scribner, R. A. and Chalk, R. A. (eds.),Adapting Science to Social Needs: Conference Proceedings, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rept. No. 76-R-8, pp. 107–13.

  • Daly, H. E.: 1980, ‘Growth Economics and the Fallacy of Misplaced Concreteness: Some Embarassing Anomalies and an Emerging Steady-State Paradigm’,Am. Behav. Sci. 24, 79.

    Google Scholar 

  • DOE: 1980,Environmental and Societal Consequences of a CO 2-Induced Climate Change: A Research Agenda, Vol. 1, DOE/EV/10019–01, Carbon Dioxide Effects Research and Assessment Program, Rept. No. 013, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., 125 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap, R. E.: 1980, ‘Paradigmatic Change in Social Science: From Human Exemptions to an Ecological Paradigm’,Am. Behav. Sci. 24, 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ericksen, N. J.: 1975,Scenario Methodology in Natural Hazards Research, University of Colorado Institute of Behavioral Science, Boulder, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feyerabend, P.: 1978,Against Method, Schocken, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischhoff, B.: 1980, ‘No Man is a Discipline’, in Harvey, J. H. (ed.),Cognition, Social Behavior, and the Environment, Eribaum, Hillsdale, N.J., pp. 579–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischhoff, B. and Furby, L.: 1982, ‘Psychological Dimensions of Climatic Change’, in Chen, R. S., Boulding, E. M., and Schneider, S. H. (eds.),Social Science Research and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Appraisal, D. Reidel, Boston, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geophysics Study Committee: 1977,Energy and Climate, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 158 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glantz, M.: 1979, ‘A Political View of CO2’,Nature 280, 189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glantz, M. H., Robinson, J., and Krenz, M. E.: 1981, ‘Report of a Workshop on Improving the Science of Climate Impact Study: An Assessment of Five Major Climate Impact Studies of the 1970's’, 30 June – 2 July 1981, Institute for Energy Analysis, Oak Ridge, TN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, W. A.: 1977, ‘Observations on Interdisciplinarity: Its Need, Management and Utilization’, in Scribner, R. A. and Chalk, R. A. (eds.),Adapting Science to Social Needs: Conference Proceedings, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rept. No. 76-R-8, pp. 253–63.

  • Hammond, K. R., Mumpower, J. L., and Smith, T. H.: 1977, ‘Linking Environmental Models with Models of Human Judgment: a Symmetrical Decision Aid’,IEEE Trans. on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics SMC-7, 358–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horvitz, D. and Evans, N.: 1977, ‘Recommendations for Creating Effective Management Styles for Interdisciplinary Research’, in Scribner, R. A. and Chalk, R. A. (eds.),Adapting Science to Social Needs: Conference Proceedings, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rept. No. 78-R-6, pp. 239–42.

  • Huntington, E.: 1915,Climate and Civilization, Yale U., New Haven, CT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, C. O.: 1979, ‘If I Knew Then... (A Personal Essay on Committees and Public Policy)’,Policy Analysis 5, 473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kates, R. W.: 1980, ‘Improving the Science of Impact Study’, Project Summary for the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment, International Council of Scientific Unions, Paris, France, 19 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellogg, W. W. and Schware, R.: 1981,Climate Change and Society: Consequences of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies and Westview Press, Boulder, CO, 178 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koopmans, T. C.: 1979, ‘Economics Among the Sciences’,Am. Econ. Rev. 69, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. S.: 1970,The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 2nd ed., University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landsberg, H.: 1946, ‘Climate as a Natural Resource’,Sci. Mon. 63, 293, (reprinted in Climate Board, 1981: 17.).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lave, L. B.: 1981, ‘Mitigating Strategies for CO2 Problems’, Collaborative Paper CP-81–14, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria, 10 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLane, S.: 1980, ‘Total Reporting for Scientific Work’,Science 210, 158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, D.: 1982, ‘Research on Political Institutions and Their Response to the Problem of Increasing CO2 in the Atmosphere’, in Chen, R. S., Boulding, E. M., and Schneider, S. H. (eds.),Social Science Research and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Appraisal, D. Reidel, Boston, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mar, B. W., Newell, W. T., and Saxberg, B. O.: 1976, ‘Interdisciplinary Research in the University Setting’,Env. Sci. Tech. 10, 650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mead, M.: 1977, Discussant, ‘Can Research Institutions Accommodate Interdisciplinary Researchers?’, Symposium at 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Denver, CO, 20–25 February 1977 (taped transcript available from AAAS).

  • Nagel, E.: 1961,The Structure of Science: Problems in the Logic of Scientific Explanations, Harcourt, Brace, and Jovanovich, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD: 1979a,Interfutures: Facing the Future, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Paris, France, 425 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD: 1979b,Social Sciences in Policy Making, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Paris, France, 56 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Panel IV: 1980, ‘Social and Institutional Responses’, inWorkshop on Environmental and Societal Consequences of a Possible CO 2-Induced Climate Change, CONF-7904143, Carbon Dioxide Effects Research and Assessment Program, Rept. No. 009, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C., pp. 79–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabb, T. K.: 1982, ‘Climate and Society in History: A Research Agenda’, in Chen, R. S., Boulding, E. M., and Schneider, S. H. (eds.),Social Science Research and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Appraisal, D. Reidel, Boston, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, J. and Ausubel, J.: 1981, ‘A Framework for Scenario Generation for CO2 Gaming’, Working Paper WP-81–34, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria, 46 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schipper, L.: 1977. Discussant, ‘Can Research Institutions Accomodate Interdisciplinary Researchers?’, Symposium at 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Denver, CO, 20–25 February 1977 (taped transcript available from AAAS).

  • Schneider, S. H.: 1977a, ‘Quality Review Standards for Interdisciplinary Research’, paper presented at ‘Can Research Institutions Accommodate Interdisciplinary Researchers?’, Symposium at 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Denver, CO, 20–25 February 1977 (taped transcript available from AAAS).

  • Schneider, S. H.: 1977b, ‘Climate Change and the World Predicament: A Case Study for Interdisciplinary Research’,Climatic Change 1, 21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S. H. and Chen, R. S.: 1981, ‘Carbon Dioxide Warming and Coastline Flooding: Physical Factors and Climatic Impact’,Ann. Rev. Energy 5, 107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S. H. and Dickinson, R. E.: 1974, ‘Climate Modeling’,Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 12, 447.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S. H. and Morton, L.: 1981,The Primordial Bond: Exploring Connections Between Man and Nature through the Humanities and Sciences, Plenum, New York, 324 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, S. H. and Perry, J. S.: 1982,Food-Climate Interactions: Issues and Policy Implications, Manuscript in preparation.

  • SCOPE: 1978, ‘SCOPE Workshop on Climate/Society Interface’, December 10–14, 1978, Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment, International Council of Scientific Unions, Paris, France, 37 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scribner, R. A. and Chalk, R. A. (eds.): 1977,Adapting Science to Social Needs: Conference Proceedings, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Rept. No. 78-R-8, Washington, D.C., 312pp.

  • Sheldon, E. B. and Parke, R.: 1975, ‘Social Indicators’,Science 188, 693.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, V. K.: 1980, ‘Economic Impact Analysis and Climate Change: An Overview and Proposed Research Agenda’, Final Report to the National Climate Program Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Contract NA-79-SAC-00754, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Washington, D.C., 55 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torry, W. I.: 1979, ‘Anthropological Studies in Hazardous Environments: Past Trends and New Horizons’,Current Anthropology 20, 517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torry, W. I.: 1982, ‘Report on Anthropological Perspectives’, in Chen, R. S., Boulding, E. M., and Schneider, S. H. (eds.),Social Science Research and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Appraisal, D. Reidel, Boston, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toulmin, S.: 1977,The Philosophy of Science, Harper Row, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP: 1980, ‘Report of the UNEP Expert Group Meeting on Climate Impact Studies’, United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP/WG.38/4, Nairobi, Kenya, 27 pp.

  • WAES: 1977,Energy: Global Prospects 1985–2000, Report of the Workshop on Alternative Energy Strategies, McGraw-Hill, New York, 291 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warrick, R. A. and Riebsame, W. E.: 1981, ‘Societal Responses to CO2-Induced Climate Change: Opportunities for Research’,Climatic Change 3, 387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weingart, J.: 1977, ‘Transdisciplinary Research: Some Recent Experiences with Solar Energy Conversion’, paper presented at ‘Can Research Institutions Accomodate Interdisciplinary Researchers?’, Symposium at 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Denver, CO, 20–25 February 1977 (taped transcript available from AAAS).

  • Weiss, E. B.: 1982, ‘International Legal and Institutional Implications of an Increase in Carbon Dioxide: A Proposed Research Strategy’, in Chen, R. S., Boulding, E. M., and Schneider, S. H. (eds.),Social Science Research and Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Appraisal, D. Reidel, Boston, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, G. F. and Haas, J. E.: 1975,Assessment of Research on Natural Hazards, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, MA, 487 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, I. L.: 1979, ‘Interdisciplinarity’,Environmental Professional 1, 51.

    Google Scholar 

  • WMO: 1980,Outline Plan and Basis for the World Climate Programme 1980–1983, Rept. No. 540, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 64 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • WMO: 1981, ‘Report of the Joint WMO/ICSU/UNEP Meeting of Experts on the Assessment of the Role of CO2 on Climate Variations and Their Impact’, World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 35 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Climate Board or the National Academy of Sciences.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, R.S. Interdisciplinary research and integration: The case of CO2 and climate. Climatic Change 3, 429–447 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02423244

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02423244

Keywords

Navigation