The Role of Science and Technology in the Dynamics of Global Change and the Significance of International Knowledge Cooperation in the Post-Western World: An Interview with Dirk Messner

Abstract

Based on three waves of global change specifically challenging the management of global commons, Dirk Messner points to the role of science and technology particularly in managing the climate system. Illustrating that global power shifts lead to new patterns of international cooperation, he argues that investment in joint knowledge creation and knowledge exchange is vital for managing the earth system. Messner emphasizes the significance of interdisciplinary research for global development, mentions initiatives taken by development institutions to set up open access to research pools, discusses opportunities held by big data and refers to the present redefinition of the discipline of development research itself