Darren A. Swanson biography

Staff and Associates

Darren A. Swanson

Darren Swanson is Deputy Director of IISD’s Natural and Social Capital program. He is a professional engineer and strategic management consultant with nineteen years of experience in the public and private sectors. Mr. Swanson assists governments and corporations around the world in the collective pursuit of sustainability, accountability and adaptability. His core areas of expertise include sustainability strategies, scenario planning and strategic foresight, indicator information systems, integrated assessment methods and adaptive policy-making approaches. He is the lead editor and author of IISD’s recent book entitled ‘Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policymaking in an Uncertain World’, and was co-editor and co-author of the United Nations Environment Program’s training manual on Integrated Environmental Assessment and Reporting.

Education

Master of Public Administration in International Development (2002): Harvard University.
Master of Geo-Environmental Engineering (1995): University of Saskatchewan.
Bachelor of Civil Engineering (1991): University of Saskatchewan.

Mr. Swanson left IISD in April 2013.

Publications

The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus: Towards A Practical Planning and Decision Support Framework for Landscape Investment and Risk Management
Paper: Livia Bizikova, Dimple Roy, Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, Matthew McCandless, 2013
Measuring the Performance and Impact of Community Indicators Systems: Insights on frameworks and examples of key performance indicators
Paper: Bobbie Macdonald, Christa Rust, Charles Thrift, Darren A. Swanson, 2012
Lake Winnipeg Basin Summit Follow-up Meeting: Our Lake, Our Solutions
Paper: Dimple Roy, Henry David Venema, Darren A. Swanson, 2012
Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note: Poplar River First Nation, Manitoba
Paper: Christa Rust, Darren A. Swanson, Livia Bizikova, 2012
Community Sharing Circle Briefing Note: Bloodvein First Nation, Manitoba
Paper: Christa Rust, Darren A. Swanson, Livia Bizikova, 2012
Understanding the Role of the Boreal Environment in Supporting the Well-Being of Remote First Nations Communities in Canada
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, Livia Bizikova, Christa Rust, 2012
Training Module - Achieving National and Sectoral Development Priorities: The use of integrated environmental assessment tools for improved MEA implementation
Paper: Livia Bizikova, Chris Corbin, Graciela Metternicht, László Pintér, Andrea Sabelli, Darren A. Swanson, Anya Thomas, 2011
Evaluation of Integrated Management Initiatives
Paper: Livia Bizikova, Darren A. Swanson, Dimple Roy, 2011
Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policy-making in an Uncertain World
Book: Darren A. Swanson (Editor), Suruchi Bhadwal (Editor), 2009
Indicators of Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change for Agriculture in the Prairie Region of Canada: Comparison with Field Observations
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, Jim Hiley, Henry David Venema, Richard Grosshans, 2009
Indicators of Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change for Agriculture in the Prairie Region of Canada: An Analysis based on Statistics Canada's Census of Agriculture
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, Jim Hiley, Henry David Venema, Richard Grosshans, 2009
Understanding Adaptive Policy Mechanisms Through Farm-level Studies of Adaptation to Weather Events in Alberta, Canada
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, Christa Rust, Jennifer Medlock, 2009
Understanding Adaptive Policy Mechanisms through Farm-level Studies of Adaptation to Weather Events in Saskatchewan, Canada
Paper: Dimple Roy, Henry David Venema, Darren A. Swanson, Kent Pearce, 2008
Vulnerability & Adaptation Work Program: Achieving sustainable development in a changing climate
Outreach: Anne Hammill, Jo-Ellen Parry, Darren A. Swanson, László Pintér, 2008
Towards Departmental Stewardship Planning in the Saskatchewan Government: Insights from Other Stewardship Planning and Related Efforts in Canada and Abroad
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, László Pintér, Carissa Wieler, Graham Ashford, 2006
Governance Structures for National Sustainable Development Strategies: Study of Good Practice Example
Paper: Darren A. Swanson, László Pintér, 2006
Full-cost Accounting for Agriculture – Year 2 Report: Valuing Changes in Agri-Environmental Indicators
Paper: Stephan Barg, Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, 2005
Valuing Changes in Agri-Environmental Indicators
Paper: Stephan Barg, Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, 2005
Strategic Environmental Assessment: A Concept in Progress
Paper: László Pintér, Darren A. Swanson, Jane Barr, 2004
Use of Indicators in Policy Analysis: Annotated Training Module Prepared for the World Bank Institute
Paper: László Pintér, Darren A. Swanson, Jane Barr, 2004
Full-cost Accounting for Agriculture
Paper: Stephan Barg, Darren A. Swanson, 2004
Full Cost Accounting for Agriculture
Paper: Stephan Barg, Darren A. Swanson, 2004
Sustainable Development and National Government Actions: New study identifies key issues in national sustainable development strategy process
Commentary: Darren A. Swanson, László Pintér, François Bregha, Axel Volkery, Klaus Jacob, 2004
National Strategies for Sustainable Development: Challenges, Approaches and Innovations in Strategic and Co-ordinated Action
Book: Darren A. Swanson, László Pintér, François Bregha, Axel Volkery, Klaus Jacob, 2004
Advancing Sustainable Development in Canada: Policy issues and research needs
Book: Stephan Barg, Aaron Cosbey, Heather Creech, William H. Glanville, Marlene Roy, Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, Konrad von Moltke, 2003
Gauging Progress Toward Sustainability: A Communication Innovation
Commentary: Darren A. Swanson, 2003

Audio/Video

Connecting the Bay – Hudson Bay Inland Sea Initiative
Video: Vivek Voora, Christa Rust, Karla Zubrycki, Darren A. Swanson, Henry David Venema, Richard Altman (Animator), Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical Producer), 2012

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Staff and Associates

Darren A. Swanson

Education

Publications

Audio/Video