Showing papers by "Eduardo S. Brondizio published in 2018"

A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation

Abstract: Understanding the scale, location and nature conservation values of the lands over which Indigenous Peoples exercise traditional rights is central to implementation of several global conservation and climate agreements. However, spatial information on Indigenous lands has never been aggregated globally. Here, using publicly available geospatial resources, we show that Indigenous Peoples manage or have tenure rights over at least ~38 million km2 in 87 countries or politically distinct areas on all inhabited continents. This represents over a quarter of the world’s land surface, and intersects about 40% of all terrestrial protected areas and ecologically intact landscapes (for example, boreal and tropical primary forests, savannas and marshes). Our results add to growing evidence that recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ rights to land, benefit sharing and institutions is essential to meeting local and global conservation goals. The geospatial analysis presented here indicates that collaborative partnerships involving conservation practitioners, Indigenous Peoples and governments would yield significant benefits for conservation of ecologically valuable landscapes, ecosystems and genes for future generations.

The urban south and the predicament of global sustainability

Abstract: Urbanization is a global phenomenon with strong sustainability implications across multiple scales. We argue that much of the associated challenges, and opportunities, are found in the global south. We show that urban issues in the global south are distinctly and statistically different from those in the global north, but our current urban knowledge is predominantly shaped by research on and from the global north. Cities in the global south have strong imperatives, and unique but often overlooked capacity, to innovate and experiment for sustainability. We call for a renewed research focus on urbanization in the south, and suggest targeted efforts to correct structural biases in the knowledge production system. Most of the sustainability challenges and opportunities associated with urbanization are found in the global south. This Perspective shows the extent to which urban issues differ between the developed and developing worlds and identifies steps to re-focus the urban research system globally in view of allowing a more prominent role of urban scholarship from the global south.

Equity and sustainability in the Anthropocene: a social–ecological systems perspective on their intertwined futures

Abstract: It is no longer possible nor desirable to address the dual challenges of equity and sustainability separately. Instead, they require new thinking and approaches which recognize their interlinkages, as well as the multiple perspectives and dimensions involved. We illustrate how equity and sustainability are intertwined, and how a complex social–ecological systems lens brings together advances from across the social and natural sciences to show how (in)equity and (un)sustainability are produced by the interactions and dynamics of coupled social–ecological systems. This should help understand which possible pathways could lead to sustainable and fair futures.

Adapting to urban challenges in the Amazon: flood risk and infrastructure deficiencies in Belém, Brazil

Abstract: Sustainable urban infrastructure transition is perhaps the biggest challenge confronting cities in the global south in a time of climate change. Fast-growing cities are increasingly faced with deficiencies in the provisioning of public infrastructures, such as delivering water and sewage treatment and mitigating the risk of flooding to large segments of the population. Problems such as flooding encapsulate both structural and individual dimensions of adaptation. In this paper, we present a conceptual framework to analyze urban adaptation to increasing flood risk in the capital city of Belem in the Brazilian Amazon. Our analysis focuses on two domains of adaptive capacity to floods: generic capacity (provisioning of basic infrastructure and services) and specific capacity (effective flooding response, proactive strategies for risk reduction). We combined data from census sector and household semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observational and archival data, and photo documentation to analyze both capacities in the city of Belem. Our findings indicated deficiency and intra-urban variability of both generic (water supply, sanitation, waste management, and adequate storm drainage) and specific capacities (specific individual and community and political actions for flood mitigation). However, significant inequalities exist across sectors of the population. Poorest urban sectors present higher deficits of generic adaptive capacity related to infrastructure. The expansion of vast areas of informal settlements, lack of basic infrastructure, and failed projects to reduce flood risk also challenge the specific adaptive capacity of households. A perception of corruption associated with public projects and high levels of violence also prevent cooperation and collective action among residents affected by flooding.