Sustainability assessment is being increasingly viewed as an important tool to aid in the shift towards sustainability. However, this is a new and evolving concept and there remain very few examples of effective sustainability assessment processes implemented anywhere in the world. Sustainability assessment is often described as a process by which the implications of an initiative on sustainability are evaluated, where the initiative can be a proposed or existing policy, plan, programme, project, piece of legislation, or a current practice or activity. However, this generic definition covers a broad range of different processes, many of which have been described in the literature as 'sustainability assessment'. This article seeks to provide some clarification by reflecting on the different approaches described in the literature as being forms of sustainability assessment, and evaluating them in terms of their potential contributions to sustainability. Many of these are actually examples of 'integrated assessment', derived from environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA), but which have been extended to incorporate social and economic considerations as well as environmental ones, reflecting a 'triple bottom line' (TBL) approach to sustainability. These integrated assessment processes typically either seek to minimise 'unsustainability', or to achieve TBL objectives. Both aims may, or may not, result in sustainable practice. We present an alternative conception of sustainability assessment, with the more ambitious aim of seeking to determine whether or not an initiative is actually sustainable. We term such processes 'assessment for sustainability'. 'Assessment for sustainability' firstly requires that the concept of sustainability be well-defined. The article compares TBL approaches and principles-based approaches to developing such sustainability criteria, concluding that the latter are more appropriate, since they avoid many of the inherent limitations of the triple-bottom-line as a conception of sustainability.

Conceptualising sustainability assessment

IBM SPSS for Intermediate Statistics: Use and Interpretation, 4th Edition

by Paige West, Duke University Press, Durham, NC, 2006, xxx + 320 pp., £14.95, (ISBN 0822337495). This is a highly personalized study. The use of repeated qualifications in the preface appears to e...

Conservation is Our Government Now: The Politics of Ecology in Papua New Guinea

Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable.

The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

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The Napo Runa of Amazonian Ecuador

In the Amazon, the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve (YBR) is considered a natural and cultural diversity hotspot. It is populated by several indigenous groups, including the Kichwa, who are characterized by their traditional systems of production, which are a means of subsistence and socio-ecological integration. The objective of this research was to evaluate the sustainability of small farmers who use a traditional agroforestry system (chakra) within the buffer, transition, and core zones of the YBR. We conducted 133 interviews with Kichwa heads of households. The socio-demographic structure and distribution were identified, and the response-inducing sustainability evaluation (RISE) methodology was used to evaluate chakra sustainability according to social, economic, and ecological dimensions, expressed using 10 indicators from 50 parameters, valued from 0 (worst case) to 100 (best case). The results are expressed in a polygon, defined by the areas: (1) good performance, (2) medium performance, and (3) poor performance. We employed the multivariate classification hierarchical cluster technique and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to identify dissimilarities between groups of chakras and the existence of statistical differences, respectively. Among the studied indigenous Kichwas, a pyramidal structure progressive type was identified, which is characteristic of young populations and the nonexistence of significant differences between the RISE indicators and chakras. The lowest-scoring indicators using the RISE guidelines were: use of materials and environmental protection, animal production, economic viability and chakra administration. We provide suggestions for decision makers who support Kichwa populations in socio-productive management with sustainability goals. We to taking actions on the indicators identified with high priority to improve the sustainability in the chakras and sociodemographic dynamics.

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/12/1973/pdf

Sustainability Assessment of Smallholder Agroforestry Indigenous Farming in the Amazon: A Case Study of Ecuadorian Kichwas

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 2015 identify poverty, growth, and inequality as three key areas of intervention towards the UN 2030 Agenda for human well-being and sustainability. Herein, the predominant objectives are: (a) To determine the poverty groups by quintiles through the cattle income in households of small milk producers; (b) To characterize rural livelihoods by using capital theory; and (c) To assess the perception of climate change (CC) and the willingness to accept adaptation as well as mitigation measures. The current study was performed in communities that are located in the Ecuadorian Andes, where some 178 surveys were conducted with indigenous Kichwa and mestizo heads of households. From the total net income determined, five groups were organized. The Lorenz curve was applied as a general indicator of the relative inequality, as well as the Gini coefficient (G). On the basis of the theory of capital, the human, social, natural, physical, and financial characteristics were determined, and seven variables were considered to evaluate the perception and willingness to accept mitigation and adaptation actions of the given quintiles. The result of the Gini coefficient was 0.52, which indicates that the poorest 20% of the population only receives 3.40% of the income, while the richest 20% of the quintile obtain about 54% of the total income. It is evident that most producers know little about CC, but that they are willing to receive strengthening programs. Therefore, it is essential to establish strategic guidelines from public policy in order to reduce inequality and to improve the social welfare of producers, with a transversal axis in the strengthening of the capacities on the impact, mitigation, and adaptation to CC, as well as the provision of several tools, such as access to climate information.

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Livelihood Capitals, Income Inequality, and the Perception of Climate Change: A Case Study of Small-Scale Cattle Farmers in the Ecuadorian Andes

Aim of study: Reduction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions derived from food production is imperative to meet climate change mitigation targets. Sustainable mitigation strategies also combine improvements in soil fertility and structure, nutrient recycling, and the use more efficient use of water. Many of these strategies are based on agricultural know-how, with proven benefits for farmers and the environment. This paper considers measures that could contribute to emissions reduction in subsistence farming systems and evaluation of management alternatives in the Central Andes of Ecuador. We focused on potato and milk production because they represent two primary employment and income sources in the region’s rural areas and are staple foods in Latin America.Area of study: Central Andes of Ecuador: Carchi, Chimborazo, Canar provincesMaterial and methods: Our approach to explore the cost and the effectiveness of mitigation measures combines optimisation models with participatory methods.Main results: Results show the difference of mitigation costs between regions which should be taken into account when designing of any potential support given to farmers. They also show that there is a big mitigation potential from applying the studied measures which also lead to increased soil fertility and soil structure improvements due to the increased soil organic carbon.Research highlights: This study shows that marginal abatement cost curves derived for different agro-climatic regions are helpful tools for the development of realistic regional mitigation options for the agricultural sector.

The cost of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in farms in Central Andes of Ecuador

Economic evaluation of strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in potato production systems.

espanolEl incremento de temperatura de nuestro planeta asociado al efecto invernadero antropogenico promueve interes por la busqueda de estrategias de mitigacion de gases de efecto invernadero. Puesto que la agricultura es un sector responsable de casi una quinta parte de las emisiones globales, es necesario identificar que medidas podrian aplicarse, cual es su potencial de mitigacion y el coste estimado de la aplicacion de cada medida. Nuestro estudio responde a estas preguntas comparando la produccion de patata en dos sistemas productivos bien diferenciados y a partir de datos reales de campo. En una primera fase este trabajo calcula la huella de carbono en sistemas de produccion modernos de la mecanizacion agricola y el uso de energia para el riego (localizados en Espana) y en sistemas productivos que integran menos tecnologias (localizados en Peru). Los resultados muestran que en los casos de estudio de ambos paises el ciclo de nitrogeno representa la primera fuente de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, seguido de energia para riego y combustible para la mecanizacion. Posteriormente este estudio evalua las acciones de mitigacion mediante el analisis economico de Curvas de Costes Marginales de Mitigacion. Dichos resultados demuestran que el manejo del fertilizante nitrogenado es la mejor alternativa para reducir la huella de carbono debido a su mayor potencial de reduccion de emisiones y menores costes de mitigacion equivalentes. Finalmente el estudio aporta un marco metodologico que puede ser facilmente aplicado a otros cultivos EnglishThe temperature rise of the planet associated with anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions promotes interest for strategies to mitigate them. Since agriculture is a sector responsible for nearly a fifth of global emissions, it is necessary to identify measures to be applied, what is their mitigation potential and the estimated cost of implementing each measure. Our study addresses these questions by comparing the production of potato in two distinct production systems and with actual field data. In a first step, this paper calculates in a modern agricultural system the carbon footprint of mechanization and energy use for irrigation (located in Spain) and in less productive systems that integrate less technologies (located in Peru) . The results show that in the case studies in both countries the nitrogen cycle represents the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions, followed by energy fuel for irrigation and mechanization. Subsequently this study evaluates economically the mitigation actions through Marginal Abatement Cost Curves. These results demonstrate that the management of nitrogen fertilizer is the best alternative to reduce the carbon footprint because of their greater potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their lower equivalent mitigation costs. Finally, the study provides a methodological framework that can be easily applied to other crops.

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Jhenny Cayambe

Papers

Sustainability Assessment of Smallholder Agroforestry Indigenous Farming in the Amazon: A Case Study of Ecuadorian Kichwas

Livelihood Capitals, Income Inequality, and the Perception of Climate Change: A Case Study of Small-Scale Cattle Farmers in the Ecuadorian Andes

The cost of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in farms in Central Andes of Ecuador

Economic evaluation of strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in potato production systems.

Evaluación económica de las estrategias de mitigación de gases de efecto invernadero en sistemas de producción de patata