Environment, Power, and Society
About: This article is published in Journal of Animal Ecology.The article was published on 1972-02-01. It has received 7 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Power (social and political).
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Dissertation•
20 Jan 2016
TL;DR: The Systems Approach Framework (SAF) as discussed by the authors is a methodological framework designed to enhance the efficacy of human decision-making processes within social-ecological systems with regard to sustainability, and it has been applied in two case studies in the coastal zone of Catalonia, in two separate European Commission Framework Programme projects entitled “Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment” (SPICOSA) and "Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas-marine Life, Impact on Economic Sectors" (VECTORS).
Abstract: The Systems Approach Framework (SAF) is a methodological framework designed to enhance the efficacy of human decision-making processes within social-ecological systems with regard to sustainability. The SAF was applied in two case studies in the coastal zone of Catalonia, in two separate European Commission Framework Programme projects entitled “Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment” (SPICOSA) and “Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas-marine Life, Impact on Economic Sectors" (VECTORS). During the SPICOSA application, a common issue of interest to most stakeholders was the water quality (harmful bacteria and water clarity) of the local city beaches, particularly following combined sewer overflow events, and mitigating this impact by using stormwater collectors. Water quality influences the beach users’ decision whether to stay at the beach or to leave, thus affecting the revenue received by the bars and restaurants on the beach front. A social-ecological model was constructed using the methodology outlined in the SAF to represent this issue, so that it could be used as a tool for deliberation between the stakeholders. The model output implies that the stormwater collectors have been useful in improving beach water quality in Barcelona, but there will be diminished returns in constructing more. The value of the beach is clearly large in terms of both non-market value and revenues generated in the nearby bars and restaurants. However, the impact changes in water quality would have on the recreational appeal of the beach is estimated to be low and further research is recommended to determine beach users’ sensitivity to beach closures (bacteria limit exceeded) and turbidity. At the beginning of the VECTORS project, stakeholders who had participated during the previous SAF application expressed a lack of willingness to engage due to a lack of human resources. The scientific team therefore chose to continue the application with the aspiration of demonstrating the SAF model and results at a later date if the stakeholders found the required resources to engage with the process. There is a general perception that jellyfish abundances are increasing along the Catalan coast. Local authorities are concerned about the stranding events and arrivals of jellyfish to beaches and believe it could reduce the recreational appeal of the beaches. Previous studies also demonstrate the predation of jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca ephyrae) upon some small pelagic fish larvae (Engraulis encrasicolus). Small pelagics are the principal source of revenue for the local fisheries. A social-ecological model was created in order to capture the effects of changes in abundance of Pelagia noctiluca upon the local fisheries, the tourist industry and the wider economy.Various future scenarios for different abundances of jellyfish blooms were run. Given the changes that these scenarios would cause on the regional gross domestic product and employment, this study concludes that the overall impact of either of these scenarios on the economy would not be significant at the regional scale. The inclusion of stakeholders in the SAF methodology is rightly fundamental, but in practice, it can be extremely difficult to persuade key stakeholders to participate, and this is a flaw in the SAF which needs addressing. SAF Application model builders are dependent on stakeholders sharing important data or knowledge but this may be withheld for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, lack of resources to participate, disinterest, and concern about how the results will be used. The SAF is a well-structured methodology for cases where a mathematical model is both relevant and feasible and should be considered as a useful step-by-step guide for managing coastal zone systems towards sustainability.
6 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that sustainable development is only possible if ecology is able to absorb the economy, and if it becomes a social science, and that the economy has built rules (optimization's program) and tools (markets) that have nothing to concern with the adjustment procedures of the biosphere and the sociosphere.
Abstract: Since few years, sustainable development has obtained the statut of concept. In the scientific vocabulary, it means that there's a research program to identify its origin, nature, laws (principles) and consequences. Today that scientific synthesis drives us to think about the relevance and modalities of education for sustainable development. In other words, we must bring out transversal knowledge in three areas of sustainable development (environmental, social, economics). This quest is only possible if ecology is able to absorb the economy, and if it becomes a social science. Indeed, seeking to emancipate itself from the forces of nature, the economy has built rules (optimization's program) and tools (markets) that have nothing to concern with the adjustment procedures of the biosphere and the sociosphere.
6 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this paper, Passet et Rosnay define the notion de developpement en linscrivant dans le prolongement de l'evolution biologique, en mettant en evidence sa multidimensionnalite ainsi que la necessite de lier cet objectif avec celui de la sauvegarde de l’environnement.
Abstract: De nombreux ecrits des membres du Groupe des Dix portent sur des questions economiques. L’un des principaux themes de reflexion de ce collectif attache a l’interdisciplinarite a ete de repenser la notion de developpement en l’inscrivant dans le prolongement de l’evolution biologique, en mettant en evidence sa multidimensionnalite ainsi que la necessite de lier cet objectif avec celui de la sauvegarde de l’environnement. Certains de ces auteurs, comme Rene Passet et Joel de Rosnay, sont alles plus loin encore en proposant de redefinir la discipline economique a la lumiere des enseignements des sciences du vivant. S’ils appellent tous les deux de leurs vœux l’emergence d’une bioeconomie, nous montrons que celle-ci revet des sens assez differents.
5 citations
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: Yehuda et al. as discussed by the authors described the deterioration of the quality of the environment in the context of developing countries by using deteriorative properties of the Internet, such as the lack of electricity, water, etc.
Abstract: 把数据基于多来源，这份报纸在 Yeyahu 沼泽地自然保护区评估了生态的服务的经济价值，中国北京。沼泽地的生态的服务包括了煤气的规定，水质量改进，生物多样性维护，侵蚀控制，水供应，娱乐机会，原料供应和存在价值。多重常规评估方法被用来计算八种沼泽地服务的价值。结果证明重要价值来自生物多样性维护和娱乐机会。主要原因如下。第一， Yeyahu 沼泽地自然保护区是为候鸟鸟的产地，并且管理付了更多的努力保护宝贵的鸟。第二，人口在北京大。人们喜欢在外面去并且享受了自然、人工的沼泽地场面。同时，大多数人被准备支付沼泽地保存。植被盖子的衰落做了侵蚀控制的经济价值最低。当水资源和 deteriorative 水质量的精神病医生引起了水的经济价值时，供应降低。评估结果能帮助决策人理解 Yeyahu 沼泽地自然保护区的现在的地位并且为战略决定提供一个科学基础。
5 citations
14 Aug 2015
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an endogenous economic growth model subject to the physical limits of the real world (i.e., fossil and renewable energy production costs have functional forms that respect physical constraints).
Abstract: Due to their initial lack of emphasis on energy and natural resources, exogenous and endogenous growth models have suffered the same critic regarding the limits to economic growth imposed by finite Earth resources. Thus, various optimal control models that incorporate energy or natural resources have been developed during the last decades. However, in all these models the importance of the Energy Return On Energy Investment (EROI) has never been raised. The EROI is the ratio of the quantity of energy delivered by a given process to the quantity of energy consumed in this same process. Hence, the EROI is a measure of the accessibility of a resource, meaning that the higher the EROI the greater the amount of net energy delivered to society in order to support economic growth. The present article build a bridge upon the vacuum lying between the different literatures related to endogenous economic growth, the EROI and the necessary transition from nonrenewable to renewable energy. We provide an endogenous economic growth model subject to the physical limits of the real world (i.e. fossil and renewable energy production costs have functional forms that respect physical constraints). The model is able to reproduce (based on world data) an increasing reliance on fossil fuels from an early renewable era and the subsequent inevitable transition towards complete renewable energy that human will have to deal with in a not-too-far future. Through simulation we define the conditions for having a smooth transition from fossil to renewable energy and we study in which circumstances this transition can have negative impacts on economic growth (peak followed by a degrowth phase). In such cases, the implementation of a carbon tax can partially smooth this unfortunate dynamics depending on the ways of use of the carbon tax income.
3 citations
References
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TL;DR: This paper reviewed the historic development of the conceptualization of ecosystem services and examined critical landmarks in economic theory and practice with regard to the incorporation of ecosystem service into markets and payment schemes, concluding that the trend towards monetization and commodification of ecosystems is partly the result of a slow move from the original economic conception of nature's benefits as use values in Classical economics to their conceptualization in terms of exchange values in Neoclassical economics.
1,317 citations
TL;DR: The Ecosystem Services Journal as mentioned in this paper is aimed at scientists and policy analysts who consider contributing to better knowledge and better use of that knowledge about ecosystem services, including knowledge of the ecological systems that provide the services, the economic systems that benefit from them, and the institutions that need to develop effective codes for a sustainable use.
Abstract: The Ecosystem Services Journal starts in 2012 with a formidable basis in the reports and books from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and TEEB projects. Following a half-century history of growing awareness and associated scientific based policy development a bridging concept with natural and social science notions was developed and coined “ecosystem services”. The agenda for the journal Ecosystem Services, presented in this introductory paper to the Journal Ecosystem Services is aimed at scientists and policy analysts who consider contributing to better knowledge and better use of that knowledge about ecosystem services. This should include knowledge of the ecological systems that provide the services, the economic systems that benefit from them, and the institutions that need to develop effective codes for a sustainable use. The agenda is derived from the experience of the authors in science and policy analysis and extended with some of the recommendations from the TEEB book for national and international policy making emphasising the science—policy—practice linkage, which is the philosophy of the Journal.
843 citations
TL;DR: Untangling complexities, such as reciprocal effects and emergent properties, can lead to novel scientific discoveries and is essential to developing effective policies for ecological and socioeconomic sustainability.
Abstract: Humans have continuously interacted with natural systems, resulting in the formation and development of coupled human and natural systems (CHANS). Recent studies reveal the complexity of organizational, spatial, and temporal couplings of CHANS. These couplings have evolved from direct to more indirect interactions, from adjacent to more distant linkages, from local to global scales, and from simple to complex patterns and processes. Untangling complexities, such as reciprocal effects and emergent properties, can lead to novel scientific discoveries and is essential to developing effective policies for ecological and socioeconomic sustainability. Opportunities for truly integrating various disciplines are emerging to address fundamental questions about CHANS and meet society's unprecedented challenges.
762 citations
TL;DR: The role of regulation and the use of synthetic agrochemicals, the desired degree of self reliance of agricultural systems, and the scale of production and trade in agricultural goods are all considered in the context of this discussion of sustainability as mentioned in this paper.
624 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested here that existing models, developed primarily in unmanaged and agricultural ecosystems, work poorly in urban ecosystems because they do not include human biogeochemical controls such as impervious surface proliferation, engineered aqueous flow paths, landscaping choices, and human demographic trends.
Abstract: Most of the global human population lives in urban areas where biogeochemical cycles are controlled by complex interactions between society and the environment. Urban ecology is an emerging discipline that seeks to understand these interactions, and one of the grand challenges for urban ecologists is to develop models that encompass the myriad influences of people on biogeochemistry. We suggest here that existing models, developed primarily in unmanaged and agricultural ecosystems, work poorly in urban ecosystems because they do not include human biogeochemical controls such as impervious surface proliferation, engineered aqueous flow paths, landscaping choices, and human demographic trends. Incorporating these human controls into biogeochemical models will advance urban ecology and will require enhanced collaborations with engineers and social scientists.
613 citations