Opportunity Maps for Sustainable Use of Natural Capital

2019 ◽  
pp. 365-372
Author(s):  
Bart de Knegt ◽  
Dirk C. J. van der Hoek ◽  
Clara J. Veerkamp
Keyword(s):  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use

Ecosystem Services

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon C. Braat
Keyword(s):  
Nature Conservation ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Nature Management ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Policy And Planning

The concept of ecosystem services considers the usefulness of nature for human society. The economic importance of nature was described and analyzed in the 18th century, but the term ecosystem services was introduced only in 1981. Since then it has spurred an increasing number of academic publications, international research projects, and policy studies. Now a subject of intense debate in the global scientific community, from the natural to social science domains, it is also used, developed, and customized in policy arenas and considered, if in a still somewhat skeptical and apprehensive way, in the “practice” domain—by nature management agencies, farmers, foresters, and corporate business. This process of bridging evident gaps between ecology and economics, and between nature conservation and economic development, has also been felt in the political arena, including in the United Nations and the European Union (which have placed it at the center of their nature conservation and sustainable use strategies). The concept involves the utilitarian framing of those functions of nature that are used by humans and considered beneficial to society as economic and social services. In this light, for example, the disappearance of biodiversity directly affects ecosystem functions that underpin critical services for human well-being. More generally, the concept can be defined in this manner: Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems, in interaction with contributions from human society, to human well-being. The concept underpins four major discussions: (1) Academic: the ecological versus the economic dimensions of the goods and services that flow from ecosystems to the human economy; the challenge of integrating concepts and models across this paradigmatic divide; (2) Social: the risks versus benefits of bringing the utilitarian argument into political debates about nature conservation (Are ecosystem services good or bad for biodiversity and vice versa?); (3) Policy and planning: how to value the benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services (Will this improve decision-making on topics ranging from poverty alleviation via subsidies to farmers to planning of grey with green infrastructure to combining economic growth with nature conservation?); and (4) Practice: Can revenue come from smart management and sustainable use of ecosystems? Are there markets to be discovered and can businesses be created? How do taxes figure in an ecosystem-based economy? The outcomes of these discussions will both help to shape policy and planning of economies at global, national, and regional scales and contribute to the long-term survival and well-being of humanity.

scholarly journals Science for the sustainable use of ecosystem services

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena M. Bennett ◽  
Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Service Science ◽  
Human Wellbeing ◽  
History Of ◽  
Value Of Nature

Sustainability is a key challenge for humanity in the 21st century. Ecosystem services—the benefits that people derive from nature and natural capital—is a concept often used to help explain human reliance on nature and frame the decisions we make in terms of the ongoing value of nature to human wellbeing. Yet ecosystem service science has not always lived up to the promise of its potential. Despite advances in the scientific literature, ecosystem service science has not yet answered some of the most critical questions posed by decision-makers in the realm of sustainability. Here, we explore the history of ecosystem service science, discuss advances in conceptualization and measurement, and point toward further work needed to improve the use of ecosystem service in decisions about sustainable development.

scholarly journals Sustainable Use of Natural Capital: The Inconvenient Imperative

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Devaka K. Weerakoon
Keyword(s):  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use

scholarly journals Navigating the seascape of ocean management: waypoints on the voyage toward sustainable use

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Katona ◽  
Johanna Polsenberg ◽  
Julia Lowndes ◽  
Benjamin S. Halpern ◽  
Erich Pacheco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Conceptual Foundation ◽  
Large Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Ocean Management ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Causal Framework

Some societies have sustainably managed their local marine resources for centuries using traditional methods, but we are only beginning to learn how to do it at larger scales, including globally. A broad, deep and constantly growing body of ocean knowledge has developed, adding many new concepts, perspectives, management models and analytical tools into the knowledge base in a relatively short period. Such rapid growth has created a potentially confusing mash-up of ideas, acronyms, techniques, tools and regulations, demonstrated by recent titles such as, ‘Marine planning: tragedy of the acronyms’ (Ardron 2010), ‘Integrated marine science and management: wading through the morass’ (Elliott 2014), ‘Beyond rhetoric: navigating the conceptual tangle towards effective implementation of the ecosystem approach to oceans management ‘ (Engler 2015) and ‘Marine legislation – the ultimate ‘horrendogram’’ (Boyes and Elliott 2014, undated and 2016).The purpose of this paper is to assist policy makers, marine managers and those considering careers in this area by providing a short history of ocean management, its conceptual foundation, frameworks for modern management and examples of its application at different scales. Extensive literature exists to supplement the summarized information we present.We highlight the following terms as navigational markers through the ‘seascape’1 of marine management rhetoric: sustainability, ecosystem approach, ecosystem-based management, natural capital, ecosystem services, integrated ecosystem assessment, the causal framework DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, Responses) and its variants, indicators and reference points, marine area planning, marine spatial management (including decision support tools), adaptive ocean management and dynamic ocean management. We also point out the important roles of marine initiatives such as Blue Economy, the Ocean Health Index, Large Marine Ecosystems, Seascapes, Protected Areas and others. Understanding the similarities, differences, relationships and synergies among these activities increases the likelihood of achieving successful management processes or solutions.Further knowledge and additional methods are still needed to safeguard the human-ocean system and the benefits it provides to people particularly with continued global population growth, but better awareness of what we already know will speed collective progress toward healthier oceans and coastlines. Working toward that goal can also be a uniting force in an increasingly divisive world, because it must necessarily breach political, geographic, economic and other differences.

scholarly journals NATURAL CAPITAL AS PART OF NATIONAL WEALTH

2020 ◽  
pp. 54-68
Author(s):  
Margarita R. Tsibulnikova ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Regional Governance ◽  
Institutional Conditions ◽  
National Wealth ◽  
Current Consumption ◽  
The World ◽  
Capital Development

In terms of national wealth per capita, Russia lags behind most European countries. The underestimation of national wealth is the reason for the inadequate perception of Russia by the world community, reducing its geopolitical role. Natural capital is becoming increasingly important in measuring national wealth. The World Bank studies have found that the future development of the territory's natural capital depends on how it is used. If the non-renewable portion of natural capital is used for human capital development and invested in large infrastructure projects, conditions are created for the territory‘s long-term sustainable development. If natural capital is spent on current consumption, the territory is deprived of development prospects after its depletion. Special attention should be paid to the sustainable use of renewable components of natural capital, which forms the environment for the development and reproduction of human capital. In order to ensure the rational use of natural capital, it is necessary to create institutional conditions that would ensure its accounting and evaluation. For this purpose, a system monitoring the economic value of natural capital, including social and environmental components, should be established in the structure of regional governance.

Management and Utilisation of Natural Resources in Special Nature Reserves

2013 ◽  
pp. 106-122
Author(s):  
Božo Draškovic ◽  
Jovan Zubovic ◽  
Ivana Domazet
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Nature Reserves ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
National Accounts ◽  
Protection And Utilization

Special nature reserves are particularly regulated land areas designated for protection and utilization of natural resources at their disposal. In this chapter, the authors present a pioneering attempt to analyze management efficiency and utilization effectiveness of natural resources in protected nature reserves in Serbia based on an empirical research. Moreover, the authors explore the regulations that define the protection, management, and conservation of natural values and goods in Serbia, with a purpose of evaluating opportunities for development and implementation of Environmental Accounting (EA). EA is still at an early stage of development, especially from the standpoint of its incorporation into the developed standard models of company accounting. There still exist several unexplored problems to be solved at the level of national accounts, such as the expression of environmental damage, resource consumption, sustainable use of natural capital, evaluating environmental benefits, and free gifts of nature. The chapter is completed with a case study based on an empirical study in the field of environmental management in one protected area in Serbia, Zasavica.

scholarly journals Application of the Ecosystem Service Concept in Social–Ecological Systems—from Theory to Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2960
Author(s):  
Johannes Rüdisser ◽  
Georg Leitinger ◽  
Uta Schirpke
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Temporal Dynamics ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Societal Changes ◽  
Key Issues

Ecological footprint analyses demonstrate that the world’s more than 7.5 billion people consume multiple planets’ worth of resources. To incite and evaluate societal changes for the sustainable use of the environment and its natural resources, the ecosystem service (ES) concept was developed more than 20 years ago. To ensure the sustainable provision of indispensable ES, the concept has been refined and enhanced, enabling its application across various temporal and spatial scales. However, evidence-based strategies and policies are needed to preserve biodiversity and natural capital in our changing world. This Special Issue comprises studies advancing the frameworks, concepts, and applications related to ES assessment, with a particular focus on social–ecological systems. To broadly apply the ES concept in different social–ecological systems, several key issues emerged: (1) ES-related definitions and procedures should be improved and standardized; (2) the complexity of the interactions in a social–ecological system must be recognized, and knowledge about spatial and temporal dynamics and interactions among multiple ESs must be deepened; and (3) communication about ES, considering cultural and stakeholder differences, must be increased.

scholarly journals The value of the Ecological Station of Jataí's ecosystem services and natural capital

2001 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. SANTOS ◽  
F. NOGUEIRA ◽  
J. S. R. PIRES ◽  
A. T. OBARA ◽  
A. M. Z. C. R. PIRES
Keyword(s):  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Natural Ecosystem ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Human Needs ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
Environmental Functions

The capacity of a given natural ecosystem to provide certain goods and services that satisfy human needs depends on its environmental characteristics (natural processes and components). It was described the availability of these goods and services (environmental functions) controlled and sustained by ecological processes operating in Ecological Station of Jataí (Luiz Antônio, SP). The environmental functions identified were grouped in four main categories. To make environmental values an integrated factor in planning and decision making it was assessed their socio-economic importance in qualitative terms and, if possible their monetary value. The combined potential annual return from identified functions of Ecological Station of Jataí is at least US$ 708.83/ha/year. In comparison to calculations made for other natural ecosystems this is a rather moderate estimate. The Ecological Station of Jataí is poorly protected and managed, it too is still threatened by human activity (agriculture) and many development plans. Although present day market economics do not recognize the monetary value of most environmental functions, such calculations do provide a revealing insight into the great socio-economic importance of Ecological Station of Jataí. More awareness of these values may provide an important incentive for their preservation and sustainable use.

scholarly journals Adaptive governance, ecosystem management, and natural capital

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (24) ◽  
pp. 7369-7374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisen Schultz ◽  
Carl Folke ◽  
Henrik Österblom ◽  
Per Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Ecosystem Management ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Adaptive Governance ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Governance Systems ◽  
Global Impacts

To gain insights into the effects of adaptive governance on natural capital, we compare three well-studied initiatives; a landscape in Southern Sweden, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and fisheries in the Southern Ocean. We assess changes in natural capital and ecosystem services related to these social–ecological governance approaches to ecosystem management and investigate their capacity to respond to change and new challenges. The adaptive governance initiatives are compared with other efforts aimed at conservation and sustainable use of natural capital: Natura 2000 in Europe, lobster fisheries in the Gulf of Maine, North America, and fisheries in Europe. In contrast to these efforts, we found that the adaptive governance cases developed capacity to perform ecosystem management, manage multiple ecosystem services, and monitor, communicate, and respond to ecosystem-wide changes at landscape and seascape levels with visible effects on natural capital. They enabled actors to collaborate across diverse interests, sectors, and institutional arrangements and detect opportunities and problems as they developed while nurturing adaptive capacity to deal with them. They all spanned local to international levels of decision making, thus representing multilevel governance systems for managing natural capital. As with any governance system, internal changes and external drivers of global impacts and demands will continue to challenge the long-term success of such initiatives.

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