Sustainable-use protected areas catalyze enhanced livelihoods in rural Amazonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (40) ◽  
pp. e2105480118
Author(s):  
João V. Campos-Silva ◽  
Carlos A. Peres ◽  
Joseph E. Hawes ◽  
Torbjørn Haugaasen ◽  
Carolina T. Freitas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Local Livelihoods

Finding new pathways for reconciling socioeconomic well-being and nature sustainability is critically important for contemporary societies, especially in tropical developing countries where sustaining local livelihoods often clashes with biodiversity conservation. Many projects aimed at reconciling the goals of biodiversity conservation and social aspirations within protected areas (PAs) have failed on one or both counts. Here, we investigate the social consequences of living either inside or outside sustainable-use PAs in the Brazilian Amazon, using data from more than 100 local communities along a 2,000-km section of a major Amazonian river. The PAs in this region are now widely viewed as conservation triumphs, having implemented community comanagement of fisheries and recovery of overexploited wildlife populations. We document clear differences in social welfare in communities inside and outside PAs. Specifically, communities inside PAs enjoy better access to health care, education, electricity, basic sanitation, and communication infrastructure. Moreover, living within a PA was the strongest predictor of household wealth, followed by cash-transfer programs and the number of people per household. These collective cobenefits clearly influence life satisfaction, with only 5% of all adult residents inside PAs aspiring to move to urban centers, compared with 58% of adults in unprotected areas. Our results clearly demonstrate that large-scale “win–win” conservation solutions are possible in tropical countries with limited financial and human resources and reinforce the need to genuinely empower local people in integrated conservation-development programs.

scholarly journals Towards ecological and social impact through collaborative governance of a seascape of marine protected areas in Honduras

Oryx ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Daniel Steadman
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Collaborative Governance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Marine Management

Abstract Protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring sustainable use through a seascape approach is becoming increasingly widespread in response to the ecological, social and institutional challenges of scaling ocean management. A seascape approach means clustering spatial management measures (marine protected areas) based around the principles of ecological connectivity, and developing or enhancing collaborative governance networks of relevant stakeholders (managers, community groups, non-governmental organizations) based around the principles of social connectivity. As with other large-scale approaches to marine management, there is minimal evidence of long-term impact in seascapes. This study uses a theory-based, participatory impact evaluation to assess perceived changes attributed to the Atlántida seascape in Honduras (initiated in 2015), encompassing three well-established marine protected areas and the non-legally managed waters between them. Using an adapted most significant change method, 15 interviews with a representative subset of seascape stakeholders yielded 165 stories of change, the majority (88%) of which were positive. Enhanced social capital, associated with cross-sectoral collaboration, inter-site conflict resolution and shared learning, was the most consistently expressed thematic change (32% of stories). Although most stories were expressed as activity- or output-related changes, a small proportion (18%) were causally linked to broader outcomes or impact around increased fish and flagship species abundance as well as interconnected well-being benefits for people. Although minimal (and occasionally attributed to prior initiatives that were enhanced by the seascape approach), this impact evidence tentatively links seascapes to recent related research around the effectiveness of appropriately scaled, ecosystem-based and collaboratively governed marine management that balances strict protection with sustainable use.

scholarly journals Globalization and Biodiversity Conservation Problems: Polycentric REDD+ Solutions

Land ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mwangi Githiru ◽  
Josephine Njambuya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Great Chance ◽  
Free Rider Problem ◽  
The Face ◽  
Negative Impacts

Protected areas are considered the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation, but face multiple problems in delivering this core objective. The growing trend of framing biodiversity and protected area values in terms of ecosystem services and human well-being may not always lead to biodiversity conservation. Although globalization is often spoken about in terms of its adverse effects to the environment and biodiversity, it also heralds unprecedented and previously inaccessible opportunities linked to ecosystem services. Biodiversity and related ecosystem services are amongst the common goods hardest hit by globalization. Yet, interconnectedness between people, institutions, and governments offers a great chance for globalization to play a role in ameliorating some of the negative impacts. Employing a polycentric governance approach to overcome the free-rider problem of unsustainable use of common goods, we argue here that REDD+, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate change mitigation scheme, could be harnessed to boost biodiversity conservation in the face of increasing globalization, both within classic and novel protected areas. We believe this offers a timely example of how an increasingly globalized world connects hitherto isolated peoples, with the ability to channel feelings and forces for biodiversity conservation. Through the global voluntary carbon market, REDD+ can enable and empower, on the one hand, rural communities in developing countries contribute to mitigation of a global problem, and on the other, individuals or societies in the West to help save species they may never see, yet feel emotionally connected to.

scholarly journals Social consequences of mass quarantine during epidemics: a systematic review with implications for the COVID-19 response

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Yen-Hao Chu ◽  
Prima Alam ◽  
Heidi J Larson ◽  
Leesa Lin
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
World Health ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Individual Country

Abstract Four billion people worldwide have experienced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confinement. Such unprecedented extent of mobility restriction to curb the COVID-19 pandemic may have profound impacts on how individuals live, travel and retain well-being. This systematic review aims to identify (i) the social consequences of mass quarantine—community-wide movement restrictions—during previous and current infectious disease outbreaks and (ii) recommended strategies to mitigate the negative social implications of COVID-19 lockdowns. Considering social determinants of health, we conducted a systematic review by searching five databases (Ovid-MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and the World Health Organization COVID-19 database) for publications from inception to 9 April 2020. No limitation was set on language, location or study type. Studies that (i) contained peer-reviewed original empirical evidence and (ii) focussed on non-epidemiological implications of mass quarantine were included. We thematically synthesized and reported data due to heterogeneous disease and country context. Of 3067 publications found, 15 original peer-reviewed articles were selected for full-text extraction. Psychological distress, heightened communication inequalities, food insecurity, economic challenges, diminished access to health care, alternative delivery of education and gender-based violence were identified as negative social consequences of community-based quarantine in six infectious disease epidemics, including the current COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, altruistic attitudes were identified as a positive consequence during previous quarantines. Diverse psychological and social consequences of mass quarantine in previous and current epidemics were evident, but individual country policies had been highly varied in how well they addressed the needs of affected individuals, especially those who are socially marginalized. Policymakers should balance the pros and cons of movement restrictions, facilitate multisectoral action to tackle social inequalities, provide clear and coherent guidance to the public and undertake time-bound policy evaluations to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and to establish preparedness strategies for future epidemics.

scholarly journals Perceived Consequences of Extended Social Isolation on Mental Well-Being: Narratives from Indonesian University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10489
Author(s):  
Maila D. H. Rahiem ◽  
Steven Eric Krauss ◽  
Robin Ersing
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
University Students ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Data Collection Strategy ◽  
Large Populations

Despite several recent studies reporting on young people’s well-being during COVID-19, few large-scale qualitative studies have been carried out that capture the experiences of young people from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) undergoing extended social restrictions. The challenges faced by young people from LMICs during COVID-19 are likely to be amplified by their countries’ large populations, resource constraints, lack of access to health care, living conditions, socio-spatial contexts, and the pandemic’s ramifications for communities. This study explored how youths perceived their well-being after being isolated for one-and-a-half years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative narrative research was employed as a method of inquiry. One-hundred and sixty-six university students in Jakarta, Indonesia, between the ages of 17 and 22 wrote reflective online essays on the consequences of extended pandemic isolation on their mental health. This data collection strategy offered an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon through the narratives of those who experienced it. Seven themes expressing the youths’ perceived well-being were identified through inductive reflective thematic analysis: (1) the anguish of loneliness and estrangement; (2) a state of “brokenness” resulting from emotional agony and distress; (3) frustration, confusion, and anger; (4) the experience of conflicting emotions; (5) uncertainty about both the present and future; (6) a sense of purpose and fulfillment; and (7) turning to faith. The findings provide important insights into Indonesian youths’ well-being following extended social restrictions following the outbreak. Their collective experiences can be used to inform policy and practice regarding the nature of support mechanisms required both during and following the pandemic, and in the future if such a situation were to occur again.

scholarly journals A Critique of the Global Literature on the Conservation Refugee Problem

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Harrison Esam Awuh
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
International Law ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Literature ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Displaced People ◽  
Conservation Organizations ◽  
Refugee Problem

<p>Displacement of people has often been driven by large scale development projects, wars, disease and ecological disasters such as famine and drought. However, there is another category of displaced people who have often been ignored. These people who are victims of a much more noble cause are referred to as conservation refugees. Conservation refugees are people displaced from protected areas. Despite the existence of conservation refugees and their plight, only Brockington and Igoe (2006) have attempted a global literature review on the problem. While their study explains who conservation refugees are as well as when and where the displacements have occurred, my study goes further and critiques the international law and declaration designed to protect the rights of conservation refugees. I also examine conservation policies and the impacts of displacement on conservation refugees based on the Impoverishment Risk Reconstruct Model (IRR) of Cernea (1997). My literature review explains who conservation refugees and describes their global distribution. The review of literature in English and French uncovers 170 relevant articles, of which 73 dealt with issues directly related to conservation refugees. I find that most of the approximately 3,058,000 conservation refugees are members of 28 different indigenous groups displaced across 48 protected areas. I also introduce and discuss international law and declarations aimed at protecting conservation refugees and point out that it is not their inadequacy as laws in protecting conservation refugees but rather a local failure to enforce them. Conservation policies themselves are also a major factor in protecting inhabitants of protected areas. Often conservation organizations are more sensitive to the protection of flora and fauna rather than the well-being of the area’s inhabitants. Therefore, the goal of double sustainability is not met and this affects the relationship between local people and protected areas in a negative way. One thing we have learned is that protected areas across the world operate much more successfully when they are managed with or by indigenous peoples themselves.</p>

scholarly journals In-Situ and Ex-Situ Biodiversity Conservation in Ecuador: A Review of Policies, Actions and Challenges

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Mestanza-Ramón ◽  
Sujan M. Henkanaththegedara ◽  
Paola Vásconez Duchicela ◽  
Yadira Vargas Tierras ◽  
Maritza Sánchez Capa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Ex Situ Conservation ◽  
In Situ Conservation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Small Scale

Biodiversity is vital for the stability of the planet; its ecosystem services provide essential elements for our survival and well-being. This review analyzes the national biodiversity policies and describes the main strategies for biodiversity conservation in Ecuador, one of the “mega-diverse” countries in the world with the highest species density. It deepens an analysis of in-situ and ex-situ conservation processes. Ecuador has six clear policies for biodiversity conservation. These policies strengthen biodiversity conservation through mechanisms that improve the well-being of wildlife by ensuring human, wildlife and ecosystem health. It promotes actions for the welfare of wildlife, through technical, administrative and legal tools. The National System of Protected Areas, with 60 protected areas, is the most effective in-situ conservation instrument at the country level. Several ex-situ conservation and management means for the conservation of wild species are being utilized, including nurseries, botanical gardens, zoos, germplasm banks, aquariums, species reproduction and rehabilitation centers. Ecuador is making slow progress on ex-situ conservation despite the availability of a sound policy framework, possibly due to financial, infrastructural, and/or technological challenges, and knowledge gaps. We propose fostering international research collaborations and establishing fully funded small-scale captive breeding programs at zoos, aquariums and university research facilities to help recovery of at-risk species of reptiles, amphibians, fish and species beyond Galapagos region. We recommend utilizing citizen science programs to fill the gaps of biodiversity information and increasing efforts to revive the ex-situ conservation strategies in protecting the unique biodiversity of Ecuador.

Plural Valuation of Land and Insights for Achieving Sustainable Outcomes in Large-Scale Land Acquisition Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Nkansah-Dwamena
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Land Acquisition ◽  
Land Conflicts ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Local Livelihoods ◽  
The Government ◽  
Large Scale Land

Large-scale land acquisition projects by foreign investors, also known as “land grabbing,” raise difficult questions about the processes of valuing land in Sub-Saharan Africa that the current literature does not sufficiently explore. Land acquisitions can help developing countries like Tanzania achieve their economic and development goals. Nonetheless, it can also threaten local livelihoods and well-being due to displacement, lack of access to natural capital, and conflicts between land users. Empirical evidence is limited on how local contexts affect the recognition and incorporation of multiple values that people hold about land into decisions on land acquisition projects in Tanzania. Plural valuation (PV) is needed to design more comprehensive and deliberative policy instruments that enhance nature’s contributions to people. This empirical study uses sociocultural valuation approaches to assess the diverse values of land in the Bagamoyo district of Tanzania, impacts of EcoEnergy land acquisition project on local livelihoods, and contextual factors that enable or hinder incorporating PV into decisions. The findings suggest that synergies and conflicting values of land exist, and PV can serve as a negotiation support tool to reconcile the differences and land conflicts. The success of PV relies on the (1) extent of partnership and participation, (2) design of asset valuation process, (3) stakeholder goals, and (4) sociopolitical context. Currently, the risks of land acquisition projects outweigh the benefits to people in rural Tanzania. However, to realize the sustainable and equitable flow of the contributions of land to Tanzanians, the government should consider improving the valuation processes by (i) fostering recognition of neglected voices and marginalized people, (ii) rectifying power imbalances and injustices that result from current land valuation processes, (iii) reinforcing customary land rights and compensation policies, and (iv) adhering to the principle of free, prior, and informed consent.

Compensation and Economic Incentives: Reducing Pressure on Protected Areas

Last Stand ◽  
1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Ferraro ◽  
Randall A. Kramer
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Waste Dumps ◽  
Difference Of Opinion ◽  
The Relationship

Although the global social benefits of establishing protected areas in tropical rain forests may outweigh the total costs, the local private costs of restricting access to an important resource may be relatively substantial for residents and communities. The imbalance between costs accruing at the local level and benefits accruing at the national and international levels has raised questions about whether people living in or near protected areas ought to be compensated for their losses, and if so, how compensation should be made. The issue of compensating residents for lost resources has been discussed, implicitly or explicitly, in many treatments of the relationship between protected areas and local people, as well as in treatments of externalities. (Economists define externalities as actions of consumers or producers that affect the well-being of others in a way that is not reflected through prices or economic transactions.) In the literature on compensation, there is a large difference of opinion on whether compensation should be paid to victims of negative externalities, which include such things as the pollution of air or water and the siting of hazardous waste dumps. A number of studies have argued for compensation of those people subject to negative externalities, at least in particular situations or through particular mechanisms Oohnson, 1977; O'Hare, 1977; Western, 1982; Knetsch, 1983; Ward, 1986; Tietenberg, 1988; Hodge, 1989; Sullivan, 1990, 1992; Barnett, 1991; Burrows, 1991; McNeely, 1991; Miceli, 1991; Farber, 1992; Pollot, 1993). Other authors, mainly economists, have argued equally persuasively against compensation in many or all situations (Knetsch, 1983; Blume et al., 1984; Baumol and Gates, 1988). Most of the differences of opinion derive from differences in the context of the case examined, the assumptions made, the criteria used for judging the desirability of outcomes, interpretations of relevant laws, and the proposed mechanism for compensation. In the context of protected areas, most authors have argued in favor of compensating residents (e.g., Western, 1982; Barnett, 1991; McNeely, 1991). A unique best choice regarding compensation is not indicated in economic and political theory. Few protected area projects have attempted large-scale compensation initiatives; thus, there are few field examples to guide the discussion.

The continental shelf benthic ecosystem: current status, agents for change and future prospects

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Waste Disposal ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Ecological Condition ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Current Status

Continental shelf benthic ecosystems play an important role in the economy of many coastal states through the provision of food, non-living resources and through control of climate. Changes in the status of these ecosystems, through either natural or human-induced environmental drivers can be expected to have important economic and social consequences. Agents that could induce change include climate and oceanography, hydrology (river discharge), land-use and waste disposal practices, fishing, aquaculture and extraction of non-living resources. Trends in all of these drivers, particularly those under human influence, suggest that shelf systems will come under increasing pressure. Attempts to predict the future state of any ecological system are fraught with difficulty, particularly over decadal time-frames. This is, perhaps, especially true for continental shelf ecosystems where data on current status are poor and our understanding of many of the drivers of change somewhat rudimentary. What can be said for certain, however, is that change will occur and, in the short term, many of the signs point towards deterioration in the ecological condition of many shelf systems, but particularly those of developing countries. Trends in land-use practices, with consequences for nutrient, sediment and freshwater input to coastal seas appear to be particularly worrying, but the poor state of many demersal fisheries systems must also be acknowledged. In contrast to the developing world, although challenges undoubtedly remain, particularly with respect to atmospheric inputs resulting from energy production, current trends in environmental management suggest that pressures imposed by land use, waste disposal and fishing will probably decline over the coming decades on the shelves of many developed countries. At the global scale, therefore, the key driver for sustainable use of our continental shelf ecosystems would appear to be intimately linked to the social and economic well-being of poorer nations.

scholarly journals The state and dynamics of the Russian mass consciousness and behavioral practices under the covid-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 739-754
Author(s):  
M. K. Gorshkov ◽  
I. O. Tyurina
Keyword(s):  
Social Order ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Human Potential ◽  
Sociological Study ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The expansion of the covid-19 has created a new pandemic social reality. In fact, for the first time in modern history, mankind faces a global crisis determined not by geopolitical or economic challenges but by a disease which spreads in most countries and all continents as a pandemic, which affects the current social-economic processes and development forecasts, reveals and intensifies the most acute social problems, and significantly transformed the functioning of the contemporary society. The pandemic was a complete surprise for the world and national communities - a surprise not so much medical or epidemiological as social. Already at the beginning of the pandemic, there was an opposition of two approaches to its probable social consequences. Some experts believed that it would change the society radically and irreversibly, would transform social institutions and change everyday life, and the world will never be the same. Others argued that the new social practices would not affect the deepest foundations of the established social order which would be later restored in its pre-coronavirus form [10]. However, it is obvious that the global and extraordinary social upheavals caused by the pandemic would have large-scale social consequences that need to be described and analyzed, in particular the impact of the coronavirus on the most important spheres and aspects of life as assessed by the people. The article is based on the results of the all-Russian sociological study and presents a comprehensive analysis of the Russian life under the pandemic. The authors provide data on the dynamics of material and social situation of Russians, explain the impact of the pandemic on the social-psychological well-being, public mentality and spiritual atmosphere. The authors pay particular attention to the behavioral practices of different groups of the Russian population according to their adaptation to new social-economic conditions, preservation and development of human potential, and view of the countrys future.

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