A Sustainability 3D Framework of the 20 Regions of Italy and Comparison With World Countries

An Input-State-Output (I-S-O) framework has been recently introduced to investigate the multidimensional aspects of sustainability (namely environmental, social and economic ones) of economic systems through a thermodynamically and logically ordered scheme. This approach provides an overall view of sustainability (the three dimensions together) facilitating the convergence of information from sets of indicators without aggregating results into single numbers and, consequently, losing information. In this paper we present the application of the I-S-O framework for the 20 regions of Italy. The emergy flow, the Gini Index of income distribution, and the regional Gross Domestic Product are used as systemic indicators for input, state, and output of the systems, respectively. We observe diversity among regions in the light of very different values of the three indicators. The per capita use of resources in the North of Italy is generally 2 to 4 times larger than in the South (excluding Puglia and Sardegna); the regional GDP per capita in the North doubles that of the Southern regions. The distribution of income, that is slightly better in two regions of the north (Trentino AA and Friuli VG), some of Center Italy, and Puglia in the South, only partially reflects that North-South discrepancy. Using the same measures, the 20 Regions are included in a global overview recently produced for 99 world countries. Regional values cover a wide range of countries; nevertheless, our values tend to be more similar to those of developed countries. Based on indicator values, Regions are also categorized, which enables interpretation of this overview at both sub-national and supra-national level

Accelerated economic recovery in countries powered by renewables

The human economy is in effect a subsystem of the biosphere. Ecosystems provide natural resources that are fundamental to both societal well-being and economic performance. Here, we show how recovery of national economies from systemic crises can be moderated by the natural resources used to power them. By examining data from 133 systemic economic crisis events in 98 countries over 40 years, we found that countries relying on a broad range of electricity sources experienced extended recovery times from crises, though that effect was tempered somewhat when the relative contribution of those sources was increasingly balanced. However, the best predictor of economic recovery was the extent of reliance on renewable energy—we found that economic recovery tends to be swiftest in countries powered primarily by renewable energy sources. These findings have profound implications for global energy policy and reveal the need to consider both the composition and diversity of energy sources in models of economic resilience

Implications of land-grabbing on the ecological balance of Brazil

In the global free-market, natural resource scarcity and opportunities for preserving the local environment are fostering international purchasing of large extensions of land, mainly for agricultural use. These land transactions often involve land cover change (i.e., through deforestation) or a shift from extensive or traditional to intensive agricultural practices. In Brazil, the land appropriation by foreign investors (i.e., the so-called "land-grabbing") is affecting natural capital availability for local communities to a different extent in the very different territorial entities. At the same time, Brazilian investors are purchasing land in other countries. Ecological footprint accounting is one appropriate lens that can be employed to visualize the aggregated effect of natural capital appropriation and use. The aim of this paper is to provide a first estimate on the effect of land-grabbing on the ecological balance of Brazil through calculating the biocapacity embodied in purchased lands in the different states of Brazil. The results show that Brazil is losing between 9 to 9.3 million global hectares (on a gross basis, or a net total of 7.7 to 8.6 million of global hectares) of its biocapacity due to land-grabbing, when considering respectively a "cropland to cropland" (i.e., no land-cover change) and a "total deforestation" scenario. This represents a minimum estimate, highlighting the need for further land-grabbing data collection at the subnational scale. This analysis can be replicated for other countries of the world, adjusting their ecological balance by considering the biocapacity embodied in international transactions of land

Overcoming the myths of mainstream economics to enable a newwellbeing economy

Increasingly, empirical evidence refutes many of the theoretical pillars of mainstream economics. These theories have persisted despite the fact that they support unsustainable and undesirable environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Continuing to embrace them puts at risk the possibility of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and overcoming other global challenges. We discuss a selection of paradoxes and delusions surrounding mainstream economic theories related to: (1) efficiency and resource use, (2) wealth and wellbeing, (3) economic growth, and (4) the distribution of wealth within and between rich and poor nations. We describe a wellbeing economy as an alternative for guiding policy development. In 2018, a network of Wellbeing Economy Governments (WEGo), (supported by, but distinct from, the larger Wellbeing Economy Alliance-WEAll) promoting new forms of governance that diverge from the ones on which the G7 and G20 are based, has been launched and is now a living project. Members of WEGo aim at advancing the three key principles of a wellbeing economy: Live within planetary ecological boundaries, ensure equitable distribution of wealth and opportunity, and efficiently allocate resources (including environmental and social public goods), bringing wellbeing to the heart of policymaking, and in particular economic policymaking. This network has potential to fundamentally re-shape current global leadership still anchored to old economic paradigms that give primacy to economic growth over environmental and social wealth and wellbeing

The direct drivers of recent global anthropogenic biodiversity loss

Effective policies to halt biodiversity loss require knowing which anthropogenic drivers are the most important direct causes. Whereas previous knowledge has been limited in scope and rigor, here we statistically synthesize empirical comparisons of recent driver impacts found through a wide-ranging review. We show that land/sea use change has been the dominant direct driver of recent biodiversity loss worldwide. Direct exploitation of natural resources ranks second and pollution third; climate change and invasive alien species have been significantly less important than the top two drivers. The oceans, where direct exploitation and climate change dominate, have a different driver hierarchy from land and fresh water. It also varies among types of biodiversity indicators. For example, climate change is a more important driver of community composition change than of changes in species populations. Stopping global biodiversity loss requires policies and actions to tackle all the major drivers and their interactions, not some of them in isolation.Fil: Jaureguiberry, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Titeux, Nicolas. German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Alemania. Luxembourg Institute Of Science And Technology; Luxemburgo. Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung; AlemaniaFil: Wiemers, Martin. Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung; Alemania. Senckenberg Gesellschaft Für Naturforschung; AlemaniaFil: Bowler, Diana E.. German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Alemania. Universitat Jena; Alemania. Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung; AlemaniaFil: Coscieme, Luca. Hot Or Cool Institute; AlemaniaFil: Golden, Abigail S.. University of Washington; Estados Unidos. German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Alemania. Department Of Marine And Coastal Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Guerra, Carlos A.. German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Alemania. Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg; AlemaniaFil: Jacob, Ute. Universität Oldenburg; Alemania. Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum Für Polar- Und Meeresforschung; AlemaniaFil: Takahashi, Yasuo. Institute For Global Environmental Strategies; JapónFil: Settele, Josef. German Centre For Integrative Biodiversity Research (idiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Alemania. University Of The Philippines, Los Baños; Filipinas. Helmholtz Zentrum Für Umweltforschung; AlemaniaFil: Díaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Molnár, Zsolt. Institute Of Ecology And Botany; HungríaFil: Purvis, Andy. Imperial College London; Reino Unido. Natural History Museum; Reino Unid

Implications of Land-Grabbing on the Ecological Balance of Brazil

In the global free-market, natural resource scarcity and opportunities for preserving the local environment are fostering international purchasing of large extensions of land, mainly for agricultural use. These land transactions often involve land cover change (i.e., through deforestation) or a shift from extensive or traditional to intensive agricultural practices. In Brazil, the land appropriation by foreign investors (i.e., the so-called “land-grabbing”) is affecting natural capital availability for local communities to a different extent in the very different territorial entities. At the same time, Brazilian investors are purchasing land in other countries. Ecological footprint accounting is one appropriate lens that can be employed to visualize the aggregated effect of natural capital appropriation and use. The aim of this paper is to provide a first estimate on the effect of land-grabbing on the ecological balance of Brazil through calculating the biocapacity embodied in purchased lands in the different states of Brazil. The results show that Brazil is losing between 9 to 9.3 million global hectares (on a gross basis, or a net total of 7.7 to 8.6 million of global hectares) of its biocapacity due to land-grabbing, when considering respectively a “cropland to cropland” (i.e., no land-cover change) and a “total deforestation” scenario. This represents a minimum estimate, highlighting the need for further land-grabbing data collection at the subnational scale. This analysis can be replicated for other countries of the world, adjusting their ecological balance by considering the biocapacity embodied in international transactions of land

Benefit transfer and the economic value of Biocapacity: Introducing the ecosystem service Yield factor

The Ecological Footprint can inform benefit transfer estimates of ecosystem services by considering the different productivity of land-types. In this paper, ecosystem service values are used to calculate Ecosystem Service Yield Factors (ES-YFs) for the world countries as monetary-based alternative to resource-based Yield Factors (YFs). These scaling factors are context-dependent and can be used for transferring ecosystem service values calculated in different locations for cropland, grazing land and forest. The ES-YFs were further used to calculate Biocapacity Economic Values (BEVs) that represent natural capital values and can be used for environmental economic accounting and as a component of wellbeing indicators. Besides improving the accuracy and feasibility of the benefit transfer method, the ES-YFs can inform natural resource management towards more sustainable options and allows for comparison with economic values in markets sensible to asymmetry, incomplete information, unfairness and unethical behaviours

Instructions for a Sustainable Anthropocene

Is it possible to achieve a sustainable Anthropocene? Yes, if we adopt the correct key for understanding the mechanisms that connect the three dimensions of sustainability, the environmental, the social and the economic. The road to sustainability is made even harder than it was at the beginning of the sustainable development discourse by the fact that nowadays the three dimensions have problems that have time spans that tend to become equally urgent. This paper offers a vision of sustainability that underlines the cause-effect-feedback relationships among the dimensions and shows examples of the functioning of these linkages. This calls for a redefinition of priorities and for a different set of “rules of the house” (economy) to be fit for a world with almost 8 billion people and an endangered natural basis of survival

From gross domestic product to wellbeing : how alternative indicators can help connect the new economy with the sustainable development goals

In a 2014 issue of Nature, members of our research group called for abandoning the gross domestic product as the key indicator in economic policymaking. In this new article, we argue that a new post–gross domestic product economy focusing on wellbeing rather than material output is already emerging in the Anthropocene, thanks to the convergence of policy reforms and economic shifts. At the policy level, the Sustainable Development Goals require policymakers to protect ecosystems, promote greater equality, and focus on long-term equitable development. At the economy level, the provision of services has outpaced industrial production as the key driver of prosperity, with innovative business models optimizing the match between supply and demand and giving rise to a burgeoning “sharing economy”, which produces value to people while reducing output and costs. The economic transformation already underway is, however, delayed by an obsolete system of measurement of economic performance still dominated by the gross domestic product–based national accounts, which rewards the incumbent and disincentives the new. We show that a different approach to measuring wellbeing and prosperity is the “missing link” we need to connect recent evolutions in policy and the economy with a view to activating a sustainable development paradigm for a good Anthropocene.L.C. was funded by an IRC/Marie Skłodowska-Curie CAROLINE Postdoctoral Fellowship (IRC-CLNE/2017/567).https://journals.sagepub.com/home/anrhj2019Political Science