110 research outputs found
Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability
Can ecological distribution conflicts turn into forces for sustainability? This overview paper addresses in a systematic conceptual manner the question of why, through whom, how, and when conflicts over the use of the environment may take an active role in shaping transitions toward sustainability. It presents a conceptual framework that schematically maps out the linkages between (a) patterns of (unsustainable) social metabolism, (b) the emergence of ecological distribution conflicts, (c) the rise of environmental justice movements, and (d) their potential contributions for sustainability transitions. The ways how these four processes can influence each other are multi-faceted and often not a foretold story. Yet, ecological distribution conflicts can have an important role for sustainability, because they relentlessly bring to light conflicting values over the environment as well as unsustainable resource uses affecting people and the planet. Environmental justice movements, born out of such conflicts, become key actors in politicizing such unsustainable resource uses, but moreover, they take sometimes also radical actions to stop them. By drawing on creative forms of mobilizations and diverse repertoires of action to effectively reduce unsustainabilities, they can turn from âvictimsâ of environmental injustices into âwarriorsâ for sustainability. But when will improvements in sustainability be lasting? By looking at the overall dynamics between the four processes, we aim to foster a more systematic understanding of the dynamics and roles of ecological distribution conflicts within sustainability processes
Correction to: Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability: an overview and conceptual framework
The article Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability: an overview and conceptual framework, written by Arnim Scheidel, Leah Temper, Federico Demaria and Joan MartĂnezâAlier was originally published electronically on the publisherâs internet portal (currently SpringerLink) on 13 December 2017 without open access.
With the author(s)â decision to opt for Open Choice the
copyright of the article changed on 13 December 2017 to ©
The Author(s) 2017 and the article is forthwith distributed
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Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability : an overview and conceptual framework
Unidad de excelencia MarĂa de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Centre: ICTA Digital object identifier for the 'European Research Council' (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000781) Digital object identifier for 'Horizon 2020' (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007601).Can ecological distribution conflicts turn into forces for sustainability? This overview paper addresses in a systematic conceptual manner the question of why, through whom, how, and when conflicts over the use of the environment may take an active role in shaping transitions toward sustainability. It presents a conceptual framework that schematically maps out the linkages between (a) patterns of (unsustainable) social metabolism, (b) the emergence of ecological distribution conflicts, (c) the rise of environmental justice movements, and (d) their potential contributions for sustainability transitions. The ways how these four processes can influence each other are multi-faceted and often not a foretold story. Yet, ecological distribution conflicts can have an important role for sustainability, because they relentlessly bring to light conflicting values over the environment as well as unsustainable resource uses affecting people and the planet. Environmental justice movements, born out of such conflicts, become key actors in politicizing such unsustainable resource uses, but moreover, they take sometimes also radical actions to stop them. By drawing on creative forms of mobilizations and diverse repertoires of action to effectively reduce unsustainabilities, they can turn from 'victims' of environmental injustices into 'warriors' for sustainability. But when will improvements in sustainability be lasting? By looking at the overall dynamics between the four processes, we aim to foster a more systematic understanding of the dynamics and roles of ecological distribution conflicts within sustainability processes
Riverhood: political ecologies of socionature commoning and translocal struggles for water justice
Mega-damming, pollution and depletion endanger rivers worldwide. Meanwhile, modernist imaginaries of ordering âunruly waters and humansâ have become cornerstones of hydraulic-bureaucratic and capitalist development. They separate hydro/social worlds, sideline river-commons cultures, and deepen socio-environmental injustices. But myriad new water justice movements (NWJMs) proliferate: rooted, disruptive, transdisciplinary, multi-scalar coalitions that deploy alternative riverâsociety ontologies, bridge SouthâNorth divides, and translate river-enlivening practices from local to global and vice-versa. This paper's framework conceptualizes âriverhoodâ to engage with NWJMs and river commoning initiatives. We suggest four interrelated ontologies, situating river socionatures as arenas of material, social and symbolic co-production: âriver-as-ecosocietyâ, âriver-as-territoryâ, âriver-as-subjectâ, and âriver-as-movementâ
Una herencia en Manaos (anotaciones sobre historia ambiental, ecologĂa polĂtica y agroecologĂa en una perspectiva latinoamericana)
Este artĂculo pretende explorar algunas vinculaciones de la agroecologĂa con la historia ambiental, en sus escalas macro y micro, y con la ecologĂa polĂtica.
Una clave de interpretaciĂłn es un interrogante sobre la identidad latinoamericana, que es percibida como articulaciĂłn y sedimentaciĂłn de varias herencias diferentes,en la cultura, la tecnologĂa, los paisajes y la naturaleza
Ecosystem services of temporary streams differ between wet and dry phases in regions with contrasting climates and economies
1. Temporary streams are dynamic ecosystems in which mosaics of flowing, ponded and dry habitats support high biodiversity of both aquatic and terrestrial species. Species interact within habitats to perform or facilitate processes that vary in response to changing habitat availability. A natural capital approach recognizes that, through such processes, the ânatural assetsâ of all ecosystems deliver services that benefit people.
2. The ecosystem services of temporary streams remain largely unexplored, in particular those provided during ponded and dry phases. In addition, recent characterizations have focused on dryland systems, and it remains unclear how service provision varies among different climatic regions, or between developed and developing economies.
3. We use evidence from interdisciplinary literature to examine the ecosystem services delivered by temporary streams, including the regulating, provisioning and cultural services provided across the continuum from flowing to dry conditions. We focus on service provision during dry phases and wetâdry transitions, across regions with contrasting climates and economic development.
4. Provision of individual services in temporary streams may be reduced, enhanced or changed by surface water loss. Services enhanced by dry phases include provision of higherâquality subsurface drinking water and unique opportunities for recreation. Shifts between dry and wet phases enable groundwater recharge that mitigates water scarcity, and grant dryâphase access to sediments deposited during flowing phases. However, the accessibility and thus perceived value of these and other services varies considerably among regions. In addition, accessing provisioning services requires careful management to promote sustainable resource use and avoid ecological degradation.
5. We highlight the need for environmental managers to recognize temporary streams as aquaticâterrestrial ecosystems, and to take actions promoting their diversity within functional socioâecological systems that deliver unique service bundles characterized by variability and differing availability in space and time
Subdesenvolvimento sustentåvel? Velhas e novas contradiçÔes na periferia do capitalismo
Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins
The three-pillar conception of (social, economic and environmental) sustainability, commonly represented by three intersecting circles with overall sustainability at the centre, has become ubiquitous. With a view of identifying the genesis and theoretical foundations of this conception, this paper reviews and discusses relevant historical sustainability literature. From this we find that there is no single point of origin of this three-pillar conception, but rather a gradual emergence from various critiques in the early academic literature of the economic status quo from both social and ecological perspectives on the one hand, and the quest to reconcile economic growth as a solution to social and ecological problems on the part of the United Nations on the other. The popular three circles diagram appears to have been first presented by Barbier (Environ Conserv 14:101, doi: 10.1017/s0376892900011449, 1987), albeit purposed towards developing nations with foci which differ from modern interpretations. The conceptualisation of three pillars seems to predate this, however. Nowhere have we found a theoretically rigorous description of the three pillars. This is thought to be in part due to the nature of the sustainability discourse arising from broadly different schools of thought historically. The absence of such a theoretically solid conception frustrates approaches towards a theoretically rigorous operationalisation of âsustainabilityâ
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