Baltic herring for food : Shades of grey in how backcasting recommendations work across exploratory scenarios

Peer reviewe

Food security and safety in fisheries governance : A case study on Baltic herring

One of the objectives of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is to increase the contribution of fisheries to fish food availability and self-sufficiency. Still, the use of catch is often a secondary concern in fisheries governance and management – or not a concern at all – while the focus is on harvesting. This paper examines how the use of forage fish for human consumption can be increased within the limits of sustainability, using Baltic herring as a case study. Baltic herring contains high levels of dioxins and the human consumption is very low: the catches are mostly used for industrial purposes. The paper uses a participatory backcasting exercise to define a desirable future vision for the use of Baltic herring catch and to develop pathways of actor-specific governance actions to increase the use of the fish as a safe-to-eat food. The results reveal that increasing the contribution of forage fish, such as Baltic herring, to food security entails a paradigm shift in fisheries governance that involves 1) inclusion of well-defined objectives for catch use in the EU CFP and the related regional multiannual plans, 2) broadening the scope of the MSY-driven governance and management to one that addresses catch use, and 3) proactive catch use governance.Peer reviewe

The Governance of the Mitigation of the Baltic Sea Eutrophication: Exploring the Challenges of the Formal Governing System

Peer reviewe

“Rights for Life” scenario to reach biodiversity targets and social equity for indigenous peoples and local communities

Scenarios are a powerful way in which the scientific community can inform future policies for transformative change. Forthcoming scenario work holds promise for the Nature Futures Framework, which through the concept of relational values, seeks to recognize a multiplicity of value positions on human-environment relations, including those of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The objective of this Perspective paper is to propose a novel scenario skeleton titled "Rights for Life", which holds promise to achieve ambitious biodi-versity targets in a socially-equitable ways by focusing on the Nature's and IPLCs' rights. We demonstrate, through the case of Arctic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) herding, that the "Rights for Life" scenario seems to deliver better social equity outcomes than the recently proposed "Half Earth" and "Sharing the Planet" sce-narios that have been designed to achieve ambitious conservation and biodiversity targets. The "Rights for Life" scenario is particularly fit for sparsely-populated indigenous homelands and rural regions where local commu-nities depend on culturally important nature-based livelihoods for their well-being. We recommend that future scenarios targeting human-environment relations should not only consider non-western and relational value perspectives, but also recognize the importance of Nature's and IPLCs' rights for ensuring transformative change for equity and the environment. Clear recognition of such rights can function as a basis for new regulations, market-based governance instruments, policies, and participatory governance instruments ensuring that viola-tion of Nature's and IPLCs' rights by societal developments is recognized, avoided, minimized, or at least compensated for.Peer reviewe

Metsänhoitoyhdistykset METSO-ohjelman toimeenpanossa

Etelä-Suomen metsien monimuotoisuuden toimintaohjelma METSOn tavoitteena on pysäyttää metsäisten luontotyyppien ja metsälajien taantuminen sekä vakiinnuttaa luonnon monimuotoisuuden suotuisa kehitys. Metsänhoitoyhdistykset osallistuvat METSOn toteutukseen tarjoamalla neuvontaa metsänomistajille ja välittämällä METSO-kohteita ELY-keskuksille ja Suomen metsäkeskukselle. Artikkelissa analysoidaan metsänhoitoyhdistysten roolia välittäjäorganisaationa metsänomistajien ja METSOa toteuttavien viranomaisten yhteistyössä yhdistysten ja METSO-ohjelman tavoitteiden näkökulmista. Aineistona ovat METSO-viestintäryhmän metsänhoitoyhdistyksille lähettämä kysely ja tämän pohjalta järjestetty ryhmäkeskustelu sekä tapauslaskelma METSOvälityspalkkion taloudellisesta kannustavuudesta metsänhoitoyhdistyksille. Tulosten perusteella METSO-kohteiden markkinoinnin edellytyksiä ovat työstä saatava korvaus, sopivien kohteiden löytyminen ja metsänomistajan kiinnostus metsien suojeluun. Jos metsänhoitoyhdistysten halutaan välittävän METSO-kohteita selvästi nykyistä enemmän, tulee metsänhoitoyhdistyksille löytää mielekäs rooli, jossa yhdistyvät ohjelman ja yhdistysten tavoitteet. Lisäksi METSO-kohteiden välittämisestä tulisi tehdä yhdistyksille taloudellisesti kannattavampaa, esimerkiksi kehittämällä välityskorvauksen maksuperiaatteita. Edelleen yhdistysten sitoutumista METSOn markkinointiin voitaisiin vahvistaa tukemalla yhdistysten ja alueellisten toimijoiden vuoropuhelua ja tiedonvaihtoa.Peer reviewe

Forage Fish as Food: Consumer Perceptions on Baltic Herring

Using fish resources for food supply in a sustainable and efficient way requires an examination of the feasibility of prioritising the use of forage species. The present paper deals with the issue from the consumer perspective. Using Baltic herring as a case study, the role of sociodemographic determinants, the drivers and barriers of Baltic herring consumption are investigated in four Baltic Sea countries, based on an internet survey. The drivers and barriers of Baltic herring consumption are compared to those relating to Baltic salmon, to identify the main differences in consumer perceptions on species that are primarily used as feed and food. The present paper concludes that prioritising forage species primarily for human consumption calls for proactive catch use governance, which (1) acknowledges the species- and country-specific intricacies of forage fish consumption, (2) improves the availability of safe-to-eat fish on the market, and 3) provides consumers with sufficient information on the species (e.g., the type of herring and its origin), the sustainability of the fisheries, and the related health risks and benefits.Peer reviewe

Fishing for Fit : Exploring the effectiveness of Baltic Sea environmental and resource governance

Itämeren maat ovat toimineet yhdessä yli neljän vuosikymmenen ajan hallitakseen meren tilaan ja luonnonvarojen kestävään käyttöön liittyviä sosiaalis-ekologisia haasteita. Tästä huolimatta monet haasteet ovat edelleen läsnä, mikä viittaa siihen, ettei Itämeren ympäristö- ja luonnonvarojen hallinta ole käsitellyt niitä riittävän tehokkaasti. Ympäristöhallintaan liittyvän kirjallisuuden mukaan hallintajärjestelmän tehokkuus, eli sen kyky ratkaista ongelmia, riippuu hallintajärjestelmän ominaisuuksista, sekä siitä, kuinka hyvin nämä ominaisuudet sopivat yhteen hallittavan sosiaalis-ekologisen järjestelmän ominaisuuksien kanssa. Lähtökohtaisena oletuksena on, että yhteensopivuus lisää hallinnan tehokkuutta. Kirjallisuudessa osallistaminen on myös tunnistettu yhdeksi tehokkaan hallinnan keskeiseksi periaatteeksi. Osallistamisen roolia järjestelmien yhteensopivuudessa on kuitenkin tutkittu verrattain vähän. Väitöskirjatyössäni tutkin Itämeren ympäristö- ja luonnonvarojen hallinnan tehokkuutta. Työni täydentää Itämeren ympäristön- ja luonnonvarojen hallintaan liittyvää yhteiskuntatieteellistä ympäristötutkimusta tarkastelemalla kahta erilaista sosiaalis-ekologista haastetta monitasohallinnan valossa: Itämeren rehevöitymistä ja silakkasaaliiden käyttöä. Väitöskirjatyöni empiirisenä, päätöksentekoa tukevana tavoitteena oli tuottaa esimerkkejä tapauskohtaisista hallinnan haasteista, sekä suosituksia niiden ratkaisemiseksi. Työni teoreettisena tavoitteena oli lisätä ymmärrystä rooleista, joita osallistamisella voisi olla hallintajärjestelmien ja hallittavien sosiaalis-ekologisten järjestelmien välisen yhteensopivuuden parantamisessa. Käytin työssäni hallinnan yhteensopivuutta (governance fit) teoreettisena viitekehyksenä, jonka avulla 1) tunnistin hallintajärjestelmän ja hallittavan järjestelmän välisiä yhteensopimattomuuksia ja näiden havaintojen perusteella, 2) laadin kriteereitä tehokkaammalle Itämeren ympäristö- ja luonnonvarojen hallinnalle, ja 3) tutkin rooleja, joita osallistamisella voisi olla yhteensopivuuden parantamisessa. Tutkin osallistumisen rooleja keskittymällä sen kolmeen ulottuvuuteen: 1) osallistamisen laajuus, 2) vuorovaikutuksen muodot, ja 3) valtasuhteet. Käytin työssäni vaiheittaista monimenetelmätutkimukseen perustuvaa monitapaustutkimusta kahden vastakkaisen tapauksen vertailemiseksi. Hyödynsin työssäni sekä tulkinnallista että normatiivista lähestymistapaa, ja useita menetelmiä, kuten puolistrukturoituja syvähaastatteluja, osallistavaa backcasting-menetelmää, ja kyselytutkimusmenetelmää kartoittaakseni hallinnan haasteita ja vaatimuksia. Itämeren tehokkaalle ympäristö- ja luonnonvarojen hallinnalle laatimani viisi kriteeriä ovat seuraavat: 1) hallinnan toimenpiteitä koordinoidaan hallittavan järjestelmän edellyttämällä tavalla; 2) politiikkatavoitteet määritellään sopivalla tarkkuudella hallittavien sosiaalis-ekologisten haasteiden ratkaisemiseksi; 3) hallinnassa ja sopimuksissa otetaan huomioon alueen sosioekonominen ja kulttuurinen monimuotoisuus; 4) keskeiset politiikkasektorit integroidaan; ja 5) politiikanteko perustuu useisiin ja monipuolisiin tietolähteisiin. Tutkimukseni tulokset osoittavat yhtäältä, että joidenkin toimijoiden jättäminen tiedontuotannon ja politiikantekoprosessien ulkopuolelle on osaltaan johtanut kriteerien laiminlyöntiin ja siten heikentänyt hallintajärjestelmän ja hallittavan järjestelmän yhteensopivuutta. Toisaalta joissakin tapauksissa yhteensopivuuden edistäminen saattaa edellyttää kohdennetumpaa ja rajallisempaa osallistamista. Esitän työssäni havaittujen puutteiden ja kokeilusta saatujen kokemusten perusteella useita ehdotuksia siitä, miten osallistaminen voisi parantaa yhteensopivuutta ja siten täyttää hallinnan kriteerit. Tutkimukseni osoittaa, että osallistaminen voi edistää hallintajärjestelmän ja hallittavan järjestelmän yhteensopivuutta monin tavoin, mutta se edellyttää huolellista pohdintaa siitä, kenet tulisi osallistaa, miten, ja mihin tarkoitukseen kyseisessä hallintakontekstissa.The Baltic Sea countries have collaborated for over 40 years to jointly govern social– ecological challenges related to environmental problems and the sustainable use of resources. Still, many of the challenges persist, which implies that Baltic Sea environmental and resource governance has failed to address them effectively. Environmental governance literature suggests that the effectiveness of a governance system, that is, its capacity to solve the issues it was set out to govern, depends largely on its characteristics and how well those characteristics match the attributes of the social–ecological system it aims to govern. The underlying assumption is that the better the fit, the greater the effectiveness of governance. The literature has also identified participation as a key principle of effective governance. However, less attention has been paid on the role of participation in the fit between the two systems. The overall aim of my thesis was to explore the effectiveness of Baltic Sea environmental and resource governance. I aspired to contribute to the ongoing environmental social science research on Baltic Sea environmental and resource governance by focusing on two specific social–ecological challenges, namely Baltic Sea eutrophication and Baltic herring catch use, in their multilevel governance contexts. The empirical, policy-relevant aim of my thesis was to provide illustrations of case-specific governance challenges and recommendations for how to meet them. The theoretical aim of the work was to increase understanding of the roles that participation could play in improving the fit between governance systems and governed social–ecological systems. I used governance fit as a theoretical framework to 1) identify misfits between the governance and governed systems and, based on these findings, 2) establish criteria for more effective Baltic Sea environmental and resource governance, and 3) examine roles that participation could play in improving the fit. I explored the role of participation by focusing on its three dimensions: 1) the extent of involvement, 2) the form(s) of interaction, and 3) power relations. To meet the objectives, I applied an exploratory sequential mixed-method multiple-case study design. I used both interpretative and normative research approaches to explore governance challenges and requirements, and multiple methods, namely semi-structured in-depth interviews, participatory backcasting, and surveys. The five criteria established for effective Baltic Sea environmental governance are as follows: 1) governance actions are sufficiently coordinated based on identified needs; 2) policies are sufficiently specified to solve the governed social–ecological challenge; 3) governance and policy take regional socioeconomic and cultural diversity into account; 4) relevant policy sectors are adequately integrated; and 5) policymaking is based on multiple and diverse sources of knowledge. The results demonstrate that, on the one hand, the exclusion of certain actors from knowledge production and policymaking processes has contributed to the failure to meet the criteria and has thereby compromised the fit. On the other hand, in some cases, improving the fit called for more targeted and limited participation. A number of suggestions on how participation could improve the fit and thereby meet the criteria were drawn based on the identified deficits and lessons learnt from experimentation. I conclude that participation can help improve the fit between the governance and governed systems in many ways, but this necessitates careful consideration of who should participate, how, and for what purpose in a given governance context

Compromises and trade-offs in the selection of indicators for the EU sustainable development indicator set. Monitoring sustainable management and use of natural resources in the European Union

The aim of this study is to explore the process that has resulted in the selection of a set of indicators under the Natural Resources theme in the EU 2007 sustainable development indicator set. Qualitative content analysis is used to identify, on one hand, dynamic features characterising the selection process and the role of different factors in the selection of indicators, and on the other hand, to explore the arguments used to justify the selection or removal of any given indicator. The material for this study comprises of documents relating to the meetings of the Sustainable Development Indicators Task Force and Working Group. The results are discussed with consideration for the predefined factors affecting the indicator selection (e.g. the framework and approach chosen, and data availability), while conclusions of the arguments used to justify the selection are studied in the light of the three characteristics of a good indicator; scientific validity, policy relevance and communicability. The results show that the selection process is characterised by dynamic features such as the dynamics of sustainable development and the nature of policy processes, as well as the on-going indicator development process, resulting in constant need for revision of the set. The selection of the indicators is affected by the compromises and trade-offs made in the selection process between policy- and statistics-driven approach, a thematic-framework and causal-chain framework, participatory and expert-driven approach, stable and active indicator set, and data availability and the development of the most suitable indicators. The main argumentation for the selection of any given indicator was its policy relevance. Features relating to the scientific validity of an indicator were also discussed, especially in terms of suitability for the purpose and with respect to data availability and methodology, while there was no significant consideration given to the indicators ability to communicate to its target audience. Keywords: sustainable development indicators, indicator selection process, natural resources, European Unio

Compromises and trade-offs in the selection of indicators for the EU sustainable development indicator set. Monitoring sustainable management and use of natural resources in the European Union

The aim of this study is to explore the process that has resulted in the selection of a set of indicators under the Natural Resources theme in the EU 2007 sustainable development indicator set. Qualitative content analysis is used to identify, on one hand, dynamic features characterising the selection process and the role of different factors in the selection of indicators, and on the other hand, to explore the arguments used to justify the selection or removal of any given indicator. The material for this study comprises of documents relating to the meetings of the Sustainable Development Indicators Task Force and Working Group. The results are discussed with consideration for the predefined factors affecting the indicator selection (e.g. the framework and approach chosen, and data availability), while conclusions of the arguments used to justify the selection are studied in the light of the three characteristics of a good indicator; scientific validity, policy relevance and communicability. The results show that the selection process is characterised by dynamic features such as the dynamics of sustainable development and the nature of policy processes, as well as the on-going indicator development process, resulting in constant need for revision of the set. The selection of the indicators is affected by the compromises and trade-offs made in the selection process between policy- and statistics-driven approach, a thematic-framework and causal-chain framework, participatory and expert-driven approach, stable and active indicator set, and data availability and the development of the most suitable indicators. The main argumentation for the selection of any given indicator was its policy relevance. Features relating to the scientific validity of an indicator were also discussed, especially in terms of suitability for the purpose and with respect to data availability and methodology, while there was no significant consideration given to the indicators ability to communicate to its target audience. Keywords: sustainable development indicators, indicator selection process, natural resources, European Unio