A UN SDGs-Based Sustainability Evaluation Framework for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS): A Case Study on the Kuaijishan Ancient Chinese Torreya Community

Abstract

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the conservation initiative of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in 2002, providing a new solution to current global problems such as widening gap between rich and poor, environmental pollution, biodiversity destruction and degradation of agro-ecological functions. However, since the implementation of GIAHS, few studies have evaluated the role of GIAHS in regional sustainable development. To fill this research gap, this paper attempts to build an evaluation index system that integrates economic, social and environmental sustainability by matching the 169 subgoals and 232 indices of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with five FAO-GIAHS selection criteria and selecting the indices. The index weights are determined through Delphi method (expert scoring) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Then the GIAHS site of the Kuaijishan Ancient Chinese Torreya Community in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province is taken as an example for evaluation to enhance the empirical study. The results show that the comprehensive score for this heritage site is 77.90 points, of which economic, social and environmental sustainability scores 88.27, 86.12 and 69.71 points respectively, showing a descending trend. Thus, ecological protection of the Kuaijishan Ancient Chinese Torreya Community should be strengthened and be given prominence in the future. As for the contribution to further research, this SDGs-based GIAHS sustainability evaluation framework can serve as an important guide for assessing the approaches and effects of GIAHS in promoting the achievement of the SDGs. It can also be used for future international GIAHS sustainability assessment and comparison and provide a basis for adjusting the development model of GIAHS sites.

Setting Research Priorities for Effective Climate Change Management and Policymaking: A Delphi Study in Bolivia and Paraguay

“…Much has been discussed about the importance of the SDGs, especially in combating climate change and assisting with environmental issues, as the SDGs are a call to action [12][13][14]. In this context, foresight methods and, more specifically, the Delphi method have proven to be of great utility in debating climate change issues [15][16][17] and their relation to the SDGs [18][19][20]. Thus, it is important to develop further studies that identify and assess future global trends related to climate change, focusing on developing strategic recommendations to guide policymaking and integrating the decision-making and scientific knowledge systems.…”

Opportunities for China’s Agricultural Heritage Systems under the “Digital Nomadism” Trend—A Stakeholder-Weighted Approach

“…However, comprehensive research on this new trend has been limited, except for a few individual case studies, and a theoretical framework or evaluation system has not yet been established. Additionally, although there have been some suitable methods and specific techniques for the assessment of the sustainability of agricultural heritage, most studies, limited to individual cases [36,37], are primarily focused on production and ecological functions [8,38]. There has been a lack of examination of the sustainability and impact of digital nomads' choice of destinations on agricultural heritage in rural areas, especially on a transregional or national scale with a larger sample size.…”