Complex problems and unchallenged solutions: Bringing ecosystem governance to the forefront of the UN sustainable development goals

Abstract

Sustainable development aims at addressing economic, social, and environmental concerns, but the current lack of responsive environmental governance hinders progress. Short-term economic development has led to limited actions, unsustainable resource management, and degraded ecosystems. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) may continue to fall short of achieving significant progress without a better understanding of how ecosystems contribute to achieving sustainability for all people. Ecosystem governance is an approach that integrates the social and ecological components for improved sustainability and includes principles such as adaptive ecosystem co-management, subsidiarity, and telecoupling framework, as well as principles of democracy and accountability. We explain the importance of ecosystem governance in achieving the SDGs, and suggest some ways to ensure that ecosystem services are meaningfully considered. This paper reflects on how integration of these approaches into policies can enhance the current agenda of sustainability.

Upcoming Challenges in Land Use Science—An International Perspective

“…In contrast, approved and traditionally developed strategies related to land use as a means to mitigate CC or to adapt to the not-anymore manageable impacts are lost in the societal and political discourse (Eguavoen et al 2015;Knutti et al 2016). Global change and tele-coupling are not yet publicly perceived topics but anyhow found entrance in the political discourse on equitable polycentric international governance and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Bowen et al 2017;Vasseur et al 2017), but also in the discussion on global migration trends and how to co-manage them between Global North and Global South (Oberlack et al 2018;Radel et al 2019). Known interactions are the increasing consumption of meat in developed and transitioning economies, the globalization of production processes, land grabbing for resource extraction, the cultivation of renewable resources for energy production and the compensation of CO 2 emissions trough certificate trade (e.g.…”

Gobernanza para la adaptación basada en ecosistemas

“…En parte, la prominencia de este enfoque se debe a que la complejidad de la interdependencia entre los sistemas sociales y ecológicos, junto con las incertidumbres del cambio climático, desafían soluciones simples y lineales replicables con éxito en todos los contextos (Vasseur, 2017). Otra razón podría ser que la AbE ha tenido que demostrar su costo-eficiencia y su efectividad para competir con otras medidas de adaptación, por ejemplo, aquellas de infraestructura gris.…”

“…Es un principio que promueve el fortalecimiento de las iniciativas locales, de manera coordinada para alcanzar objetivos globales, como los del ODS y la adaptación (Vasseur, 2017).…”

Will 'other effective area-based conservation measures' increase recognition and support for ICCAs?

“…The kinds of ICCAs that might also meet the definition of an OECM will likely have long-standing and relatively complex forms of 'ecosystem governance' (Vasseur et al, 2017), rooted in much broader cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices than those specifically focused on biodiversity. Individuals assessing potential OECMs will be prima facie interested in cultural and spiritual values and practices that lead to positive biodiversity outcomes (Dudley, 2008;IUCN-WCPA, 2017b).…”