natural capital: working towards local-level indicators for the nre2
Post on 14-Jan-2016
31 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Natural Capital: Working Towards Local-Level
Indicators for the NRE2Sharmalene Mendis, Ingrid Brueckner,
and Diane MartzCentre for Rural Studies and Enrichment
St. Peter’s College, Muenster, SKApril 30, 2004 NRE2 Environment Team
Overview
Purpose and GoalNatural Capital
DefinitionScale
ArgumentsWorking FrameworkIndicators
DefinitionSample Criteria and Rationale
What we plan to doConclusion and Discussion
Question for discussion:
What is the relationship of NC with:
Governance?Services?Communication?
Ecosystem Wellbeing
HumanWellbeing
Ecosystems HumanSystems
Therefore…
How to measure?
Market
AssociativeBureaucratic
Communal
Collective Collective OutcomeOutcome
Natural Natural capitalcapital
Social Social capitalcapital
Human Human capitalcapital
Economic Economic /built capital/built capital
Community Community capacitycapacity
MobilizersMobilizersChanges in and existence of
the capitalsCultural values
Community commitment
Individual traits
Purpose and Goal
PurposeTo identify:
A working definition of Natural Capital (NC) A framework of NC for communities Potential indicators accessible to community residents Appropriate and affordable local-level measures of NC
Goal Identify indicators applicable at the local-level to
measure the quantity and quality of NC
Definition: Natural Capital
Natural capital (NC)The natural endowments of a specified area that consists of stocks of environmental assets, with value embedded in their existence. These stocks yield a flow of goods and services now and into the future, which can combine with economic/built, human and social/cultural capitals to produce wellbeing.
– Cahill, 2001; Flora, 1999; Folke and Berkes, 1998; MacDonald et al., 1999; Mendis et al.,2003; Olewiler, 2002; Pretty, 2004; Roseland, 2000; Smith,2000
Three Principle Categories of NC
Natural Resources The stock of renewable and non-renewable resourcesthe source of raw materials used in the production of manufactured goods
Land essential for the provision of space in which economic activity and terrestrial ecosystems functioning may take place
Ecosystem Servicesessential for the services they provide directly and indirectly to the economy and for ecosystem functioning.
• Assimilative capacity• Life support functions • Amenities
Application at Different Scales
GlobalPrescott-Allen, 2001
NationalNational Round Table for the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE)
ProvincialGPI Atlantic; Pembina Institute (Alberta); Prescott-Allen, 2002; Michalos, 1997
LocalParkins et al., 2001; Beckley et al., 2002; Shaw et al., 2002
Arguments Against the Use of NC
Cannot adequately measure environment in monetary termsTraditional economic concept of capital is not comparable with the environment as it:
Is not human createdPresumes that one capital may replace another
Includes human indicators and indicators of environmental policies and practices rather than of actual environmental stresses and conditionsTechniques of measuring preferences (i.e. willingness to pay) are unreliable and not validEnvironment is not only defined by human desires and needs
Arguments For the Use of NC
Values environmental functions and services which are generally un-priced for decision-makingRecognizable and easily understoodBreaks down the components for assessmentAllows for the use of established accounting schemes for management
Cost benefit analysis (illustrate economic damage done by resource depletion and pollution)
Recognizes limits to the environment and the imperfect substitutability of NC Fits within the framework of well-being, community capacity, sustainability, and ecosystem management
Working Framework
NATURAL CAPITALNATURAL CAPITAL
Natural Resources•Renewable
•Non-renewableLand
Ecosystem Services
LandEnergyResource
SectorAssimilative
CapacityLife Support Functions
Amenities
Energy Material
AgricultureFisheries
Hunting and Gathering Timber
MiningOil and Gas
Atmosphere Water
Biodiversity
Atmospheric Services
Hydrological Cycle
Aesthetic Appreciation
Spiritual Connection
Ecological Understanding Access
to Nature
LandDiversity
LandQuality
Local AirQuality
Indicators – Definition
Indicators: are selected key statistics that provide information on significant trends in the environment, natural resource sustainability and related human activities (NRTEE, 2001)
Indicators vs Measures
Indicators - Rationale
What is the rationale for the use of NC indicators? Means for systematic comparison Monitors the environment and related activities Describes socio-economic and environmental
conditions Are accessible and easily interpretable Informs decision making Measures progress towards sustainability Measures on-going impacts of resource
development?
Sample Indicators for Natural Resources
EnergyCrude oil/natural gas reservesEnergy consumption by primary energy source
AgricultureAgricultural land-use and supply
ForestryStock of timber
MiningStocks of mineral resources
Sample Indicators for Land
Land Diversity% land converted for human use% natural land
Land Quality% degraded land
Sample Indicators for Ecosystem Services
AtmosphereAir quality index
WaterWater quality
BiodiversityIndex of species diversity
AmenitiesAccess to natureEcological Understanding
Criteria for Indicator Selection
Must be credible and meaningfulIs it relevant?Is it reliable?Is it responsive?Is it sensitive?Is it predictable?
Must be practicalIs data available?Is the data affordable?
Must be validIs it measurable?Is it understandable?Is it cost-effective?
What We Plan to Do
Develop NC objectivesFinalize generic framework of NCFinalize indicators to fit this generic framework
Create flexible framework to be used by communities as a tool to allow for local context and variance
Conclusion
Debate in literature about the validity of NCNC is a useful tool
For monitoring changes over space and timeFor decision-makingTo communicate with communities
Current research focuses on appropriate indicators of NC at different scales
Thank you! Any questions?
Question for Discussion
What is the relationship of NC with:Governance?Services?Communication?
top related