Pervasive human-driven decline of life on Earth points to the need for transformative change

Science, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 366(6471)

Published: Dec. 13, 2019

The human impact on life Earth has increased sharply since the 1970s, driven by demands of a growing population with rising average per capita income. Nature is currently supplying more materials than ever before, but this come at high cost unprecedented global declines in extent and integrity ecosystems, distinctness local ecological communities, abundance number wild species, domesticated varieties. Such changes reduce vital benefits that people receive from nature threaten quality future generations. Both an expanding economy costs reducing nature's are unequally distributed. fabric which we all depend-nature its contributions to people-is unravelling rapidly. Despite severity threats lack enough progress tackling them date, opportunities exist change trajectories through transformative action. action must begin immediately, however, address root economic, social, technological causes deterioration.

Language: Английский

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Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 5(7)

Published: July 5, 2019

A growing body of empirical evidence is revealing the value nature experience for mental health. With rapid urbanization and declines in human contact with globally, crucial decisions must be made about how to preserve enhance opportunities experience. Here, we first provide points consensus across natural, social, health sciences on impacts cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, other dimensions We then show ecosystem service assessments can expanded include health, a heuristic, conceptual model doing so.

Language: Английский

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Social-ecological resilience and biosphere-based sustainability science

Ecology and Society, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 21(3)

Published: Jan. 1, 2016

Folke, C., R. Biggs, A. V. Norström, B. Reyers, and J. Rockström. 2016. Social-ecological resilience biosphere-based sustainability science. Ecology Society 21(3):41.http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-08748-210341

Language: Английский

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Resilience (Republished)

Ecology and Society, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 21(4)

Published: Jan. 1, 2016

Resilience thinking in relation to the environment has emerged as a lens of inquiry that serves platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. is about cultivating capacity sustain development face expected surprising change diverse pathways potential thresholds between them. The evolution resilience coupled social-ecological systems truly intertwined human-environment planet. persistence, adaptability, transformability complex adaptive focus, clarifying dynamic forward-looking nature concept. emphasizes systems, from individual, community, society whole, are embedded biosphere. biosphere connection an essential observation if sustainability be taken seriously. In continuous advancement there efforts aimed at capturing finding ways people institutions govern dynamics improved human well-being, local, across levels scales, global. Consequently, thinking, issues planet, framed context understanding governing part

Language: Английский

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Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Development Goals, and Need to Focus on Circular Economy and Policy Interventions

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 13(17), P. 9963 - 9963

Published: Sept. 6, 2021

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. waste exposed to the environment creates problems of significant concern for all life forms. production accumulation natural are occurring at an unprecedented rate due indiscriminate use, inadequate recycling, deposits landfills. In 2019, global plastic was 370 million tons, with only 9% it being recycled, 12% incinerated, remaining left or The leakage wastes into ecosystems rate. management a challenging problem researchers, policymakers, citizens, other stakeholders. Therefore, here, we summarize current understanding concerns plastics (microplastics nanoplastics) on overall goal this review provide background assessment adverse effects ecosystems; interlink sustainable development goals; address policy initiatives under transdisciplinary approaches through cycle assessment, circular economy, sustainability; identify knowledge gaps; recommendations. community involvement socio-economic inputs different countries presented discussed. ban policies public awareness likely major mitigation interventions. need circularity assess potential environmental impacts resources used throughout product’s span emphasized. Innovations needed reduce, reuse, recycle, recover find eco-friendly replacements plastics. Empowering educating communities citizens act collectively minimize use alternative options must be promoted enforced. that addressed utmost priority.

Language: Английский

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Strengthening protected areas for biodiversity and ecosystem services in China

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 114(7), P. 1601 - 1606

Published: Jan. 30, 2017

Recent expansion of the scale human activities poses severe threats to Earth's life-support systems. Increasingly, protected areas (PAs) are expected serve dual goals: protect biodiversity and secure ecosystem services. We report a nationwide assessment for China, quantifying provision threatened species habitat four key regulating services-water retention, soil sandstorm prevention, carbon sequestration-in nature reserves (the primary category PAs in China). find that China's moderately well mammals birds, but not other major taxa, nor these encompass 15.1% country's land surface. They capture 17.9% 16.4% entire area only 13.1% plants, 10.0% amphibians, 8.5% reptiles. Nature 10.2-12.5% source concentrated western whereas much species' service occur eastern provinces. Our analysis illuminates strategy greatly strengthening PAs, through creating first comprehensive national park system China. This would both reserves, which highly restricted, new services, impacting services permitted. could close gap politically feasible way. also propose globally, sustaining ecosystems achieving sustainable development goals.

Language: Английский

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Our future in the Anthropocene biosphere

AMBIO, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 50(4), P. 834 - 869

Published: March 14, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed an interconnected and tightly coupled globalized world in rapid change. This article sets the scientific stage for understanding responding to such change global sustainability resilient societies. We provide a systemic overview of current situation where people nature are dynamically intertwined embedded biosphere, placing shocks extreme events as part this dynamic; humanity become major force shaping future Earth system whole; scale pace human dimension have caused climate change, loss biodiversity, growing inequalities, resilience deal with uncertainty surprise. Taken together, actions challenging biosphere foundation prosperous development civilizations. Anthropocene reality-of rising system-wide turbulence-calls transformative towards sustainable futures. Emerging technologies, social innovations, broader shifts cultural repertoires, well diverse portfolio active stewardship support highlighted essential parts transformations.

Language: Английский

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Assessing water ecosystem services for water resource management

Environmental Science & Policy, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 61, P. 194 - 203

Published: April 29, 2016

Ecosystem service concepts can offer a valuable approach for linking human and nature, arguments the conservation restoration of natural ecosystems. Despite an increasing interest in topic, application these water resource management has been hampered by lack practical definitions methodologies. In this study we review analyse current literature propose assessing valuing ecosystem services context management. particular, to link between multiple pressures, ecological status delivery aquatic ecosystems under different scenarios measures or future changes. This is development River Basin Management Plans EU Water Framework Directive. We provide list proxies/indicators capacity, actual flow social benefit biophysical assessment services. advocate use indicators sustainability, combining information on capacity also suggest methods economic valuation each spatial scale application. argue that should be conducted jointly account values (ecologic, economic) strengthen recognition dependency nature. The proposed used benefits implementation policy.

Language: Английский

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Invasive species triggers a massive loss of ecosystem services through a trophic cascade

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 113(15), P. 4081 - 4085

Published: March 21, 2016

Significance Invasive species represent a largely unquantified threat to ecosystem services. Although investment in the prevention of invasions may sustain services, these effects are rarely measured monetary terms useful decision makers. We quantify economic damages degradation an important service, water clarity, caused by invasion spiny flea. find that costs restoring this US$86.5 million–US$163 million, comparable with willingness pay for service itself: US$140 million. This finding highlights severity invasive species’ impacts when their services considered. Costs secondary spread aggregated across many and be large.

Language: Английский

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Ecosystem management as a wicked problem

Science, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 356(6335), P. 265 - 270

Published: April 20, 2017

Ecosystems are self-regulating systems that provide societies with food, water, timber, and other resources. As demands for resources increase, management decisions replacing properties. Counter to previous technical approaches applied simple formulas estimate sustainable yields of single species, current research recognizes the inherent complexity ecosystems inability foresee all consequences interventions across different spatial, temporal, administrative scales. Ecosystem is thus more realistically seen as a “wicked problem” has no clear-cut solution. Approaches addressing such problems include multisector decision-making, institutions enable span boundaries, adaptive management, markets incorporate natural capital, collaborative processes engage diverse stakeholders address inequalities. must avoid two traps: falsely assuming tame solution inaction from overwhelming complexity. An incremental approach can help these traps.

Language: Английский

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