Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: A Framework For Assessment (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Series)

266 Pages·2003·3.09 MB·English

by  Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

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mation concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being,
and to analyze options available to enhance the conservation of ecosystems and
their contributions to meeting human needs. Leading scientists from more than
nations are conducting the assessment through working groups chaired by
members of the Millennium Assessment Panel, with oversight by a Board com- Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
prised of representatives of international conventions, United Nations agencies,
scientific organizations,
and leaders from the pri-
vate sector, civil society, Ecosystems
Millennium Assessment Panel
and indigenous groups.
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Island Press
ISBN 1-55963-403-0
90000
  
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About Island Press
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Ecosystems and Human Well-being
A Report of the Conceptual Framework Working Group
of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
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Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Board
The MA Board represents the users of the findings of the MA process.
Co-chairs
Robert T. Watson, World Bank
A.H. Zakri, United Nations University
Institutional Representatives
Delmar Blasco, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Peter Bridgewater, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Philbert Brown, Convention to Combat Desertification
Hama Arba Diallo, Convention to Combat Desertification
Max Finlayson, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Colin Galbraith, Convention on Migratory Species
Richard Helmer, World Health Organization
Yolanda Kakabadse, World Conservation Union
Arnulf Müller-Helmbrecht, Convention on Migratory Species
Alfred Oteng-Yeboah, Convention on Biological Diversity
Seema Paul, United Nations Foundation
Mario Ramos, Global Environment Facility
Thomas Rosswall, International Council for Science
Dennis Tirpak, Framework Convention on Climate Change
Klaus Töpfer, United Nations Environment Programme
Jeff Tschirley, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Alvaro Umaña, United Nations Development Programme
Meryl Williams, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
Hamdallah Zedan, Convention on Biological Diversity
At-large Members
Fernando Almeida José María Figueres Paul Maro Ismail Serageldin
Phoebe Barnard Fred Fortier Hal Mooney David Suzuki
Gordana Beltram Mohammed H.A. Hassan Marina Motovilova M.S. Swaminathan
Antony Burgmans Yoriko Kawaguchi M.K. Prasad José Tundisi
Esther Camac Corinne Lepage Walter V. Reid Axel Wenblad
Angela Cropper Jonathan Lash Henry Schacht Xu Guanhua
Partha Dasgupta Wangari Maathai Peter Johan Schei Muhammad Yunus
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Secretariat
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) coordinates the Millennium Eco-
system Assessment Secretariat, which is based at the following partner institutions:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Italy
Institute of Economic Growth, India
Meridian Institute, USA
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Netherlands
Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE), France
UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre, United Kingdom
University of Pretoria, South Africa
University of Wisconsin, USA
World Resources Institute (WRI), USA
WorldFish Center, Malaysia
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Ecosystems and Human Well-being:
A Framework for Assessment
Authors
Joseph Alcamo Rashid Hassan Daniel Pauly
Neville J. Ash Eric F. Lambin Steve Percy
Colin D. Butler Louis Lebel Prabhu Pingali
J. Baird Callicott Rik Leemans Robert Prescott-Allen
Doris Capistrano Liu Jiyuan Walter V. Reid
Stephen R. Carpenter Jean-Paul Malingreau Taylor H. Ricketts
Juan Carlos Castilla Robert M. May Cristian Samper
Robert Chambers Alex F. McCalla Robert (Bob) Scholes
Kanchan Chopra Tony (A.J.) McMichael Henk Simons
Angela Cropper Bedrich Moldan Ferenc L. Toth
Gretchen C. Daily Harold Mooney Jane K. Turpie
Partha Dasgupta Shahid Naeem Robert Tony Watson
Rudolf de Groot Gerald C. Nelson Thomas J. Wilbanks
Thomas Dietz Niu Wen-Yuan Meryl Williams
Anantha Kumar Duraiappah Ian Noble Stanley Wood
Madhav Gadgil Ouyang Zhiyun Zhao Shidong
Kirk Hamilton Stefano Pagiola Monika B. Zurek
Contributing Authors Assessment Panel Chairs Chapter Review Editors
Elena M. Bennett Angela Cropper Gilberto Gallopin
Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs Harold A. Mooney Roger Kasperson
Poh-Sze Choo Mohan Munasinghe
Jonathan Foley MA Director Léon Olivé
Pushpam Kumar Christine Padoch
Walter V. Reid
Marcus J. Lee Jeffrey Romm
Richard H. Moss Hebe Vessuri
Editorial Board Chairs
Gerhard Petschel-Held
Sarah Porter José Sarukhán
Stephen H. Schneider Anne Whyte
Washington (cid:127) Covelo (cid:127) London
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Copyright © 2003 World Resources Institute
All rights reserved under international and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part
of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing
from the publisher: Island Press, 1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington,
DC 20009.
ISLAND PRESS is a trademark of The Center for Resource Economics.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ecosystems and human well-being : a framework for assessment /
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment ; authors, Joseph Alcamo [et al.] ;
contributing authors, Elena M. Bennett [et al.].
p. cm.
“The first product of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), a
four-year international work program designed to meet the needs of
decision-makers for scientific information on the links between
ecosystem change and human well-being”—Pref.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-55963-402-2 (cloth : alk. paper) —
ISBN 1-55963-403-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Human ecology. 2. Ecosystem management. I. Alcamo, Joseph. II.
Bennett, Elena M. III. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Program)
GF50.E26 2003
333.95—dc21
2003011612
British Cataloguing-in-Publication Data available
Printed on recycled, acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
09 08 07 06 05 04 03 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
MA_CF-i-xiv.pmd 6 7/14/2003, 11:12 AM
The Board of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment dedicates this
report to the memory of Angela Cropper’s husband, mother, and sister:
John Cropper, Maggie Lee and Lynette Lithgow-Pearson.
Through their lives and work they embodied the spirit and intent of the
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment by their love of the natural world
and their concern to improve the lives of people.
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Table of Contents
Preface x
Acknowledgments xiii
Summary 1
Chapter 1. Introduction and Conceptual Framework 26
Introduction 26
Overview of Conceptual Framework 34
The Multiscale Approach 43
Types of Knowledge Assessed 44
Minimizing Structural Biases 45
Use in Decision-making 47
Chapter 2. Ecosystems and Their Services 49
Introduction 49
Ecosystems Boundaries and Categories 50
Ecosystem Services 53
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 60
Ecosystem Condition and Sustainable Use 62
Chapter 3. Ecosystems and Human Well-being 71
Introduction 72
Key Components of Human Well-being 73
Linkages between Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being 76
Substitutability and Well-being 79
Balancing Priorities: Present Versus Future 81
Institutions and Freedoms 82
Conclusion 83
Chapter 4. Drivers of Change in Ecosystems and Their Services 85
Introduction 86
Previous Approaches on the Factors of Change 88
Drivers: An Overview 90
The Decision-maker within the Ecosystem 91
Ecosystem Consequences of Decisions Outside an Ecosystem 94
Drivers of Ecosystem Change 96
Interactions among Drivers 104
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Chapter 5. Dealing with Scale 107
Introduction 108
Why Scale Matters 110
Changing Scales 112
Space and Time Domains 114
Inertia in Human and Ecological Systems 117
Viewing a Particular Scale in Context 118
Scales in Ecological and Human Systems 119
Scale and Policy 122
Guidance for Multiscale Assessments 124
Chapter 6. Concepts of Ecosystem Value and Valuation Approaches 127
Introduction 128
The Utilitarian Approach and Economic Valuation Methods 130
Non-utilitarian Value 139
Conclusion 147
Chapter 7. Analytical Approaches 148
Introduction 149
Data 152
Units of Analysis and Reporting 159
Modeling Issues 162
Scenario Analysis 166
Overarching Issues 173
Conclusion 177
Chapter 8. Strategic Interventions, Response Options, and Decision-making 178
Introduction 179
Decision-making Processes 180
Response Options and Strategic Interventions 183
Usable Knowledge 187
Dealing with Risk and Uncertainty 193
Decision Analytical Frameworks and Tools 195
Appendix 1. Authors 201
Appendix 2. Reviewers 206
Appendix 3. Abbreviations and Acronyms 207
Appendix 4. Glossary 208
Bibliography 217
Index 236
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