scholarly journals Toward Science-Based and Knowledge-Based Targets for Global Sustainable Resource Use

Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Bringezu
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Imperfect Information ◽  
Systems Perspective ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Sustainable Resource Use ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Abiotic Resource ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
State Of The Environment ◽  
Water Issues

The article discusses key aspects to be considered for the orientation of sustainable resource policies. Resource management at the local scale needs to be supplemented by governmental action in order to adjust production and consumption toward acceptable levels of global resource use. What is acceptable is being informed by scientific findings on environmental degradation and relevant cause–effect relationships. However, the desired state of the environment, the tolerable level of uncertainties about environmental impacts, risks of societal conflicts, and ethical considerations all involve normative considerations. Policy decisions for sustainable global resource use must be taken on the basis of imperfect information. A wider systems perspective, longer time horizon, and broader involvement of available knowledge could provide a sufficiently valid basis to derive directionally safe targets. Possible proxy targets for global biotic and abiotic resource use, considering land, biodiversity, and water issues, are presented on a per-person basis for 2050 for further discussion and research. These values could be used to assess the resource footprints of countries with regard to sustainability, providing orientation for governments and industry.

scholarly journals Emergent sustainability in open property regimes

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (51) ◽  
pp. 12859-12867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Moritz ◽  
Roy Behnke ◽  
Christine M. Beitl ◽  
Rebecca Bliege Bird ◽  
Rafael Morais Chiaravalloti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Common Pool Resources ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Common Pool ◽  
Social Ecological Systems ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
Sustainable Resource Use ◽  
The Commons ◽  
Property Regimes

Current theoretical models of the commons assert that common-pool resources can only be managed sustainably with clearly defined boundaries around both communities and the resources that they use. In these theoretical models, open access inevitably leads to a tragedy of the commons. However, in many open-access systems, use of common-pool resources seems to be sustainable over the long term (i.e., current resource use does not threaten use of common-pool resources for future generations). Here, we outline the conditions that support sustainable resource use in open property regimes. We use the conceptual framework of complex adaptive systems to explain how processes within and couplings between human and natural systems can lead to the emergence of efficient, equitable, and sustainable resource use. We illustrate these dynamics in eight case studies of different social–ecological systems, including mobile pastoralism, marine and freshwater fisheries, swidden agriculture, and desert foraging. Our theoretical framework identifies eight conditions that are critical for the emergence of sustainable use of common-pool resources in open property regimes. In addition, we explain how changes in boundary conditions may push open property regimes to either common property regimes or a tragedy of the commons. Our theoretical model of emergent sustainability helps us to understand the diversity and dynamics of property regimes across a wide range of social–ecological systems and explains the enigma of open access without a tragedy. We recommend that policy interventions in such self-organizing systems should focus on managing the conditions that are critical for the emergence and persistence of sustainability.

scholarly journals The Use of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) for Drought Mitigation in Nigeria

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 6-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.E. Emefiene ◽  
A.B. Salaudeen ◽  
A.Y. Yaroson
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Cajanus Cajan ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Soil Improvement ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Widespread Adoption ◽  
Sustainable Resource Use ◽  
Drought Mitigation ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Change Mitigation

Drought poses one of the most important environmental constraints to plant survival and productivity and by implication-food insecurity in the tropics. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) has the potential of fertilizing the soil thereby improving agricultural production and ensure green environmental and ecosystem stability. Despite the ability of the plant to improve soil fertility and promote greening environment, it has not attracted adequate awareness as a soil improvement plant. This paper highlights the information on the plant in order to intensify awareness for its widespread adoption to achieve the much desired sustainable resource use for greening our economy and environmental management. The successful widespread adoption of the plant will translate to effective drought, desertification and sustainable climate change mitigation approach in Nigeria.

scholarly journals “Real-time” genetic monitoring of a commercial fishery on the doorstep of an MPA reveals unique insights into the interaction between coastal and migratory forms of the Atlantic cod

2017 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 1093-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torild Johansen ◽  
Jon-Ivar Westgaard ◽  
Bjørghild B Seliussen ◽  
Kjell Nedreaas ◽  
Geir Dahle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Genetic Monitoring ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Commercial Harvest ◽  
Sustainable Resource Use ◽  
Spawning Areas

Abstract With the decline of many of the world’s fisheries, increased regulation, including marine protected areas (MPA), forms an increasingly important role in promoting sustainable resource use. Here, we present a novel “real-time” genetic monitoring programme used to protect the depleted Norwegian coastal cod stock (NCC) in an MPA during the spawning season, while a fishery targeted at the sustainable Northeast Arctic cod stock (NEAC) operates immediately outside. In the period 2009–2016, >6800 cod from the fishery were genotyped with the PanI locus that is discriminatory between these two stocks. The estimated fraction of NEAC increased during the study period until 2014; however, it did not exceed 70% for any sustained period. Therefore, the MPA remained closed for commercial harvest. Genetic analysis of eggs revealed a distinctly lower fraction of NEAC than in the catch from the adult stock, both immediately outside and within the MPA itself. We suggest that this discrepancy is likely to reflect differences in spawning areas used by NCC and NEAC. Estimated fractions of NEAC/NCC using PanI, otolith classification, and 39 single nucleotide polymorphisms were similar, thus validating the use of PanI to estimate NEAC/NCC composition.

scholarly journals Sustainable Resource Use in Enhancing Agricultural Development in China

Engineering ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 588-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianbo Shen ◽  
Fusuo Zhang ◽  
Kadambot H.M. Siddique
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Sustainable Resource Use

Environmental Issues

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariaster B. Chimeli
Keyword(s):  
Marginal Cost ◽  
General Framework ◽  
Marginal Utility ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Market Failures ◽  
Departure Point ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Key Topics ◽  
State Of The Environment

This chapter discusses critical issues surrounding the economics of the environment in Brazil. A general framework for analyzing the state of the environment in a developing country is first presented and is used as a departure point for the study of the recent Brazilian case. High marginal utility of consumption, high marginal cost of abatement, imperfect representation of citizens by politicians, and market failures are put forth as candidate explanations for poor environmental quality and low willingness to pay for environmental improvements in developing countries, even when large gains to health and income could result. These arguments are applicable in several contexts in Brazil, but not universally. The chapter presents a critical and selective literature review on key topics including deforestation in the Amazon region, aspects of ethanol production and consumption, and climate change.

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