Dynamics of Watershed Ecosystem Values and Sustainability: An Integrated Assessment Approach

Submitted by Salvatory Macha on 31 March 2014
EfD Authors:

 In this work, we undertook an integrated assessment of water and forest ecosystem to develop the value-based sustainability indicators (VBSI) of watershed resource.

Agriculture, Conservation, Forestry, Water

Scaling Up of Sustainable Land Management in the Western People's Republic of China Evaluation of a 10-years Partnership

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 19 January 2014

The People’s Republic of China-Global Environment Facility Partnership to Combat Land Degradation in Dryland Ecosystems promotes an integrated ecosystem management (IEM) approach to restore, sustain and enhance the productive capacity of dryland ecosystems.

Agriculture

The Economic Valuation of Dryland Ecosystem Services in the South African Kgalagadi Area and Implications for PES Involving the Khomani San

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 23 December 2013

The economic importance of the dryland ecosystem services in the Kgalagadi area is generally unknown, as is the distribution of benefits from use of the ecosystem services. This study seeks to value ecosystem services in the Kgalagadi area by applying the choice experiment technique and then assessing the potential for ecosystem services to contribute to the Khomani San livelihoods through a payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme.

Agriculture, Conservation

The Economic Valuation of Dryland Ecosystem Services in the South African Kgalagadi by the Local Communities

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 22 December 2013

This study seeks to value ecosystem services in the Kgalagadi area in South Africa by applying the choice experiment technique. The values placed on dryland ecosystem services by indigenous communities are estimated using a conditional logit model, a random parameter logit model and a random parameter logit model with interactions.

The results show that local communities would prefer increased grazing, firewood collection, hunting opportunities, and harvesting of medicinal plants.
 

Conservation

Global economic potential for reducing carbon dioxide

Submitted by admin on 13 August 2012

Mangroves are among themost threatened and rapidly disappearing natural environments worldwide. In addition to supporting a wide range of other ecological and economic functions, mangroves store considerable carbon. Here, we consider the global economic potential for protecting mangroves based exclusively on their carbon.

Forestry

Reconnecting to the Biosphere

Submitted by admin on 22 February 2012
EfD Authors:

Humanity has emerged as a major force in the operation of the biosphere, with a significant imprint on the Earth System, challenging social–ecological resilience. This new situation calls for a fundamental shift in perspectives, world views, and institutions. Human development and progress must be reconnected to the capacity of the biosphere and essential ecosystem services to be sustained.

Experiments, Climate Change, Policy Design

Conditional Cash Transfers and Payments for Environmental Services: A Conceptual Framework for Explaining and Judging Differences in Outcomes

Submitted by admin on 27 May 2011

Despite the recent popularity of conditional cash transfers (CCT) and payments for environmental services (PES) programs, what determines their success is not well understood. We developed a conceptual framework to give insight into some of the main determinants of CCT and PES program efficiency that hope to increase investments in human and environmental capital.

Policy Design

Estimation of the Water Quality Amelioration Value of Wetlands:A Case Study of the Western Cape, South Africa

Submitted by admin on 30 June 2010

Wetlands are commonly understood to have the capacity to reduce the loads of excess nutrients, pathogens, sediments, and other contaminants generated by various activities in their catchment areas. However, quantifying these “services” is difficult and most research in this field has concentrated on artificial treatment wetlands. Understanding the value of their water treatment characteristics, as well as the other services they provide, is increasingly recognized as essential to achieving a balance between conservation and activities that degrade or replace wetlands.

Policy Design