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It is generally accepted that in order to preserve the sustainability of resource utilization worldwide, it is imperative to maximize the positive environmental effects and minimize the negative ones in agriculture. To assess the impact of agricultural ecosystems on environmental footprints in China, this study used a time-series econometric approach spanning the period from 1990 to 2020. The suitability of the variables was confirmed through stationarity tests, followed by the application of the Johansen technique. The Johansen technique's findings showed that long-run co-integration is present in both exogenous and endogenous variables. Moreover, the bound testing technique with the ARDL model was applied to validate the long-run results. The findings revealed a positive correlation between agricultural ecological footprints and factors such as agricultural land, energy consumption, fertilizer usage, and agricultural employment with short-run elasticity. In the long run, agricultural land, energy consumption, and fertilizer usage were all identified as having a positive impact on the ecological footprint. Consequently, the agricultural ecosystem faces strain due to stringent agricultural practices aimed at enhancing production. The integration of modern technology becomes imperative to reduce carbon emissions, promote environmentally-friendly industries, and enhance the nation's land bio-capacity, thereby mitigating the strain on the ecological ecosystem. This study offers valuable insights for academia, policymakers, researchers, and planners in formulating a comprehensive strategy and vision for establishing sustainable food production and fostering favorable environmental conditions, particularly pertinent to China and with broader applicability to the global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper American River watershed (UARW) provides a myriad of valuable benefits for local communities as well as throughout the state, nation, and even globally. These environmental benefits, often called ecosystem goods and services (EGS), include food, water, power, and recreational opportunities, among many others. Current ecological economics frameworks outline over twenty distinct EGS categories. While this information is becoming more widespread, many of these benefits are still undervalued or are not easily applied to policymaking and project-level investment decisions. Conventional EGS valuation focuses narrowly on a few specific EGS categories, ignoring many to the detriment of those seeking information on the economic value of natural infrastructure. This study provides a novel approach to watershed valuation by assessing eighteen EGS categories in a comprehensive watershed valuation by supplementing locally available data with the benefit transfer method. This approach demonstrates that watershed-scale EGS valuation is possible. The resulting valuation shows the natural capital asset in the UAW has a net present value of $731 billion and $1.6 trillion with 2.5% and 0% discount rates (100 years), respectively, and provides over $14.8 billion in annual value. Valuing natural capital in economic terms provides a common metric for comparison and integration with other types of investments in built and social capitals, informing policy and investment decisions for climate adaptation and water resilience. This EGS valuation provides a case study into how benefit transfer can be used to supplement locally available information to provide watershed-scale EGS valuations. The outcome serves as a tool to promote innovation and equity in the design of funding mechanisms and resulting allocation for improving watershed health, the associated EGS productivity, and rural-agricultural community resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light pollution has detrimental impacts on wildlife, human health, and ecosystem functions and services. This paper explores the impact of light pollution on the value of ecosystem services. We use the Simplified All-Sky Light Pollution Ratio (sALR) as a proxy for the negative impact of light pollution and the Copernicus PROBA-V Global Landcover Database as our proxy of ecosystem service value based on previously published ecosystem service values associated with a variety of landcovers. We use the sALR value to 'degrade' the value of ecosystem services. This results in a 40% reduction in ecosystem service value in those areas of the world with maximum levels of light pollution. Using this methodology, the estimate of the annual loss of ecosystem service value due to light pollution is USD 3.4 trillion. This represents roughly 3% of the total global value of ecosystem services and 3% of the global GDP, estimated at roughly USD 100 trillion in 2022. A summary of how these losses are distributed amongst the world's countries and landcovers is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering students require an education which facilitates the development not just of functional design of technological artefacts and processes, but they also need to be equipped to understand and engage with their wider implications and context. Consequently, as part of the formation of sustainability informed engineers, there is a clear necessity to integrate the socio-economic aspects of sustainability in order to posit technology in appropriate contextualised settings. The chemical engineering degree programme at University College Cork incorporates a strong emphasis on integrating the socio-economic dimension of sustainability within the programme. This paper focuses on ecological economics, and how it can connect with engineering and why it is important that engineering students receive a grounding in ecological economics. It outlines the content of a five-lecture series on ecological economics given to fifth-year chemical engineering students. This includes environmental aspects, such ecological limits analysis and the use of strategies, including economic, to move unsustainable natural resource use and emissions discharges to within their ecological limits. It explores social aspects and the critical barriers to transitioning to a sustainable economy, as well as the impact of ecological economics on engineering. Finally, three consecutive final year classes were surveyed to elicit their feedback on being taught ecological economics and to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of ecological economics appreciably enhances students' ability to engage productively with sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); a key accreditation and professional requirement for contemporary engineering graduates. Overall, most students enjoyed the material, stating that is of value to engineering students, and they provided a useful qualitative assessment of the content. • Ecological economics education contributes to sustainability informed engineers. • Motivation for teaching ecological economics to engineering students is outlined. • Content of a lecture series in ecological economics is outlined. • Student survey showed that content is of value to engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a book review of "The Vulnerability and Transformation of Indonesian Peatlands: Navigating Social-Ecological Tipping Points for Resilient Futures." The book explores the degradation and transformation of peatlands in Indonesia, focusing on the ecological, social, and economic impacts. It discusses the historical resilience of these landscapes and the current challenges they face, such as deforestation, fires, and land conversion. The book also examines efforts to restore peatlands and promote sustainable management. It provides insights into the complex dynamics of peatland disturbances and offers guidance for adaptation and transformation in the face of ongoing crises. [Extracted from the article]

This summary discusses the challenges faced by local communities in the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch characterized by global human and nonhuman interconnectedness. It explores the struggles of indigenous groups and eco-villages in maintaining their unique practices and resisting global influences. The article also delves into the concept of sustainability, distinguishing between weak and strong sustainability, and emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between global and local ways of knowing. It highlights the potential for technology-mediated experiences of the sacred to contribute to a sense of overall purpose in life. The text summarizes a special issue of Acta Borealia that focuses on sustaining local practices in a global world, covering topics such as imagination, expertise, learning, technology, and language. The authors argue for the crucial role of traditional handcraft skills and language in maintaining a meaningful connection to the local environment, as well as the importance of skill and craft in sustaining local practices and bridging communities. The summary concludes by acknowledging the contributions of the authors and expressing gratitude to the reviewers and editorial board. [Extracted from the article]

Water and sanitation are core for the growth and development of communities. Yet, South African local municipalities are often unable to sustainably deliver safe water and basic sanitation for all. Drawing on perspectives of ecological economics, this study analysed the sustainability of water and sanitation systems in rural communities of the Lepelle Nkumpi Local Municipality. Mixed research approach was used to collect the data from 657 household and institutional respondents. The study found that households used water for multi-purposes including consumptive, productive and domestic, but existing facilities are in deplorable condition. Pollution arising from agrochemicals, waste systems, mining, sewerage, and industrial effluence significantly affected water systems in the communities. Bridging demand–supply gaps require initiatives like bulk water supply and implementation of the free basic water policy in underprivileged areas. Tariffs should either be waived or adjusted for extremely poor households. Waste management initiatives, like capacity building, public education, investments, and facility upgrade, could help avert spread of waterborne infections and improve the resident's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the most important economic sector and simultaneously the greatest threat to the ecosystem functions on which all complex life depends. It is therefore a logical starting point for developing a restorative economy. We must develop and disseminate agroecosystems capable of providing food security for all, while simultaneously restoring vital ecosystem processes degraded by conventional agriculture. We review 25 years of transdisciplinary work towards this goal on an agroecology project in Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Catarina, Brazil and distill some key lessons for like-minded efforts. We apply the methods of Participatory Action Research and Post Normal Science to integrate the knowledge, insights and goals of farmers, diverse scientists, agricultural extensionists, and policymakers to design high-biodiversity silvopastoral systems and multi-function riparian forests capable of improving farmer livelihoods, and propose policies to support their adoption by aligning the interests of farmers and society. We explain the science underlying our project and document resulting improvements in farmer livelihoods and ecosystem services. We then examine the socioeconomic obstacles to disseminating our innovations and policies that might overcome them and describe our pragmatic approaches to working with policymakers. We conclude that integrating natural sciences, socio-economic analysis and politics are all necessary yet insufficient to promote the large-scale adoption of restorative agriculture. We contend that building a restorative economy will also require a fundamental extension of humanity's moral values to the rest of nature, and use evolutionary science to support our views. Rather than offering a recipe for successful projects, our take-home message is that developing a restorative agricultural economy in an ever-evolving system is a continuous participatory process with no endpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AI revolution is a transformation of the civilization paradigm driven by technological faith, with AI technology as both the vehicle and means of this belief. It transcends economic rationality, merges empiricism and transcendentalism, and surpasses individual and collective levels. Technological faith, the unwavering belief in advancing human civilization through technological innovation, holds the central position in the AI revolution. Although the AI revolution encompasses elements of all technological revolutions, it far exceeds them as well as the Industrial Revolution, manifesting as an unprecedented shift in the civilization paradigms. It is because the AI revolution provides an unparalleled platform and foundation for the free and comprehensive development of humanity. Every individual can access the achievements of human civilization online at nearly zero marginal cost and have the opportunity for free and comprehensive development in any area of their interest. The AI revolution has profoundly changed the mode of social production, which will be transformed into a highly organic unity of individual freedom, comprehensive development, and the progress of human civilization. This could potentially lead to a mode of social production that surpasses Marxist communism. Influenced by the AI revolution, enterprises are about to undergo significant transformations and traditional enterprises will be redefined. Meanwhile, as free and comprehensive development becomes possible, work and career will also be separated. Humans will no longer define their identity by their jobs. It will be possible for people to engage in multiple professions across different fields and industries. It is necessary to distinguish between AI as a technological form and AI as a revolution. The two are related but different. The former does not necessarily lead to the latter, and the latter does not necessarily have to be based on AI technological innovation. This is also the difference between general technological revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, and the AI revolution. The AI revolution will drive innovation and transformation in most areas of society, but AI as a technological form may not necessarily propel transformation in other fields. The AI revolution has significantly altered the connotation of ecological civilization, elevating it from one of many sub - civilizations to the baseline of human civilization. The impact of the AI revolution on ecological civilization is manifested in three aspects. First, the impact of AI as a technological form on ecological civilization can be seen in the application of various AI technologies in the construction of ecological civilization. These technologies have a positive contribution but are limited in the face of ecological crises. Second, the AI revolution has a potential impact on ecological civilization, including the disruption of the global energy structure, the development of ecological education, the transformation of both the supply and demand sides of ecological civilization, the shift in the utilization of natural resources, and the comprehensive and healthy development of humans as an ecological species. Third is the impact on existing theories of ecological civilization. Mainstream theories such as ecological economics, degrowth, and ecological Marxism will be significantly challenged, and they may also be transformed or improved in the process. However, due to the limitations inherent in AI theory and capitalism, the AI revolution may also mutate. Humanity might become free slaves to technology, and might even be replaced or annihilated. With the militarization of AI, there is a risk of severe damage or even destruction to ecological civilization. Therefore, it is necessary to seize the opportunity of the AI revolution, adhere to the faith in the AI revolution, pursue a new type of globalization, move beyond national and ideological competition, strive for super alignment, and truly make AI a public asset of all humanity rather than the private property of any single country, thereby making a genuine contribution to the benefit of humanity and the Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews worldwide wetland park research from 1996 to 2022. A bibliometric analysis is conducted on 591 wetland park studies indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The study utilizes CiteSpace and VOSviewer tools to visualize and explore influential research focuses, themes, directions, and countries. The citation burst indicates that from 1996 to 2022, research on wetland parks transited from exploring basic community structures to complex ecosystem service assessments and the formulation of management strategies. Furthermore, over the past three years, wetland park research has seen a significant surge in studies investigating water quality, ecosystem services, and spatiotemporal analysis. Notably, the three most frequent keywords in research on wetland parks were China, South Africa, and biodiversity. These keywords reflect regions that enhance biodiversity via wetland parks. The spectral-clustering algorithm identifies carbon sequestration as a research focus, highlighting the vital role of wetlands in the carbon cycle. Most authors work in developed countries' institutions, but some are from developing countries like China, South Africa, and India. The findings suggest that economic development is crucial in wetland park construction and significantly influences related research. Developed countries may offer more PhD positions to developing countries' researchers in the field and raise their awareness about wetland conservation. Given the holistic requirements of wetlands, this research recommends that educators should adopt an interdisciplinary approach in the future when nurturing wetland staff. Additionally, the study maps out the primary areas of interest in wetland park research, including environmental science, ecological economics, forestry, wetlands, tourism, and management. New artificial intelligence and digital technologies should be developed for wetland park research. This study fills a research gap: quantitative and visualized knowledge-mapping and bibliometrics on wetland parks are scarce. Additionally, no previous study has explored the relationship between wetland park research and the economic development of countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strengths and weaknesses of monetary valuation are discussed with reference to LCA. • Conceptual foundations of monetary valuation are investigated. • Usefulness of monetisation integrating LCA with financial and social dimensions. • Ecological economics provide a bridging approach for integrated assessment. • The optimal rate of recycling is used as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pioneering work of John Barkley Rosser Jr. (1948-2023) in various subfields of economics emphasizes the fact that economic and social phenomena are inherently nonlinear and often discontinuous. From this standpoint, Barkley has contributed substantially to a paradigm shift in economic theory and modelling. Both his influential research work and his unceasing survey work on different approaches and schools of thought in economics and social science, carried out through the lens of complexity theory, have succeeded to develop a broader view on economic thinking and continue to inspire many researchers worldwide. The articles in this issue cover a number of research areas and themes that were central to Barkley's work, from technological progress to evolutionary competition between firms, from regional science to income inequality, from environmental economics to more general macroeconomic themes, such as bubbles and crashes, financial instabilities and policy issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A frequent justification in the literature for using stated preference methods (SP) is that they are the only methods that can capture the so-called total economic value (TEV) of environmental changes to society. Based on follow-up interviews with SP survey respondents, this paper addresses the implications of that argument by shedding light on the construction of TEV, through respondents' perspective. It illuminates the deficiencies of willingness to pay (WTP) as a measure of value presented as three aggregated themes considering respondents' unintentionality, their retraction once they understood that their WTP could be decisive in cost-benefit analysis and the inherent incompleteness of WTP. We discuss why the TEV discourse persists, how it conceals rather than reveals broader notions of value and in what ways our results support the development of alternative approaches that truly endorse plurality in environmental valuation and decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The works of Clive L. Spash provided inspiration to many. In the case of my own theoretical and philosophical journey, Spash's social-ecological economics became an important grounding. However, apart from directing this journey, his works have been a major influence in another domain: the domain of my personal being in and relating with the world. This paper explicates this side of Spash's influence. The paper's roots specifically go back to Spash's work on new foundations for ecological economics and the invitation he extended to his fellow humans to act personally and consistently with one's environmental and social values. Far from glorifying the mode of being, here referred to as being of deep transformations, I aim to draw others' attention to the challenges and constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Economic Monetary Valuation (EMV) of Ecosystem Services (ESs) and Natural Capital (NC) has been proposed and pursued by several scholars as an effective way to make the vital role of Nature evident and appropriately accounted for in our complex relationship with Her. Other scholars have negatively reacted to this approach, considering it an unethical commodification of Nature that can only lead to a “shopping mall” view of Her, meaningless and even dangerous. It has been said that by following this same line of thought, the next step might be estimating even God's value. In this sense, the EMV of ESs&NC would resemble some “laical blasphemy.” We argue that “God,” when viewed as synonymous with the “willingness to pay” to perpetuate religious faith and as an attractor of religious tourism and pilgrimages, is a terrific economic asset whose value can be estimated in monetary terms. We assessed “God” ‘s EMV (in the previously specified sense), showing that this more mundane appraisal is neither necessarily unethical nor diminishes the sacred and immaterial relevance of religions and beliefs. Thus, we consider by analogy that although the value of Nature, like that of “God,” can never be entirely accounted for by monetary estimation, the EMV of ESs&NC is ethically acceptable. Moreover, the successful application of EMV to NC&ESs supports its usefulness and effectiveness in showing, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Nature counts by making us healthier, wealthier, and, last but not least, happier through both material and immaterial goods, services, and experiences.

The phenomenon of inner peripherality is on the rise in Europe. Inner peripheries can be defined as peripheral rural areas experiencing territorial disconnection and progressive marginalization given their distance to urban centres, where the supply of services is concentrated. Assessing and comparing the sustainable development of these areas according to nuanced and integrated social-biophysical perspectives is crucial to highlight their genuine long-term sustainability potential and critical aspects. Moreover, it is essential to monitor that the socio-economic development of the latter goes hand in hand with territorial stewardship and an appropriate management of their extensive natural endowments. To achieve these objectives, this paper illustrates an innovative methodology to design a multi-criteria evaluation framework named PAISDA (Peripheral Areas Integrated Sustainable Development Assessment). The framework, based on the theoretical background of ecological economics, makes it possible to monitor the sustainable development of inner and marginalized areas according to a “post-growth” approach. It also allows a shift towards a strong sustainability perspective by assessing the phenomenon in an integrated way, which combines social and biophysical dimensions. This can help to design more robust and better targeted policies for these areas, thereby improving local strategic planning. The assessment process is as follows: first, the values of lower order components are computed through a reflective measurement model, then aggregated to form the values of higher order components, which are used as criteria in the last phase of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The choice of normalization and aggregation methods responds to methodological coherence. The paper describes a step-by-step procedure for applying the PAISDA framework in any European country, providing an illustrative example of its implementation in relation to Italian inner areas.

This study aims to ascertain the trajectory and scope of green economy research inside Scopus-indexed papers. This research uses bibliometric analytic methodologies to investigate all publications cataloged in the Scopus database about the green economy within a sustainable development framework spanning 1990 to 2023. The data collected was analyzed using both Excel and r/r studio software. Vosviewer is a software tool that enables the simultaneous visual study of keyword occurrence and document extracts. The researcher identified 859 publications that align with the designated role, subject matter, and specified criteria. The findings of this study reveal a yearly growth rate of 17.98%, with the highest number of publications observed in the field of environmental science in the year 2022. China is the nation that exhibits the highest level of scholarly output in terms of publications associated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Lyulyof, o. He is widely recognized as a highly prolific author within the field of the green economy. The bibliometric analysis conducted was restricted to the utilization of Scopus data. This study did not consider other national and international datasets. This study offers a concise survey of the literature available to scholars engaged in academic research and presents suggestions for future research endeavors.

In this commentary, we argue for the low-impact city as an alternative to the dominant urban imaginary of the low-carbon city. We adopt an ecological economics lens to expose the limitations of the urban resource efficiency paradigm when tackling environmental degradation beyond city boundaries. Based on the interpretation of urbanisation as a material practice, we urge for a fundamental recalibration of sustainability paradigms in urban planning. To integrate the impacts of urbanisation on non-urban landscapes within the framework of urban sustainability science, we furthermore stress the urgent need for frugality, resource reduction, and inclusiveness in urban planning practice.

The article titled "Understanding Human-Environment Interactions Using Multiple Dimensions" is an editorial in the Ecology, Economy & Society - The INSEE Journal. The editorial introduces the current issue of the journal, which covers a wide range of interdisciplinary topics related to social-ecological and environmental fields. The topics discussed include climate change adaptation, forest management, mining, livelihoods and forests, social-ecological history, energy efficiency, solid waste management, grasslands, urban wildlife, and the food and nutrition of children. The editorial also mentions the severe heat wave in India and the need for climate change adaptation strategies, as well as the controversial Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, and its potential impact on forest dwellers. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of understanding and addressing human-environment interactions for sustainability in the face of global environmental change. [Extracted from the article]

Drawing on ecological economics, post-development studies, and political ecology, this paper argues that sustainable development notions have run their course within sustainability marketing debates and proposes degrowth as an alternative framework to steer disciplinary debates in new directions. We chart unexplored territory, offering sustainability marketing scholars tools to navigate degrowth-minded policies, transformative frameworks, and business models. In doing so, our work contributes to existing sustainability marketing debates in three ways: first, we respond to the paucity of studies engaging with the political economy of sustainability marketing. Second, we make visible the tensions and contradictions that arise as marketers seek to reconcile imperatives of economic growth and sustainability. Finally, we foreground degrowth as an emerging sustainability proposition, with potential for inspiring the radical set of transformations required to avert catastrophic climate change and keep global temperatures well below +2°C (relative to pre-industrial levels), as pledged in the Paris Agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the latest advancements in green growth among EU member countries, with a focus on Serbia. It aims to compare green growth indicators across different countries by employing two defined hypotheses. This analysis utilizes data from the OECD statistics database, specifically focusing on annual data related to CO2 emissions and renewable energy. The choice of these indicators is based on their causal relationship to green growth. The research is based on the methodology of comparative analysis for selected indicators. The first section applies to CO2 emission indicators with trends, while the second section analyses the renewable energy situation. All considerations were made by creating groups of EU member countries by year of accession: 2004 (for 10 countries), 2007 (for 2 countries), and 2013 (for Croatia) for selected indicators. The utilization of combined datasets facilitated the evaluation of positive trend outcomes in Serbia.

Although famous for language, representation, and humor, Tristram Shandy also provides a modern ecocritical goad to humanism by asking about the distinction between ecocriticism and animal studies. Sterne demonstrate what I call an ‘oiko-logic’ that emphasizes the relationships we find developing across the household environment. Sterne is particularly interested in questions of what we would now call ‘ferality’ and domestication, how animality makes us human, and how sympathy supports the conscience of our species. Sterne’s eco-question is not if we should change our relationship to the environment, but how to calculate the appropriate change in our actions based on ecological circumstances, and he asks that we remember to account for who is carrying the social burden: Yorick’s horse, Maria’s goat, and Toby’s famous fly all carry an ecologically-based social burden for the humanity they encounter. Sterne’s ecological sensibility suggests that our conscience develops as we relate to the natural world by updating the input-output analysis with adroit calculations in collaboration with nature. What I call ‘calculations across animals’ has much in common with the emerging field of ecological economics, and Sterne shows us how humanity allows itself a certain great deal of latitude when considering the fallout of our actions on animals—meaning we can calculate for good or ill. So, for Sterne, the question becomes: how do we decide what’s good? He might whip around and say, ‘God’, but he also strongly suggests that watching humanity interact with nature can show us what goodness really looks like.

The Anthropocene witnessed the landscape spread of several invasive alien plants which can remarkably influence the ecosystem services and environmental sustainability. To this end, Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) is widely identified among top hundred pervasive invaders in view of its adverse influence on environment, agriculture, and wildlife. The adverse effects of C. odorata can further be exacerbated under the event of invasion interaction with other anthropogenic stressors such as climate change. Nevertheless, there exists dearth of pragmatic studies on invasion ecology, socio‐economic impacts, ecological economics, and sustainable management prospects of C. odorata. The present review discusses the invasion ecology, distribution, mechanisms, impacts, and management strategies of C. odorata invasion. The side‐effects and unsustainable use of traditional control measures (e.g., controlled fire and chemical herbicides) of C. odorata paves the way to biological control methods (e.g., gall fly). However, the control measures of C. odorata need to be assessed for their long‐term ecosystem level effects to mitigate the possible adverse environmental responses. The wise application of C. odorata biomass in marginal lands for soil fertility restoration, biosorption, biorefinery, bio‐medicine, and bioenergy in conjunction with ecological control measures can cover economic incentive to facilitate sustainable management of C. odorata in forestry/agroforestry systems. Nevertheless, the use of weed biomass as feedstock in biorefinery and ethno‐medicine may be inadequate in reducing its invasion. Future studies should explicitly elucidate the ecological mechanisms of C. odorata in concert with the quest for its field‐scale application in biorefinery to augment sustainable management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global warming challenge is probably the major issue of our epoch, calling for a concerted response involving as many entities as possible. The economic system being the main responsible of this troubling situation, it is logical to address it first. The actual monetary economy of production has the banking system as the main driver of its functioning which justifies putting our attention on it. Central banks play a prominent role in such a system. They thus dispose of a relevant room for maneuver, which constitutes one of the main topics addressed here. Before that, this article discusses environmental concerns in a monetary production economy, advocating for an ecological economics approach as our privileged analytical foundation and highlighting the seminal role of the banking system in the monetary essence of our economic system, thus calling for an effort to enrich current monetary policy practices which must depart from the myth of 'market neutrality'. We therefore propose four axes of intervention with regard to the greening of central banks' action, which aim at redirecting credit away from carbon-intensive activities and towards low-carbon economic sectors. As needed as it is, adjusting monetary policy would however not suffice, the actual climate crisis being enrooted within the economic growth mantra applied through a profit-seeking scheme. A questioning of the very basis of our economic system is thus required to make the economy sustainable and finally safeguarding the conditions of life on earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study resituates the notion of Natural Capital (NC) in a cosmological perspective and mobilizes accounting theory to propose a fresh approach to the concept. Thus, we firstly offer a critical analysis of NC to clarify the differences between its (capitalist) economic and ecological approaches. To do this, we perform a "Latourian" anthropological analysis of the mainstream notion of capital, repositioned in the Modern cosmology, as well as the notion of "Ecology." We show that the mainstream use of NC is incompatible with an ecological perspective, even in the case of Economic "Strong Sustainability." As an outcome, this study renews the critical analysis of Strong versus Weak sustainability. We then connect this debate with the concept of capital in "Traditional" Accounting (TA). We argue that TA theory provides a relevant framework to structure the debate on NC and to implement an ecological conceptualization of this notion. At the corporate level, in particular, the difference between a capitalist and an ecological NC relies on the difference between a debit (economic) and a credit (accounting) concept of capital. This study so proposes an extension of the "classical" accounting practices in historical costs to a more ecological vision of NC, linking accounting practices understood by current corporate stakeholders to ecological requirements. By doing this, we want to open a potential path of research in ecological economics and accounting based on an alternative perspective on NC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I present the results of ethnographic research that analyzes the social effects on peasant communities (dedicated to working the land and fishing in the river) due to the delivery of compensation and the carrying out of works for the installation of the hydroelectric dam "El Quimbo", located in the inter-Andean valleys of the Upper Magdalena River basin, in Huila, Colombia. Those lands were flooded in 2015, and affected people received different treatments that changed their relationships with the land, the river and their communities. Thus, the theoretical contribution of the article lies in the dialogue between ecological economics and economic anthropology, hence I describe the effects of restricting to a value paid in cash or measured in productivity regarding the social value of the elements present in the territory (land, river, forest) and community relations. Methodologically, six standard-situations were constructed inductively based on interviews and conversations collected in fieldwork that covered various moments between 2010 and 2021. The six standard-situations evince the effects on the social positions of affected groups: some partially reproduced their relations with the land; some began a situation of new subordination; and others were expropriated from the reproduction of their previous social relations. I complemented the article with secondary sources based on a review of archives, newspapers, and public documents of the company and the social movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2008 economic crisis expanded the discussion about stabilization policies beyond its usual academic circles. Such concerns seem even more eminent now as, amidst the COVID-19, governments around the world search for solutions to the looming crisis. John Maynard Keynes, Michal Kalecki, and Hyman Minsky have long inspired those who believe that the private sector is unable to maintain long-lasting stability and, even less so, full employment. The remedy relies not in the indirect mechanisms of monetary fine-tuning, but rather on the direct means of fiscal policy. Less acknowledged, however, is that despite of their different approaches, neither of these three authors considered conventional pump-priming fiscal policy a direct policy. Considerations of this nature have, nonetheless, been pursued by a group of post-Keyensian/neo-Kaleckian economists—who argue that discussions about economic stability should be coupled with concerns related to the broader social and environmental systems. To contribute to the newly intensified push of a post-Keynesian/neo-Kaleckian ecological economics, the paper introduces a metric for green jobs, using non-dichotomous measurements as proposed by 'fuzzy logic', as a tool to operationalize an ecological job-guarantee program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this work is setting out an analysis of the reality of the Xikrin do Cateté indigenous people, focusing on the conflicts with the mining industry in their territory (Carajás Complex). The epistemological approach is grounded on an interdisciplinary analysis, theoretically centered on associating ecological economics and human geography. Methods-wise, we use qualitative research, aiming to understand the conceptual dichotomy between the “banal space” (Milton Santos) and the reality of the “full world” (Herman Daly). We observe that, differently from other historical periods, indigenous people are living surrounded by mining projects, their voices remaining overlooked. Once captured through the perspective of the full world, this territorial configuration is one whereby the indigenous population has no longer any capacity to move, remaining blocked in a region characterised by the most diverse conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for a new approach to organizing the movement for positive change in the face of global challenges such as climate change and inequality. It suggests drawing inspiration from ecosystems and the principles of reciprocal causality. The article also highlights the success of neoliberalism in shifting mainstream political discourse and emphasizes the importance of creating a shared manifold of meaning for a new movement. The concept of an Ecological Civilization is proposed as a unifying framework that incorporates diverse perspectives and movements. The article concludes by advocating for the formation of an Ecological Civilization Coalition to support and amplify transformative initiatives. [Extracted from the article]

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This article examines the intersection of decolonial and migrant environmental aesthetics in contemporary Catalonia. It discusses how migrants in Catalonia use artistic activities to challenge the dominant colonial narrative and incorporate environmental themes. The article also explores the influence of decolonial perspectives on academia and cultural institutions in Catalonia. It highlights the need to challenge the coloniality of academia and promote alternative forms of knowledge production. The article discusses various artistic activities and proposals by migrants in Catalonia that aim to decolonize mentalities, academic and artistic practices, and spaces. However, it acknowledges tensions and paradoxes in these proposals, as they often exist within neoliberal policies and receive support from institutions that may perpetuate colonial injustices. The article suggests the need for further research to explore the effectiveness of these artistic interventions in bringing about social transformations and to examine the relationships between decolonial activities and the institutions that support them. It also emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the specificity of southern Europe and peripheral regions within the European context and considering alternative European cosmologies that challenge the nature-culture binary. The given text provides a list of references to academic articles and books on related topics, serving as a starting point for library patrons conducting research on decoloniality, environmental humanities, intersectionality, and the Anthropocene. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of REUNIR: Revista de Administração, Contabilidade e Sustentabilidade is the property of REUNIR - Revista de Administracao, Contabilidade e Sustentabilidade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article is a book review of "Set Adrift: Capitalist Transformation and Community Politics along Mumbai's Shore" by Gayatri Nair. The book explores the interplay between caste, rights, and spatial politics in urban India, focusing on the struggles of the Koli community engaged in artisanal fishing in Mumbai. It examines the pressures of changing fish markets, the politics of development projects, and the changing demographics and practices in the fishing industry. The book also discusses the tensions between the Koli community and migrant workers, as well as the impact of policy and urban change on the coastal commons. It concludes by emphasizing the need to build solidarities between marginalized communities. [Extracted from the article]

As the effects of climate change are being felt more frequently, discussions on how to combat such a massive issue are increasingly prevalent. Finding solutions to the climate crisis requires an understanding of how mainstream economic systems have led to the climate crisis and using these same principles to get out of the climate crisis is misguided. Economic actions have inherent value biases that have real political effects. Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) as a theoretical model presents a better understanding of how values that are inherent in economic models such as reliance on efficiency, markets, and continual economic growth have created the foundation for the climate crisis. Solutions must remedy these value shortcomings to become more ecocentric, reciprocal, and foster a healthy common to make substantial progress on the issue.

The book "Environmental ethics, sustainability and decisions: literature problems and suggested solutions" by Fabio Zagonari explores the ethical dimensions of environmental sustainability and the decision-making processes involved. The author argues that sustainability is an ethical issue and discusses the importance of institutions in shaping behaviors and suggesting values. The book provides an overview of environmental ethics, sustainability paradigms, and decision-making methods, with a focus on maximizing welfare and minimizing inequalities. It emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of environmental sustainability and the need for consistency and transparency in research and decision-making. The book offers simplified models and examples for both students and researchers to understand the complexities of sustainable decision-making. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Birdwatching—a cultural ecosystem service—is among the most popular outdoor recreational activities. Existing economic valuations of birdwatching typically overlook the economic contributions of birdwatchers travelling to see vagrant (out‐of‐range) birds. Economic valuations of vagrant birdwatching are few, and to date, no valuation of a large, charismatic vagrant species—or of a recurring individual vagrant bird—has been reported. During 2020–2022, a vagrant Steller's Sea‐Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) was reported in several locations in North America, representing the first record of this species in these locations. In Winter 2020–2021, the eagle spent nearly a month on the eastern seaboard of the United States, and thousands of people travelled to see it. We conducted an online survey of individuals who travelled to see the eagle to estimate the individual and collective non‐consumptive use value of this vagrant birdwatching event. Using individual travel cost methodology, we estimated an average individual expenditure and, together with estimates of the total number of birdwatchers, we estimated non‐consumptive use value of the vagrant birdwatching event. Finally, we used a willingness to pay framework (via hypothetical donations to view the eagle) to evaluate the non‐consumptive use consumer surplus of the event. We estimated that, on average, individual birdwatchers spent $180 USD (95% CI = $156–$207) ignoring travel time—or $277 (95% CI = $243–$314) when accounting for travel time—to view the eagle. Furthermore, we estimated between 2115 and 2645 individuals travelled to see the eagle during December 2021 to January 2022. Thus, we estimated that the eagle generated a total expenditure between $380,604 and $476,626, or between $584,373 and $731,809 when accounting for travel time. Finally, based on travellers' willingness to pay, we estimated a non‐consumptive use consumer surplus of the event between $139,036 and $174,114. Assigning economic value to nature gives policymakers and business leaders footing to advance conservation in decision‐making. Although often overlooked in these decisions, vagrant birds supply ephemeral ecosystem services that might bolster community development efforts, particularly if vagrancy events occur with some predictability (e.g. recurring annually). Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Climate change and technological advances are reshaping ecosystems and societies. Strategic choices that were best yesterday may be sub-optimal tomorrow; and environmental conditions that were once taken for granted may soon cease to exist. In dynamic settings, how people choose behavioral strategies has important consequences for environmental dynamics. Economic and evolutionary theories make similar predictions for strategic behavior in a static environment, even though one approach assumes perfect rationality and the other assumes no cognition whatsoever; but predictions differ in a dynamic environment. Here we explore a middle ground between economic rationality and evolutionary myopia. Starting from a population of myopic agents, we study the evolutionary viability of a new type that forms environmental forecasts when making strategic decisions. We show that forecasting types can have an advantage in changing environments, even when the act of forecasting is costly. Forecasting types can invade but rarely overtake the population, producing a stable coexistence with myopic types. Moreover, forecasting fosters collective intelligence by providing a public good which reduces the amplitude of environmental oscillations and often increases mean payoffs to forecasting and myopic types alike. We interpret our results for understanding the evolution of different modes of decision-making such as forecasting. And we discuss implications for the management of environmental systems of societal importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the intricate relationships between climate change vulnerability, renewable energy adoption, economic growth dynamics, population density, environmental expenditures, and regulatory quality, examining their collective impact on biodiversity and ecosystem vitality. Employing dynamic panel data estimates, our research underscores that escalating climate change vulnerability exerts a detrimental influence on both biodiversity and ecosystem vitality, underscoring the urgent imperative to address climate vulnerabilities. Furthermore, we reveal a non-linear relationship between economic growth and biodiversity/ecosystem vitality, emphasizing the need for balanced development to avoid negative consequences on biodiversity. High population density emerges as a negative factor affecting biodiversity and ecosystem vitality, while government investments in environmental protection and robust regulatory frameworks play pivotal roles in enhancing both. The study offers vital policy insights, advocating for sustainable environmental management strategies that prioritize climate resilience, responsible energy transitions, and well-structured policies to safeguard our natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecología Política is the property of Fundacio ENT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ecología Política is the property of Fundacio ENT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the journal "Ökologisches Wirtschaften," which has been publishing perspectives from research and practice on ecological economics for over 35 years. The journal aims to provide practical ideas and solutions for transitioning towards a more sustainable economy and society. It features contributions from experts in the fields of environmental economics, management, and sustainability, presenting ideas and concepts at the intersection of ecology and economics. Each issue covers a specific theme and also includes information on developments in politics, law, and business, as well as research in ecological economics. The journal is published quarterly by the Institute for Ecological Economic Research (IÖW) and the Association for Ecological Economic Research (VÖW). It is a valuable resource for decision-makers in companies, researchers, and members of civil society interested in the ecological and social transformation of the economy. The journal also offers an open-access portal with access to all articles since its founding in 1986. [Extracted from the article]

Ecological economics (EE), which typically conceptualizes the economy as a biophysical entity that grows into a finite ecosystem, was poised to become "economics as a life science", or the science of sustainability, and thus an alternative to mainstream economics. However, while there is consensus among researchers that it has failed to become so, there is consensus neither on the underlying causes of this failing, nor on what exactly the heterodox alternative is. For instance, biophysical economists tend to see the biophysical paradigm (BP) as the key to scientific advancement, while institutional economists tend to see it as an impediment. The current research addresses this lack of consensus. To set the foundations for an in-depth and necessarily transdisciplinary analysis, this article first reiterates and elaborates on a fact that typically eludes modern EE: EE's scientific roots lie not in the BP, but in the analogy of the economy-as-an-organism. This article then formalizes the relationship between this analogy and the BP, to analyze it systematically using cognitive science's structure-mapping theory, which explains the role of human analogical processing in learning and the advancement of science. The findings suggest that: (1) As a scientific model, the BP is merely a partially articulated form of the economy-as-an-organism analogy, and thus suffers from a type of model specification bias. (2) This bias appears to manifest in EE as a "black box" economy, relationally operationally analogous to a life science studying an organism as if it had no organs. (3) These findings are consistent with those of a recent publication that debates the role of the BP, despite employing very different assumptions and perspectives—thus corroborating the current article's methods and findings. These findings have an overarching implication: EE may advance scientifically by identifying the economy analogs of fundamental omitted organs, thus facilitating the transfer of causal knowledge from biology to economics to further "economics as a life science" or "the science of sustainability". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]