How DO coastal ecosystems support human wellbeing? New SPACES publication on the many mechanisms

A new paper based on SPACES research reports the diverse ways people reported that ecosystem services support different aspects of wellbeing.

The paper discusses these using the capability approach and theory of human needs. The the diverse mechanisms to contribute to wellbeing can be categorised as money, use or experience. Considering all of these mechanisms can inform the development of interventions that aim to protect or improve flows of benefits to people.

See Kate Brown’s reflections on the paper on her blog:

http://katrinabrown.org/complex-social-factors-mediate-the-links-between-ecosystem-services-wellbeing-and-resilience/

Complete citation:

Chaigneau T, Brown K, Coulthard S, Daw TM, Szaboova L. 2019. Money, use and experience: Identifying the mechanisms through which ecosystem services contribute to wellbeing in coastal Kenya and Mozambique. Ecosystem Services 38:100957.

Link to the paper (open access): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100957

Abstract:

Despite extensive recent research elucidating the complex relationship between ecosystem services and human wellbeing, little work has sought to understand how ecosystem services contribute to wellbeing and poverty alleviation. This paper adopts concepts from the “Theory of Human Need” and the “Capability Approach” to both identify the multitude of links occurring between ecosystem services and wellbeing domains, and to understand the mechanisms through which ecosystem services contribute to wellbeing. Focus Group Discussions (N = 40) were carried out at 8 sites in Mozambique and Kenya to elicit how, why, and to what extent benefits derived from ecosystem services contribute to different wellbeing domains. Our results highlight three types of mechanisms through which ecosystem services contribute to wellbeing, monetary, use and experience. The consideration of these mechanisms can inform the development of interventions that aim to protect or improve flows of benefits to people. Firstly, interventions that support multiple types of mechanisms will likely support multiple domains of wellbeing. Secondly, overemphasising certain types of mechanism over others could lead to negative social feedbacks, threatening the future flows of ecosystem services. Finally, the three mechanism types are interlinked and can act synergistically to enhance the capacities of individuals to convert ecosystem services to wellbeing.

14 July 2019

Posted in Front Page, News, Publications

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