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Martin F. Quaas
University of Kiel - Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences Stefan Baumgärtner
Leuphana University of Lueneburg - Dept. of Sustainability Sciences Sandra Derissen
University of Kiel - Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences Sebastian Strunz
Leuphana University of Lueneburg
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18 Dec 08
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Last Revised:
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23 Dec 08
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36
(135,286)
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Abstract:
We perform a model analysis to study the origins of limited resilience in ecological-economic systems. We demonstrate that the resilience properties of the ecosystem are essentially determined by the management institutions and consumers' preferences for ecosystem services. In particular, we show that complementarity of ecosystem services in human well-being and open access of the ecosystem to profit-maximizing harvesting firms may lead to limited resilience of the ecosystem. We conclude that the role of human preferences and management institutions is not just to facilitate adaptation to, or transformation of, some natural dynamics of ecosystems. Rather, human preferences and management institutions are themselves important determinants of the fundamental dynamic characteristics of the ecological-economic system, such as limited resilience.
ecological-economic systems, ecosystem services, institutions, natural resource management, preferences, resilience
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Abstract:
Resilience as a descriptive concept gives insight into the dynamic properties of a system. Sustainability as a normative concept captures basic ideas of inter- and intragenerational justice. In this paper we specify the relationship between resilience and sustainable development. Based on an ecological-economic model where two natural capital stocks provide ecosystem services that are complements for human well-being, we derive conditions on the dynamics of the ecological-economic system and the sustainability criterion, such that a) resilience of the system in a given regime is both necessary and sufficient for sustainable development, b) resilience of the system in a given regime is sufficient, but not necessary, c) resilience of the system in a given regime is necessary, but not sufficient, and d) resilience of the system in a given regime is neither necessary nor sufficient for sustainable development. We conclude that more criteria than the resilience of the current state of the system have to be taken into account when designing policies for sustainable management of ecological-economic systems.
ecosystem resilience, sustainable development, management of ecological-economic systems
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