http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/ Recent articles of the journal Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society en http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/117/2008/sapiens-1-117-2008.html Darwinian storied residence: an introduction to the work of Holmes Rolston III H.-S. Afeissa Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 117-124, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-117-2008, 2008 A key issue of environmental ethics is to identify intrinsic objects of valuation within the natural environment. Such intrinsic natural values are fundamental prerequisites to frame moral obligations to nature. This paper gives a global perspective on Holmes Rolston's philosophy. By deploying the evolutionary history of life on earth, Rolston draws attention to the formidable creativity which drives it so that it commands respect and admiration. This paper contends that his work lies at the intersection of epistemology of natural sciences, moral philosophy and religious studies. The Darwinian model is used to define the main thematic concepts in Rolston's philosophy and, in greater depth, the general trend of his thinking. Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:52:00 +0100 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/105/2008/sapiens-1-105-2008.html Safety standards: an urgent need for Evidence-Based Regulation P. Kourilsky and I. Giri Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 105-115, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-105-2008, 2008 "Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients." (Sackett et al., 1996). This opinion article describes and analyses some of the consequences of the ever-growing stringency of regulatory standards in the field of drugs and vaccines for human health, with distinct issues in the developed and developing countries. It is argued that the cost and benefit of safety standards, prior and after implementation, are not sufficiently evaluated, nor sufficiently informed by science. We suspect that, as a result, significant amounts of public and private money might be misspent, because assessments of risks/benefits are often questionable, sometimes out of context and inadequate. It is suggested that, just as it happened in medicine 30 years ago, a move towards Evidence-Based Regulation should be promoted. Given the probable and predictable negative impacts on costs and innovation, both in developed and developing countries – particularly in the latter where the needs are huge and the resources highly limited – we contend that such a move is urgently needed. Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:52:00 +0100 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/97/2008/sapiens-1-97-2008.html Future scenarios as a tool for collaboration in forest communities K. Evans, W. de Jong, and P. Cronkleton Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 97-103, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-97-2008, 2008 Forest devolution is meant to provide communities with greater decision-making power over the use and future of tropical forests. However, devolution policies have not always had the intended effect; in some cases they have caused or furthered the disenfranchisement of the poor, the creation of open access conditions, resource conflict and forest degradation. These problems are likely to arise when forest communities are at a disadvantage when interacting with other local players and are unprepared for their new opportunities and responsibilities due to their physical remoteness, cultural isolation, low literacy rates or lack of experience in formal planning and negotiation. This paper discusses how a participatory method to facilitate thinking about the future – called future scenarios – can help change the way forest communities and local governments interact. The paper reviews a growing body of literature on future scenarios and shares first-hand experiences with future scenarios in forest communities in the northern Bolivian Amazon and the central provinces of Vietnam. It finds that under the right conditions, the use of future scenarios allows forest communities to collaborate more effectively with local government, better assume responsibilities when given control over forests under devolution schemes and self-organize to benefit from the opportunities that communal control over forests offers. Future scenarios help communities think about dependency, vulnerabilities and ways to prepare for the future; the methods develop organizational capacity and encourage internal democratic processes and planning. Community leaders become more vocal and assertive in meetings with local government, and marginalized groups within communities, such as women or the poorest segments, make their voices heard. However, the methods are less effective when facilitation skills are not available or where government or other interests are threatened by local constituents. Future scenarios are not without their pitfalls and do not work in all situations, but given the appropriate context they can create "break-through moments" that improve collaboration between communities and local officials. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/87/2008/sapiens-1-87-2008.html The current electrical revolution: portrait of a newly emerging architecture in industrialized countries P. Dunsky Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 87-96, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-87-2008, 2008 In the short and medium terms, the precise architecture of the industrial world's electricity system remains hazy. Yet in the long term, it seems quite clearly headed toward a new configuration, rooted in a triad of solid trends: miniaturization, decentralization and the "greening'' of power generation. This text describes and explains these trends and their underlying forces, namely the combined effects of technological progress, growing environmental consciousness, the advent of a digital economy and the opening of markets to competition. Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/75/2008/sapiens-1-75-2008.html Integrated coastal zone management: four entrenched illusions R. Billé Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 75-86, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-75-2008, 2008 The considerable efforts undertaken on all continents to carry out field experiments and refine the concept of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) have resulted in its adoption as the key paradigm for the sustainable development of coastal areas. Having reached a first phase of maturity, ICZM should now be challenged by critical assessments if it is to advance both theoretically and operationally. In this perspective, our paper highlights four deep-rooted illusions: the illusion that round table discussions can solve any problem, the coastal manager myth, the community illusion and the positivist illusion. It is argued that these illusions result from unproved conceptual over-simplifications and lead to a naive conception of action that often impedes ICZM implementation. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/51/2008/sapiens-1-51-2008.html The transformative value of ecological pragmatism: an introduction to the work of Bryan G. Norton H.-S. Afeissa Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 51-57, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-51-2008, 2008 In the space of only a few years, Bryan Norton has become one of the essential actors of environmental ethics through his launching of what has become one of its dominant trends: environmental pragmatism. Environmental pragmatism refuses to take a stance in the dispute between the defenders of anthropocentrist ethics and the supporters of nonanthropocentrist ethics. Instead, Norton prefers to distinguish between "strong anthropocentrism'' and "weak- or extended- anthropocentrism'' and develops the idea that only the latter is capable of not under-estimating the diversity of instrumental values that humans may derive from the natural world. The practical difference between these two kinds of theories is considerable. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/59/2008/sapiens-1-59-2008.html Sustainable development indicators: a scientific challenge, a democratic issue P.-M. Boulanger Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 59-73, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-59-2008, 2008 Social indicators, and therefore sustainable development indicators also, are scientific constructs whose principal objective is to inform public policy-making. Their usefulness is dependant on trade-offs between scientific soundness and rigor, political effectiveness and democratic legitimacy. The paper considers in this perspective three important stages in the building of sustainable development indicators: the identification of the various dimensions underlying the concept of sustainable development, the process of aggregating lower dimension indicators in higher level composite indices and the attribution of weights at various levels of the indicators hierarchy. More specifically, it assesses the relative fruitfulness for indicators construction of the four most widespread conceptions of sustainable development, in terms of domains or pillars (economy, society, and environment), in terms of resources and productive assets (manufactured, natural, human and social capitals), in terms of human well-being (needs, capabilities) or in terms of norms (efficiency, fairness, prudence...). It concludes with a plea for the construction of synthetic indices able to compete with and complement the GNP as an indicator of development. Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/39/2008/sapiens-1-39-2008.html Theories of intergenerational justice: a synopsis A. Gosseries Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 39-49, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-39-2008, 2008 In this paper, the author offers a synoptic view of different theories of intergenerational justice, along two dimensions (savings/dissavings) and three modalities (prohibition, authorisation, obligation). After presenting successively the indirect reciprocity, the mutual advantage, the utilitarian and the Lockean approaches, special attention is given to the egalitarian theory of intergenerational justice. Two key differences between the egalitarian view on intergenerational justice and the sufficientarian interpretation of sustainability are highlighted. Thu, 15 May 2008 18:52:00 +0200 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/37/2008/sapiens-1-37-2008.html Our energy for the future C. Mandil Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 37-38, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-37-2008, 2008 No abstract available. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:52:00 +0100 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/17/2008/sapiens-1-17-2008.html The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change: contents, insights and assessment of the critical debate O. Godard Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 17-36, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-17-2008, 2008 Sir Nicholas Stern, former Chief economist of the World Bank, was asked by the British government to lead a review on the economics of global climate change. The Stern Review was published in October 2006 and attracted a great deal of attention from various circles, from academic to NGOs and the media in Europe, but also worldwide. This article aims first to highlight the Review's main points and to single out a selection of the most significant factual data and quantitative evaluations that make up the Review's rich contribution to the subject, going beyond the well-publicised striking results in which the possible damages of climate change are compared to the impact of the two world wars of the 20th century, but lasting forever. The survey concludes with reflections on criticism of the Stern Review made by several economists, mostly in the US, regarding the integrated assessment modelling exercise included in the Review. The most consequential criticisms are related to the low discount rate used to tackle this very long-term issue and the treatment of adaptation of future generations to a new global climate. Paradoxically, the much-attacked choice of a low discount rate chosen to ensure an equal treatment of the utility of all generations is the best-grounded in the utilitarian philosophy that underpins the type of economics that both the Stern Review and most of its critics share. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:52:00 +0100 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/1/2008/sapiens-1-1-2008.html Indoor air pollution, health and economic well-being E. Duflo, M. Greenstone, and R. Hanna Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 1-9, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-1-2008, 2008 Indoor air pollution (IAP) caused by solid fuel use and/or traditional cooking stoves is a global health threat, particularly for women and young children. The WHO World Health Report 2002 estimates that IAP is responsible for 2.7% of the loss of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) worldwide and 3.7% in high-mortality developing countries. Despite the magnitude of this problem, social scientists have only recently begun to pay closer attention to this issue and to test strategies for reducing IAP. In this paper, we provide a survey of the current literature on the relationship between indoor air pollution, respiratory health and economic well-being. We then discuss the available evidence on the effectiveness of popular policy prescriptions to reduce IAP within the household. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:52:00 +0100 http://www.surv-perspect-integr-environ-soc.net/1/11/2008/sapiens-1-11-2008.html An integrative approach to quality of life measurement, research, and policy R. Costanza, B. Fisher, S. Ali, C. Beer, L. Bond, R. Boumans, N. L. Danigelis, J. Dickinson, C. Elliott, J. Farley, D. Elliott Gayer, L. MacDonald Glenn, T. R. Hudspeth, D. F. Mahoney, L. McCahill, B. McIntosh, B. Reed, S. Abu Turab Rizvi, D. M. Rizzo, T. Simpatico, and R. Snapp Surv. Perspect. Integr. Environ. Soc., 1, 11-15, doi:10.5194/sapiens-1-11-2008, 2008 While Quality of Life (QOL) has long been an explicit or implicit policy goal, adequate definition and measurement have been elusive. Diverse "objective" and "subjective" indicators across a range of disciplines and scales, and recent work on subjective well-being (SWB) surveys and the psychology of happiness have spurred renewed interest. Drawing from multiple disciplines, we present an integrative definition of QOL that combines measures of human needs with subjective well-being or happiness. QOL is proposed as a multi-scale, multi-dimensional concept that contains interacting objective and subjective elements. We relate QOL to the opportunities that are provided to meet human needs in the forms of built, human, social and natural capital (in addition to time) and the policy options that are available to enhance these opportunities. Issues related to defining, measuring, and scaling these concepts are discussed, and a research agenda is elaborated. Policy implications include strategies for investing in opportunities to maximize QOL enhancement at the individual, community, and national scales. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:52:00 +0100