A novel telecoupling framework to assess social relations across spatial scales for ecosystem services research

TY - JOUR

T1 - A novel telecoupling framework to assess social relations across spatial scales for ecosystem services research

AU - Martín-López, Berta

AU - Felipe-Lucia, María R.

AU - Bennett, Elena M.

AU - Norström, Albert

AU - Peterson, Garry

AU - Plieninger, Tobias

AU - Hicks, Christina C.

AU - Turkelboom, Francis

AU - García-Llorente, Marina

AU - Jacobs, Sander

AU - Lavorel, Sandra

AU - Locatelli, Bruno

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Access to ecosystem services and influence on their management are structured by social relations among actors, which often occur across spatial scales. Such cross-scale social relations can be analysed through a telecoupling framework as decisions taken at local scales are often shaped by actors at larger scales. Analyzing these cross-scale relations is critical to create effective and equitable strategies to manage ecosystem services. Here, we develop an analytical framework –i.e. the ‘cross-scale influence-dependence framework’- to facilitate the analysis of power asymmetries and the distribution of ecosystem services among the beneficiaries. We illustrate the suitability of this framework through its retrospective application across four case studies, in which we characterize the level of dependence of multiple actors on a particular set of ecosystem services, and their influence on decision-making regarding these services across three spatial scales. The ‘cross-scale influence-dependence framework’ can improve our understanding of distributional and procedural equity and thus support the development of policies for sustainable management of ecosystem services.

AB - Access to ecosystem services and influence on their management are structured by social relations among actors, which often occur across spatial scales. Such cross-scale social relations can be analysed through a telecoupling framework as decisions taken at local scales are often shaped by actors at larger scales. Analyzing these cross-scale relations is critical to create effective and equitable strategies to manage ecosystem services. Here, we develop an analytical framework –i.e. the ‘cross-scale influence-dependence framework’- to facilitate the analysis of power asymmetries and the distribution of ecosystem services among the beneficiaries. We illustrate the suitability of this framework through its retrospective application across four case studies, in which we characterize the level of dependence of multiple actors on a particular set of ecosystem services, and their influence on decision-making regarding these services across three spatial scales. The ‘cross-scale influence-dependence framework’ can improve our understanding of distributional and procedural equity and thus support the development of policies for sustainable management of ecosystem services.

KW - Cross-scale analysis

KW - Inequity

KW - Power relations

KW - Scale mismatch

KW - Stakeholders

KW - Telecoupling

U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.04.029

DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.04.029

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31005726

AN - SCOPUS:85064867591

SN - 0301-4797

VL - 241

SP - 251

EP - 263

JO - Journal of Environmental Management

JF - Journal of Environmental Management

ER -