Doing justice to poverty and ecology: Conservation and poverty alleviation can go hand in hand, but only if issues of justice are addressed
Abstract
In case studies across China, India, Nicaragua and Uganda, researchers are exploring how issues of justice affect the ecological and socioeconomic outcomes of policies intended to conserve ecosystem services. Questions such as what represents a fair trade-off, or who should receive benefits, participate in decisions and be recognised as a stakeholder, are ubiquitous in management decisions and conflicts over resources, but usually remain implicit. When stakeholders don’t address these questions directly, the social dividends from healthier natural resources may not reach those who need them most. And stakeholders may not lend the required support to investments in ecosystem services. To advance the concept of ‘just ecosystem management’, the researchers are consulting with local and national policymakers and NGOs, and preparing strategy papers for the international community.
Citation
ESPA. Doing justice to poverty and ecology: Conservation and poverty alleviation can go hand in hand, but only if issues of justice are addressed. UK 2 pp.
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