Ecosystem services: values, markets and well-being

Evolution, economics and environment

This theme addresses the application of evolutionary economics and models to resource and environmental policy and institutional problems. This involves the use of notions like diversity, innovation, selection, path-dependence, co-evolution and group selection. The main difference with the standard economic approach is that instead of representative, rational agents a population of diversity agents with limited rationality is assumed. This provides new angles to existing policy problems, as well as allows the analysis of new policy instruments like information diffusion and prizes.

Senior Researchers:

• Jeroen van den Bergh
• Giorgos Kallis

Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MUSIASEM)

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Studying sustainability entails facing a severe epistemological challenge: how to properly perceive and represent a process of becoming which is taking place across different scales, and therefore requires the simultaneous adoption of different dimensions and scales of analysis. For this reason, sustainability analysis requires the use of non-equivalent descriptive domains and non-reducible models that have to be periodically updated and substituted. This challenge calls for new conceptual tools of analysis capable of: (i) remaining ''semantically open''—to be adjusted to new meanings and tailored on an evolving issue definition and (ii) integrating quantitative descriptions—i.e. non- equivalent accounting systems—by establishing bridges across different dimensions of analysis and scales.
The multi-scale integrated analysis of societal and ecosystem metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach makes it possible to perform a check on the feasibility and desirability of patterns of metabolism of socio- economic systems by providing a characterization at different levels and scales of: (a) the performance of socio-economic activities (for households, enterprises, economic sectors, national economies, world economy) and (b) ecological constraints (micro, meso, macro) by looking at the interference that the metabolism of matter and energy flows controlled by human activity induces on the expected pattern of metabolism of matter and energy flows associated with the self-organization of natural ecosystems.

A recent project associated with this research area is the experiment conducted during the 7th Biennial International Workshop Advances in Energy Studies 2010 BIWAVES conference ( also organized by the group) entitled Fossil Energy Dependence and Our Energy Future. The session aimed at developing a conversation about energy future scenarios between scientists and general publics throughout the world, using a combination of face to face discussion and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) - including Blogging, videos and radio and television broadcasts.

http://www.ourenergyfutures.org/haveyoursay/

Senior Researchers:

• Mario Giampietro
• Jesús Ramos-Martín

Post-Doc Researchers:

• Kate Farell

Associated Researchers:

• Gonzalo Gamboa
• Kozo Mayumi

Social Metabolism and Ecological Distribution Conflicts: Linking Political Ecology with Ecological Economics

Economic change generally tends to occur for the benefit of some groups and at the expense of others (existing or future). Externalities may be understood as market failures but they may also be seen as cost-shifting successes from a political ecology point of view. The economy of rich countries or regions is so dependent from inputs of energy and materials that, even without economic growth, the pressure on the "commodity frontiers" where these inputs are extracted is bound to grow. Marginal, frontier resources, essential to the metabolism of importing economies (such as oil, gas, coal or some minerals and forms of biomass) are typically extracted from a territory at a heavy local social and environmental cost. Ecological distribution conflicts can occur at different stages of this chain as local peasant or tribal groups, national or multinational companies, national governments, local or international NGOs, consumer groups, have stakes at different points of the chain. Ecological distribution conflicts refer to struggles over the burdens of pollution or over the sacrifices made to extract resources and they arise from inequalities of income and power. This research line examines and compares a variety of ecological distribution conflicts in the developed and developing world in the context of intensifying global material and waste flows, and studies the dynamics of the social movements that emerge to resist environmental injustices. Two projects currently associated with this research area are:-

1. The ENGOV project (FP7 ENV 266710). ICTA-UAB is a partner in a new project on the Environmental Governance of Latin America, coordinated by CEDLA, Amsterdam,and running from 2011 to 2014. Mariana Walter and others at ICTA will do research on some environmental conflicts in Latin America.
2. The Spanish MICINN project (2010-13) CSO2010-21979, on "Metabolismo social y conflictos ambientales", written with Marta Conde, Beatriz Rodriguez-Labajos, Mariana Walter. This project links the analysis of social metabolism to the analysis of resource extraction and waste disposal conflicts. Therefore it brings together Ecological Economics and Political Ecology. Methods for the study of social metabolism have been developed in the last 20 years. The promises of a 'dematerialized' global economy that would allow economic growth while decreasing environmental impacts are not being fulfilled. Issues of environmental justice are of increasing importance. The research will be on Spain and in some other selected countries building on previous results in SEJ2006-15219 published in Ecological Economics and Journal of Industrial Ecology.

Senior Researchers:

• Joan Martinez-Alier
• Giorgos Kallis

Post-Doc Researchers:

• Christos Zografos
• Erik Gomez,
• Giacomo Dalisa

PhD Researchers:

• Marta Conde,
• Beatriz Rodriquez-Labajos
• Mariana Walter,
• Federico Demaria

Social multi-criteria evaluation

SMCE looks at the need to bring together differing scientific languages, with the aim of propelling forward the cause of sustainability. One of the main novelties of this approach is its establishment of a clear relationship between social and public choice on one hand and multiple criteria decision analysis on the other. SMCE is proposed as a policy framework to integrate different scientific languages, for example, when concerns about civil society and future generations have to be considered along with policy imperatives and market conditions. This can have beneficial consequences, not only for economic prosperity, but also when dealing with the difficult sustainability problems of our millennium. The methodological foundations of SMCE rest on concepts from fields such as economics, complex systems theory and philosophy. From a mathematical point of view, social choice is used to improve the axiomatic consistency of multi-criterion algorithms.

Senior Researchers:

• Giuseppe Munda

Associated Researchers:

• Gonzalo Gamboa

De-growth

The paradigm of economic growth has dominated politics and policies since 1945. Environmental concerns were introduced later but always subordinated to growth objectives. Expectations of win-win, sustainable growth through technological and efficiency improvements, have not been fulfilled. The present economic crisis opens up a social opportunity to ask fundamental questions. Managed well, this may be the best, possibly last and only chance to change our economy and lifestyles in a path that will not take us over climate or biodiversity cliffs. Is it possible to improve well-being, enhance social justice and sustain the environment without economic growth? This is the primer question of a research agenda on de-growth. We work to develop the concept of sustainable de-growth, developing new models and indicators and analyzing empirically socio-technical innovations, such as shared mobility or housing systems or alternative currencies, that could be part of a de-growth trajectory. We are interested in particular on the interface between questions of de-growth and justice and the democratic institutions of a de-growth society.

Senior Researchers:

• Joan Martinez-Alier
• Giorgos Kallis

Associated Researchers:

• François Schneider

Composite indicators, aggregation rules and ranking algorithms

Composite indicators (or indexes) are very common in economic and business statistics for benchmarking the (relative) progress of countries in a variety of policy domains, such as industrial competitiveness, sustainable development, social welfare, globalisation and innovation. The proliferation of the production of composite indicators by all the major international organizations is a clear symptom of their political importance and operational relevance in policy-making (see, e.g., http://composite-indicators.jrc.ec.europa.eu/). As a consequence, improvements in the way these indicators are constructed and used is a very important research issue from both theoretical and operational points of view.

Senior Researchers:

• Giuseppe Munda
• Jeroen van den Bergh

Bounded rationality and environmental policy

This theme is concerned with making environmental policy advice consistent with recent insights of behavioral economics and economic psychology about the bounded rationality of humans and their organizations. This involves transferring insights about both consumers and firms to environmental policy studies. The range of potentially relevant behavioral theories is broad, and includes habits and routines, status-seeking and relative welfare, intertemporal decision-making, adaptation to changed circumstances, and decisions under uncertainty.

Senior Researchers:

• Jeroen van den Bergh

Evaluation of climate policy and happiness

This theme is aimed at examining new approaches to evaluation the cost of climate policy. Among others, insights from the literature on happiness or subjective well-being research will be applied to climate policy debates. In addition, attention is devoted to correct incentives for making long-term decisions affecting global warming. Notably, the role of insurance, risk behavior, and adaptation is examined.

Senior Researchers:

• Jeroen van den Bergh

Visiting Researchers:

• Wouter Botzen

PhD Researcher

• Filka Sekulova

Climate change, drought vulnerability and adaptation

The same drought affects different areas, or people within the affected areas, very differently. Vulnerability mediates climatic hazard and impacts. Vulnerability is unevenly distributed along lines of income, class, race or gender. As the majority of existing drought vulnerability studies concern rural areas, we are interested on conceptualizing drought vulnerability in cities, where the majority of the world population lives. The goal is to understand better the structure of urban vulnerability to droughts, i.e. the social, political and institutional factors that may make some cities and urban groups more vulnerable than others. We are also interested on the impacts of climate change on hydrological resources and its implications in terms of intensifying conflicts (inter-state, rural-urban, etc) and human security concerns. Giorgos Kallis and Christos Zografos will be coordinating starting February 2010 the European Research Project CLICO (Climate Change, Hydro-Conflicts and Human Security) with the participation of 14 research teams from Europe, Middle East, Maghreb and the Sahel.

Senior Researchers:

• Giorgos Kallis

Post-Doc Researchers:

• Christos Zografos
• Giacomo D'Alisa

PhD researchers:

• Ethemcan Turhan

Ecosystem services: values, markets and well-being

The concept of ecosystem services has become increasingly popular in the realm of environmental research and policy over the past two decades. The idea that nature provides many tangible and intangible services that are critical to human well-being but neglected in conventional economic accounts and environmental decision making has been used as a powerful heuristic tool to pursue nature conservation and promote land-use management practices that result in enhanced environmental outcomes.

This theme addresses both operational challenges and theoretical controversies of the ecosystem service approach. In relation to the former we conduct applied research on the biophysical, economic, and institutional dimensions of ecosystem services.  In relation to the latter, we interrogate critically the notion of ecosystem services and its operationalization in valuation and policy approaches. In particular, we pay attention to the controversies stemming from emerging markets and payments for ecosystem services and their environmental and socio-economic implications across governance scales. We are also interested in assessing the role that natural goods and functions play in well-being and how they shape our ability to adapt in the face of global environmental and socio-economic change.

To date, this theme has been articulated around a variety of research projects, funded by international and national research organizations, including the EU FP7 programme, the Spanish Ministry for Environmental and Rural Affairs and several international development agencies. Empirical work has been conducted in European, Latin American and African Countries. The Ecological Economics and Integrated Assessment Unit of ICTA-UAB is part of the International Ecosystem Services Partnership (http://www.fsd.nl/esp).

Posdocs and Fellows:

Esteve Corbera
Erik Gomez

PhD researchers:

Jovanka Spiric
Francisco Zorondo

Deliberative and participatory environmental decision-making

Senior Researchers:

• Giorgos Kallis
• Giuseppe Munda

Post-Doc Researchers:

• Christos Zografos

Spatial sustainability, international trade and agglomeration

This theme aims to develop a theoretical framework and model based on a system of regions and interactions (trade, transport, pollution) to analyze the impact of spatial configurations of economic activities on the (un)sustainability of the economy in the long run, and apply this to the case of climate change and policy. This integrates three important influences on (un)sustainability, namely agglomeration spillovers, advantages of international or interregional trade, and dynamic aspects of pollution externalities on regional and global scales. Different spatial structures for each region are considered, to address the spatial features of manufacturing activities, built-up environment, agriculture and non-productive (nature-dominated) land, in terms of concentrated versus dispersed uses of space

Senior Researchers:

• Jeroen van den Bergh
• Giuseppe Munda

Social-technological transitions to sustainable energy

Solving resource scarcity and environmental problems, notably related to fossil energy use and climate change, requires a combination of technical, institutional and social innovations and even fundamental changes in our societies. This has given rise to a new research line dealing with large scale socio-technical transitions to an environmentally sustainable economy. This can be studied with different approaches. We focus on theories and models from innovation studies and evolutionary economics. Relevant questions are: how to guarantee definite solutions to environmental/climate problems with minimal environmental and energy rebound; how to improve political acceptability and social feasibility of transition policies and associated technological trajectories; how to stimulate major environmental innovation trajectories with minimal transition pain and distributional inequity; and how to realize an effective polic mix of environmental and innovation (and unlocking) policies.

Senior Researchers:

• Jeroen van den Bergh
• Mario Giampietro
• Giuseppe Munda
• Jesús Ramos-Martín

Environmental Justice Organisations, Liabilities and Trade

In 2010, upon the completion of CEECEC (Civil Society Engagement with Ecological Economics, www.ceecec.net), another FP7 Science-in-Society project (over 3.6 M €) (FP7 SiS-2010-266642) has been awarded, to be coordinated by ICTA-UAB and involving seven university research institutes, two think-tanks, one independent laboratory, and 13 EJOs (environmental justice organizations). EJOLT means Environmental Justice Organizations, Liabilities and Trade. The EJOLT project is geared to support research on two key issues of immediate interest to society. Which are the underlying causes of the increasing ecological distribution conflicts at different scales? How can such conflicts be turned into forces for environmental sustainability?

Conflicts arising in mining, oil and gas extraction, nuclear energy, ship-breaking and e-waste disposal, tree plantations, biomass exports and land grabbing will be studied across the world from 2011 to 2014. The Action Plan of EJOLT encompasses the production of databases and maps of environmental injustices, networking platforms, mutual case study development, policy papers, scientific articles, videos, on-line courses and other training materials.

Senior Researchers:

• Joan Martinez-Alier

PhD Researchers:

• Mariana Walter
• Leah Temper
• Beatriz Rodriguez Labajos
• Marta Conde