A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Conceptualising sustainability through environmental stewardship and virtuous cycles—a new empirically-grounded model
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8935-1012
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0230-6631
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2117-366X
Humans depend on earth’s ecosystems and in the Anthropocene, ecosystems are increasingly impacted by human activities. Sustainability—the long-term integrity of social–ecological systems—depends on effective environmental stewardship, yet current conceptual frameworks often lack empirical validation and are limited in their ability to show progress towards sustainability goals. In this study we examine institutional and local stewardship actions and their ecological and social outcomes along 7000 km of Australia’s coastline. We use empirical mixed methods and grounded theory to show that the combination of local and institutional stewardship leads to improved ecological outcomes, which in turn enhance social values and motivate further stewardship to form a virtuous cycle. Virtuous cycles may proceed over multiple iterations, which we represent in a new spiral model enabling visualisation of progress towards sustainability goals over time. Our study has important implications for collaborative earth stewardship and the role of policy in enabling virtuous cycles to ultimately realise sustainable futures.
Conceptualising sustainability through environmental stewardship and virtuous cycles—a new empirically-grounded model
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8935-1012
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0230-6631
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2117-366X
Humans depend on earth’s ecosystems and in the Anthropocene, ecosystems are increasingly impacted by human activities. Sustainability—the long-term integrity of social–ecological systems—depends on effective environmental stewardship, yet current conceptual frameworks often lack empirical validation and are limited in their ability to show progress towards sustainability goals. In this study we examine institutional and local stewardship actions and their ecological and social outcomes along 7000 km of Australia’s coastline. We use empirical mixed methods and grounded theory to show that the combination of local and institutional stewardship leads to improved ecological outcomes, which in turn enhance social values and motivate further stewardship to form a virtuous cycle. Virtuous cycles may proceed over multiple iterations, which we represent in a new spiral model enabling visualisation of progress towards sustainability goals over time. Our study has important implications for collaborative earth stewardship and the role of policy in enabling virtuous cycles to ultimately realise sustainable futures.
Conceptualising sustainability through environmental stewardship and virtuous cycles—a new empirically-grounded model
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8935-1012
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0230-6631
https://orcid.org/http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2117-366X
Humans depend on earth’s ecosystems and in the Anthropocene, ecosystems are increasingly impacted by human activities. Sustainability—the long-term integrity of social–ecological systems—depends on effective environmental stewardship, yet current conceptual frameworks often lack empirical validation and are limited in their ability to show progress towards sustainability goals. In this study we examine institutional and local stewardship actions and their ecological and social outcomes along 7000 km of Australia’s coastline. We use empirical mixed methods and grounded theory to show that the combination of local and institutional stewardship leads to improved ecological outcomes, which in turn enhance social values and motivate further stewardship to form a virtuous cycle. Virtuous cycles may proceed over multiple iterations, which we represent in a new spiral model enabling visualisation of progress towards sustainability goals over time. Our study has important implications for collaborative earth stewardship and the role of policy in enabling virtuous cycles to ultimately realise sustainable futures.
Conceptualising sustainability through environmental stewardship and virtuous cycles—a new empirically-grounded model
Sustain Sci
Turnbull, John W. (author) / Clark, Graeme F. (author) / Johnston, Emma L. (author)
Sustainability Science ; 16 ; 1475-1487
2021-09-01
13 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Sustainability , Social–ecological systems , Environmental stewardship , Mixed methods , Grounded theory , Sustainable development goals Environment , Environmental Management , Climate Change Management and Policy , Environmental Economics , Landscape Ecology , Sustainable Development , Public Health , Earth and Environmental Science
BUILDING CIVIC CAPACITY IN URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS: AN EMPIRICALLY GROUNDED ANATOMY
| Online Contents | 2006