Social Aspects
Climate Risk ManagementBACKGROUND:Worldwide efforts are underway to devise and apply strategies to manage these risks effectively. Key challenges in climate risk management include the integration of necessary scientific disciplines, articulating stakeholder values and objectives, and quantifying pivotal uncertainties and trade-offs, all of which are vital for crafting effective management strategies. The paper addresses the intensification of global climate risks driven by accelerating climate change. The authors review these challenges based on existing literature to identify potential avenues to overcome them. Open access copy available |
Livelihoods, Forests, and Conservation in Developing Countries: An OverviewBACKGROUND:Poverty is a huge challenge, with 2.8 billion of the world’s 6 billion people living on less than $2 a day. The paper highlights the alarming extent of poverty in developing countries and addresses the rapid deforestation, which compromises ecological integrity and exacerbates social inequities. The authors focus on exploring whether poverty alleviation and forest conservation can be aligned as complementary rather than conflicting objectives. Available with subscription or purchase |
Forest concessions in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, Guatemala: A decade laterBACKGROUND:Over the past few decades, there has been a significant shift in conservation strategies from traditional command-and-control approaches to more inclusive, community-focused philosophies. This transition was driven by the recognition of the failures of strict protectionism, which often led to diminished ecological and institutional resilience. Simultaneously, the recognition of rural communities as both impacted by and impactful within natural systems has grown, advocating for incentive-based, participatory strategies to address human-environment conflicts effectively. Available with subscription or purchase |
Environmental Rights are a Human Right to a Healthy Environment: A Brief ReviewBACKGROUND:Environmental rights constitute a legal field dedicated to protecting and preserving the environment. This area of law governs the interactions between humans and nature through a comprehensive set of regulations. The paper delves into the intrinsic link between environmental protection and human rights, highlighting the evolution and significance of environmental rights within legal frameworks. It particularly focuses on developments in the Americas and explores how environmental rights have been increasingly integrated into broader human rights agendas. Open access copy available |
Field interventions for climate change mitigation behaviors: A second-order meta-analysisBACKGROUND:Climate change poses significant threats, including extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and adverse impacts on human health. Behavioral change is recognized as a crucial strategy for mitigating these effects, yet a comprehensive synthesis of interventions promoting pro-environmental behaviors in real-world settings is lacking. The findings aim to identify the most impactful strategies, such as financial incentives and social norms, providing actionable insights for future research and practice in climate change mitigation. Open access copy available |
Monitoring of large-scale forest restoration: Evidence of vegetation recovery and reversing chronic ecosystem degradation in the mountain region of PakistanBACKGROUND:Global forest area has decreased by 4.2% over the past three decades, highlighting the urgent need for effective restoration efforts. In response, Pakistan launched the Billion Tree Tsunami Afforestation Program (BTAP) in 2014 to restore depleted forest ecosystems in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province through extensive afforestation and community involvement. This study evaluates the success of BTAP in reversing forest degradation by analyzing satellite imagery and vegetation growth trends from 2014 to 2021. Available with subscription or purchase |
Role of local communities in forest landscape restoration: Key lessons from the Billion Trees Afforestation Project, PakistanBACKGROUND:Forests in Pakistan have depleted over the years due to anthropogenic disturbances such as illegal logging, urbanization, and agriculture. The Billion Trees Afforestation Project (BTAP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa aims to conserve forests, improve livelihoods, and mitigate climate change by actively involving local communities. This study evaluates the effectiveness of BTAP, the critical role of farmer participation, and the factors influencing their engagement in the project. Available with subscription or purchase |
The potential of secondary forests to restore biodiversity of the lost forests in semi-deciduous West AfricaBACKGROUND:The human population in West Africa has increased considerably over the past four decades, leading to a high demand for food. This has led to the conversion of vast forest lands to agricultural lands in the region. Degraded forest landscapes have the capacity to regain fertility and naturally regenerate, resulting in the widespread spread of secondary forests in West Africa. Despite the significant presence of secondary forests in the region, there is rare knowledge about forest successional stages and general dynamics. Open access copy available |
Developing a framework for sustainable development indicators for the mining and minerals industryBACKGROUND:Minerals are essential to a variety of industries that help in everyday life. However, the extraction of minerals is often associated with numerous negative environmental impacts. The mining industry is responsible for more pressing sustainability challenges than any other industry. The mining industry must address these challenges by addressing the concerns of different stakeholders, as demonstrated by the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project. Available with subscription or purchase |
Carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in agroforestry systems on degraded soils of Eastern Amazon, BrazilBackground:Among various approaches to forest restoration, passive restoration via natural regeneration stands out as the most cost-efective option. However, the resilience of the forest is heavily influenced by factors such as water availability, soil integrity, and the presence of seed dispersers in the landscape. In situations where resilience is low, successful restoration relies on active human interventions. Unfortunately, many restoration projects, especially those involving smallholders, face budget constraints. In such circumstances, Agroforestry Systems emerge as a restoration strategy that combines both socio-economic and ecological advantages. Available with subscription or purchase |
