In what is undoubtedly a positive development for the natural world, the concept of “ecosystem services” is poised to go mainstream. This is a good thing because the concept is based upon the idea that our status quo economic models do not properly recognize the value of so-called externalities and fail to take into account [...]
Posts Tagged ‘biodiversity’
2 May
Japan should look to satoyama and satoumi for inspiration – A new article on Our World 2.0
This morning Our World 2.0 posted an outstanding new article entitled, “Japan should look to satoyama and satoumi for inspiration“. It is exciting and gratifying to see the concepts of satoyama and satoumi being highlighted for their potential to provide a sustainable, resilient, long-term basis for a rich and dynamic culture and thriving relationship with [...]
25 Feb
To Serve the Ecosystems that Serve Us
The following article appears in Our World 2.0. It is a modified (improved!) version of a an earlier post on this blog. Thank you, OW2.0, for picking this up and helping spread these ideas! What if we changed our relationship with the natural world from one of taking what we can to one of reciprocity [...]
30 Oct
From Ecosystem Services to Gift Culture: An Overdue Change in Perspective
What if we changed our relationship with the natural world from one of taking what we can to one of reciprocity and mutual giving? The International Satoyama Initiative formally launched at this week’s COP10 Biodiversity Conference in Nagoya, Japan, provides an important boost to preserving traditional forest and farmland (“satoyama”), and seaside (“satoumi”) ecological production [...]
18 Oct
UNEP says “Satoyama may prove to be one of Japan’s most important exports”
Addressing yesterday’s opening of the biodiversity summit in Nagoya, the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, Achim Steiner, the United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), noted something very significant and, I believe, right on target: Japan’s ancient culture and legendary technological innovation has [...]
5 Oct
Ecosystem Services – A transitional concept?
One of my favorite webzines, Our World 2.0, recently posted an article exploring the merits of developed countries paying developing countries to protect their so-called “ecosystem services.” The concept of ecosystems providing a valuable service to humanity, and thus being worthy of protection, is a key proposition in the Satoyama Initiative’s quest to protect biodiversity. [...]
21 May
When nature is an abstraction it’s easy to take it for granted
Yesterday, after reading Our World 2.0′s excellent article, Biodiversity, the world’s economic backbone, it occurred to me that we humans are being confronted by an entirely new challenge: How NOT to take nature for granted. After lunch I took a moment to watch from our deck as the rain fell lightly onto the leaves of [...]
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