Local Government and Natural Capital

Abstract

This chapter marks a significant change in the book's narrative, as the analysis moves from private citizens to the public sphere. Its starting point is that good government can develop distinctive capabilities to ensure that certain types of goods and services, especially those involving externalities and economic public goods, are provided for persons to use to enhance wellbeing. For some policies, particularly where local residents can improve outcomes by participating in policy design or implementation, local government can do this better than central government. In this context, the chapter explains Ostrom's theory of coproduction of local government services and applies it to regional economic development. The chapter also discusses natural capital. Since ecosystem services provided by the natural environment can be diminished by human activity, investment in natural capital is required to maintain wellbeing.

Social Monetary Valuation for Protecting Forests and Protected Wild Animals in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

“…This limitation can be a recommendation for further research. Future significance could include direct community involvement to protect forests, for social control, and for assisting governments in preserving the natural environment because environmental problems are not only the responsibility of the government alone but are the responsibility of all [55].…”

Health and welfare at the boundaries: community development through tourism

“…Now we recognise the potential for paradigms established in health and wellbeing, specifically in healthcare, that provide a broad framework for driving the social and cultural capital accrual that will be critical for hosting tourism in the years ahead (O'Meara et al, 2002;Choi and Sirakaya, 2006;Huijbens, 2010;Kim et al, 2013;Voigt and Pforr, 2013a). As a matter of public interest, a focus on wellbeing can drive skills for sustaining community capital and the infrastructure needed to support hosts and, in turn, as development broadens appeal of the destination community, to tourists (Dalziel et al, 2018). To develop the required skills as hosts and as champions the acquisition of a framework to empower people in communities and to develop notions of partnership and cooperation needs exploration through a social wellbeing and health lens (Craig and Taylor, 2002;Wagner and Caves, 2012).…”