The Race for Evolutionary Success

Tonn, Bruce; Stiefel, Dorian

doi:10.3390/su4081787

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 88 publications

(83 reference statements)

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“…Individuals are often faced with making daily decisions in a setting and context they did not create, in terms of who has political power, who has control over resources, and, in a broader sense, what infrastructural and technological options are available and why. What is well noted is the imperative of social and cultural systems to change, to adapt, and evolve to meet the sustainability challenges at all levels [53]. Thus, interrogating the SLR literature (including GL content) from a socio-technical consideration views the data from an institutional and governance context and asks the question of who is really responsible for the development and practice of sustainable behaviour in our society and how this can be progressed.…”

Section: Socio-technical Approach-systems Of Provisionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review

Byers

Gilmer

2021

Sustainability

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The modern industry discourse on sustainability is the idea of ‘green growth’, which is described as the paradox of the continuation of increased economic growth, at the same time as increasing sustainability. Policy makers face the challenge of how to encourage and sustain appropriate levels of individual behavioural change to manage consumption in a changing environment. In addressing this challenge, this study seeks to move beyond discrete elements of human consumption behaviour and develop a better understand of the wider inputs including culture, societal norms, institutions and governance. The research methodology adopted uses a systematic literature review approach coupled with thematic analysis. The study presents a new understanding of the interrelatedness of consumption policy, social structures, and the boundary arrangements of governance. What emerges is a focus on the role of governance and societal context in influencing outcomes. A fundamental output of the study is the designation of 27 evidence-based principles of change. These principles represent a new framework: the Governance and Sustainable Policy Development (GSPD) framework or ‘Road Map’, designed to guide decision making and aid the understanding of what motivates individuals and institutions within a wider neo-liberal societal system to manage their consumption from a more sustainable policy and governance perspective.

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Section: Socio-technical Approach-systems Of Provisionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review

Byers

Gilmer

2021

Sustainability

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“…Using the framework presented in Fig. 3, Tonn and Stiefel (57) conducted an environmental scan focusing on nonhuman species extinction and found that the aggregated influences appear to be lessening threats to nonhuman species over the next several decades.…”

Section: Environmental Scanning Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Methods for Estimating Existential Risks

Tonn

Stiefel

2013

Risk Analysis

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Researchers and commissions contend that the risk of human extinction is high, but none of these estimates have been based upon a rigorous methodology suitable for estimating existential risks. This article evaluates several methods that could be used to estimate the probability of human extinction. Traditional methods evaluated include: simple elicitation; whole evidence Bayesian; evidential reasoning using imprecise probabilities; and Bayesian networks. Three innovative methods are also considered: influence modeling based on environmental scans; simple elicitation using extinction scenarios as anchors; and computationally intensive possible-worlds modeling. Evaluation criteria include: level of effort required by the probability assessors; level of effort needed to implement the method; ability of each method to model the human extinction event; ability to incorporate scientific estimates of contributory events; transparency of the inputs and outputs; acceptability to the academic community (e.g., with respect to intellectual soundness, familiarity, verisimilitude); credibility and utility of the outputs of the method to the policy community; difficulty of communicating the method's processes and outputs to nonexperts; and accuracy in other contexts. The article concludes by recommending that researchers assess the risks of human extinction by combining these methods.

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“…The challenge of transitioning towards resilient socio-ecological systems is compounded by complex system interactions [33] and the overall effects of adaptation strategies "must be considered strategically and holistically" [34]. For example, in the case of climate change several authors have highlighted complexity as a defining feature (see for example [14,35]).…”

Section: Complexity and Interdependencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative Pressures on Sustainable Livelihoods: Coastal Adaptation in the Mekong Delta

et al. 2013

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Many coastal areas throughout the world are at risk from sea level rise and the increased intensity of extreme events such as storm surge and flooding. Simultaneously, many areas are also experiencing significant socio-economic challenges associated with rural-urban transitions, population growth, and increased consumption resulting from improving gross regional product. Within this context we explore the viability of proposed adaptation pathways in Soc Trang province, Vietnam-an area of the Mekong Delta experiencing cumulative pressures on coastal livelihoods. A participatory workshop and interviews, using a combination of systems thinking and futures techniques, revealed a shared goal of sustainable livelihoods, which provides an integrated and systemic focus for coastal adaptation strategies. Emphasizing sustainable livelihoods is less likely to lead to maladaptation because stakeholders consciously seek to avoid optimizing particular system elements at the expense of others-and thus engage in broader decision-making frameworks supportive of social-ecological resilience. However, the broad ambit required for sustainable livelihoods is not supported by governance frameworks that have focused on protective strategies (e.g., dyke building, strengthening and raising, to continue and expand agriculture and aquaculture production) at the expense of developing a diverse suite of adaptation strategies, which may lead to path dependencies and an ultimate reduction in adaptive capacity for system transformation.

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The Race for Evolutionary Success

Cited by 5 publications

References 88 publications

The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review

The Challenge of Sustainable Consumption for Governance and Policy Development—A Systematic Review

Evaluating Methods for Estimating Existential Risks

Cumulative Pressures on Sustainable Livelihoods: Coastal Adaptation in the Mekong Delta

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