Degrowth scenarios for biodiversity? Key methodological steps and a call for collaboration

Bibliographic Data

ID12950337
AuthorsIago Otero (0000-0002-6045-8369, University of Lausanne, corresponding author), Stanislas Rigal (0000-0002-3180-4592, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences), Laura Pereira (0000-0002-4996-7234, Stockholm Resilience Centre), Hyejin Kim (0000-0001-5175-7108, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research), Gonzalo Gamboa (0000-0003-0577-2934, Universitat Autonòma de Barcelona), Enric Tello (0000-0002-4970-1524, Barcelona School of Economics), Adrienne Grêt-Regamey (0000-0001-8156-9503, ETH Zurich)
Year2024
Publication date2024-05-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSustainability Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1862-4057 • E-ISSN: 1862-4065
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s11625-024-01483-9
OpenAlexW4396673180
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited124

Studies show that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss and that, after a certain threshold, it does not contribute to wellbeing. Thus, when developing biodiversity scenarios, considering societal futures where economic growth is not a pre-condition deserves special attention. However, to date, degrowth scenarios have not been explored for biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing. In this paper, we explain how the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) and other approaches could be used to generate degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people (NCP) and good quality of life (GQL) based on multiple societal values. We present key methodological steps of such an endeavour, including: (i) producing degrowth visions for high-income countries; (ii) identifying leverage points and imagining degrowth pathways; (iii) identifying key social–ecological interactions; and (iv) modelling biodiversity, NCP, and GQL along degrowth scenarios. Our proposal is framed within current theoretical, empirical, and modelling work as well as within efforts to improve scenario development across the biodiversity and climate communities. To develop degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, NCP, and GQL, we call for collaboration across natural and social sciences, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and northern and southern perspectives. This collaboration could lead to a community of practice that tests and improves the degrowth scenarios in national and international science–policy interfaces as they set out to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature

Biodiversity · Biology · Degrowth · Economics · Environmental resource management · Key (lock · Landscape ecology · Political science · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management · Land Use and Ecosystem Services · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance · Ecology

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