Biodiversity and human well-being: An essential link for sustainable development

S Naeem; Robin L Chazdon; J E Duffy; C Prager; B Worm

doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.2091

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Biodiversity and human well-being: An essential link for sustainable development

Journal article

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Biodiversity and human well-being: An essential link for sustainable development

S Naeem, Robin L Chazdon, J E Duffy, C Prager and B Worm

Proceedings. Biological sciences, Vol.283(20162091)

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2091

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Abstract

biodiversity

ecosystem services

human well-being

sustainable development

As society strives to transition towards more sustainable development pathways, it is important to properly conceptualize the link between biodiversity (i.e. genes, traits, species and other dimensions) and human well-being (HWB; i.e. health, wealth, security and other dimensions). Here, we explore how published conceptual frameworks consider the extent to which the biodiversity-HWB links are being integrated into public discourse and scientific research and the implications of our findings for sustainable development. We find that our understanding has gradually evolved from seeing the value of biodiversity as an external commodity that may influence HWB to biodiversity as fundamental to HWB. Analysis of the literature trends indicates increasing engagement with the terms biodiversity, HWB and sustainable development in the public, science and policy spheres, but largely as independent rather than linked terms.We suggest that a consensus framework for sustainable development should include biodiversity explicitly as a suite of internal variables that both influence and are influenced by HWB. Doing so will enhance clarity and help shape coherent research and policy priorities. We further suggest that the absence of this link in development can inadvertently lead to a ratcheting down of biodiversity by otherwise well-meaning policies. Such biotic impoverishment could lock HWB at minimum levels or lead to its decline and halt or reverse progress in achieving sustainable development. © 2016 The Authors.

Details

Title: Biodiversity and human well-being: An essential link for sustainable development
Authors: S Naeem (Author) - Columbia University, United States
Robin L Chazdon (Author) - University of Connecticut, United States
J E Duffy (Author) - Smithsonian Institute, United States
C Prager (Author) - Columbia University, United States
B Worm (Author) - Dalhousie University, Canada
Publication details: Proceedings. Biological sciences, Vol.283(20162091); 10
Publisher: Royal Society Publishing
Date published: 2016
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2091
ISSN: 0962-8452
Copyright note: Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
Organisation Unit: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451163702621
Output Type: Journal article