Conceptualizing Human Well -being and Ecosystem Services ... · ecosystem services on aspects of societal welfare and overall human well-being Develop conceptual framework for linking

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES RESEARCH PROGRAM

www.epa.gov/ecologyECOSYSTEM SERVICES RESEARCH PROGRAMHuman Health and Well-being

Conceptualizing Human Well-being and Ecosystem Services in Context of Economic and Social Aspects

Lisa M. SmithACES Phoenix, AZDecember 9 , 2010

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What is the impact of changes in ecosystem services on human well-being and on ecosystem services, monetary and non-monetary value?

What are the vital links between ecosystem services provisions and priority societal issues such as illness and disease, livelihood, homeland security, cultural preservation and spiritual fulfillment?

Linking Ecosystem Services to Human Well-being

Photo © Jose-Luis Magana/Greenpeace

http://current.com/http:/www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeaceusa09/4680010608/�

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Subjective Well-being

Basic Needs

Environmental Well-being

Societal Well-being

Economic Well-being

Human Well-being

Human Capital Built Capital Natural Capital Social Capital

Services (Economic,Social and Ecosystem)

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A well-being measure for the US which integrates the influence of ecosystem services on aspects of societal welfare and overall human well-being

Develop conceptual framework for linking environmental, economic and social factors to constituents of human well-being

• Ecosystem services• Economic services• Social services

Evaluate the qualitative values of these linkages

• Existing knowledge• Programmatic objectives and professional

opinion• Perception

Examine and determine the qualitative and quantitative relationships between environmental services and well-being

ProfessionalOpinion

People’s PerceptionLiterature

Relative Importance

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Source Scale Economic Basic Needs Environmental Subjective

EIU National X X

Cummins et al. 2003

National X X X

Prescott Allen 2001

National X X X

Kerk and Manuel 2008

National X X X

Chinese University of Hong

Kong Centre for QOL

National X X X

Distaso 2007 National X X X

Vemuri and Costanza

National X X X (X)

Land, Lamb and Mustillo 2001

National X X

Atkinson Charitable Foundation

National X X X

New Economics Foundation 2007

National X X X

Bradshaw and Richardson 2009

National X X X

Miringoff and Miringoff 1999

National X X

Kacapyr 1996 National X X

2008 Gallup National X X

Index of Social Health

American Demographics Index of Well-Being

The Well Being of Nations

Sustainable Society Index

Hong Kong Quality of Life Index 2008

Well-being in EU countries multidimensional index of sustainability

National Well being Index-Life Satisfaction

Index

The Economists Intelligence Unit’s Quality of Life Index

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index

UNDP 1990 -2008

(X)

Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index

X X

Human Development Index National X X

Child and Youlth Well Being Index

Canadian Index of Well-Being

Happy Planet Index

Index of Child Well-Being in Europe

Quality of Life Index for developed countries

Diener 1995 National X

6

Pol

itica

l Clim

ate

Social Networks

∆in

pro

visi

onin

gHuman Well-being

EnvironmentalWell-Being

EconomicWell-Being

Socio-Economic Valuation

Pol

icy

Actio

ns

Non-policy Driven FactorsAdvocacy Groups

NGOs/INGOsNot-for-profit Organizations

Decision Support

Policy-Driven FactorsEnvironmental Regulation

Economic Regulation and ReformSocial Programs

Access to servicesAltruism

Clean environmentEconomic growth

Ecosystem conditionEducation

HealthLeisure time

Life satisfaction/ happinessNutrition

Public InfrastructureSafety and security

ShelterSocial cohesion

Spiritual and cultural fulfillmentTopophilia and biophilia

Wealth

Well-Being Domains

Freedom and Choice

Ecosystem ServicesWater Quality Regulation

Air Quality RegulationNatural Hazard Protection

Food & Fiber Recreation and AestheticsAtmospheric Regulation

Soil & Sediment Quality RegulationPest & Disease RegulationWater Quantity Regulation

Economic Services

Social ServicesHealthcare

Public HealthFinancial Assistance

Family ServicesActivismJusticeLabor

Claimed Civil LibertiesEmergency Preparedness

EducationPublic Works

CommunicationCommunity & Faith Based Initiatives

ConsumptionProduction

EmploymentDistribution

Capital maintenanceCapital investment

IncomeInnovation

StabilizationFinance

SocietalWelfare

SocietalWell-Being

State of theEconomy

Social Conditions

State of theEnvironment

Good governance


Basic Human Needs

Pol

itica

l Clim

ate

Social Networks

∆in

pro

visi

onin

gHuman Well-being


EconomicWell-Being


Pol

icy

Actio

ns



Decision Support






HealthLeisure time





Wealth

Well-Being Domains

Freedom and Choice





Economic Services










IncomeInnovation


SocietalWelfare

SocietalWell-Being

State of theEconomy

Social Conditions


Good governance


Basic Human Needs

Pol

itica

l Clim

ate

Social Networks

∆in

pro

visi

onin

gHuman Well-being


EconomicWell-Being


Pol

icy

Actio

ns



Decision Support






HealthLeisure time





Wealth

Well-Being Domains




HealthLeisure time





Wealth

Well-Being Domains

Freedom and Choice





Economic Services










IncomeInnovation


SocietalWelfare

SocietalWell-Being

State of theEconomy

Social Conditions


Good governance


Basic Human Needs


Basic Human Needs


Basic Human Needs

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Developing relative importance values (RIVs)

No

rela

tions

hip

Very

littl

e in

fluen

ce

Som

e in

fluen

ce

Mod

erat

e in

fluen

ce

Stro

ng in

fluen

ce

Very

str

ong

influ

ence

Professional Opinion (Programmatic Needs)

People’s perception (What really matters)

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HealthSafety and Security

WealthPublic Infrastructure

AltruismLife Satisfaction/ Happiness

Topophilia and BiophiliaClean EnvironmentEconomic Growth

Ecosystem ConditionShelter

EducationNutrition

Access to ServicesSocial Cohesion

Leisure TimeSpiritual and Cultural Fulfillment

Basic human needs

Subjective well-being

Economic well-being

Environmental well-being

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Ranks for Ecosystem ServicesEcologists' Opinion People's Perception Integrated

Water Quantity Regulation Recreation and Aesthetics Air Quality Regulation

Air Quality Regulation Natural Hazard Protection Food and Fiber

Food and Fiber Food and Fiber Water Quantity Regulation

Water Quality Regulation Water Quality Regulation Water Quality Regulation

Recreation and Aesthetics Air Quality Regulation Recreation and Aesthetics

Soil and Sediment Regulation Water Quantity Regulation Soil and Sediment Regulation

Atmospheric Regulation Soil and Sediment Regulation Natural Hazard Protection

Pest and Disease Regulation Atmospheric Regulation Atmospheric Regulation

Natural Hazard Protection Pest and Disease Regulation Pest and Disease Regulation

( )( )∑ −−− = EDDSn

ES RIVRIVD1RIV

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Professional Opinion

Integrated Weighted Value

People’s Perception

Ecosystem Services Contribution to Overall Well-being (ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ONLY)

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Ecosystem Services Within Module Contribution to Overall Well-being

12

Social Services Within Module Contribution to Overall Well-being

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What we have learned so far… Combining knowledge from the literature, programmatic perspectives and general

perception gives us a better understanding of the potential influence of ecosystem services on well-being including

• which ecosystem services have the greatest contribution to well-being• which aspects of well-being are influenced the most by ecosystem services

Qualitative analyses of relative importance values describing the relationship between ecosystem services and well-being indicate that the contribution of ecosystem services to economic, environmental and subjective well-being is nearly equal once basic needs are met. Social services highest contributions to well-being are via the element of basic needs and subjective well-being.

The “value” of services will change when emphasis is placed on a particular element of well-being. The weighting of the elements in the construction of an index will determine how much services contribute to overall well-being.

We use the same qualitative methods to develop the ecosystem services, economic and social modules. By doing so, we can integrate the modules to assess the qualitative contribution of ecosystems to human well-being in context of economic and social drivers.

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What’s next? Develop RIVs for economic services relationships Quantify the uncertainty associated with relative

importance values Integrate services modules Conduct sensitivity analyses

• Individual response• Structural

Select indicators Construct database Define index construction framework

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15

HighModerateLow

All Services

Capital Investment

Income

More

All Services

Water Quality Regulation

Recreation & Aesthetics

More

Social

Ecosystem

Economic

Decrease Increase

All Services

Capital Investment

Income

More

Decrease Increase

Decrease Increase

SustainableHuman Well-Being

Index

3.0

Conceptual Model Linking Services to Human Well-being

All Services

Capital Investment

Income

More

All Services

Water Quality Regulation

Recreation & Aesthetics

More

Social

Ecosystem

Economic

Decrease Increase

All Services

Public Works

Healthcare

More

Decrease Increase

Decrease Increase

Orlando

Jacksonville

Miami

Tampa

Lake Okeechobee

Tallahassee

Pensacola

HighModerateLow

SustainableHuman Well-Being

Index

2.62.23.22.93.13.4

Scenario Builder

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-Charles Birch in the scientific magazine 21C

Documents

Conceptualizing Human Well -being and Ecosystem Services ... · ecosystem services on aspects of societal welfare and overall human well-being Develop conceptual framework for linking