Uncertainty, Resource Exploitation, and Conservation...
Transcript of Uncertainty, Resource Exploitation, and Conservation...
Uncertainty, Resource Exploitation, and
Conservation: Lessons from History
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Ecological Thresholds: The Key to Successful Environmental Management or
an Important Concept with No Practical Application?
A Comparative Inquiry
(Lead Paper)
(Supporting Paper)
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Major Themes: Definitions
ECOLOGICAL THRESHOLD
PREDICTION
VARIABILITY
UNCERTAINTY
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Summary:
Uncertainty, Resource Exploitation,
and Conservation: Lessons from History
Overconsumption of natural resources by humans is a serious
problem and will lead to environmental degradation and loss of
biodiversity.
Human endeavor has been inadequate at changing the trajectory of
the consequences of resource exploitation. Why? What can we do?
Anything?
“…Rely on scientists to recognize
problems but not to remedy
them…”
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Environmental Problems = Human Problems:
Lead Paper
“…Resource problems are not really
environmental problems: They are
human problems that we have
created at many times and in many
places, under a variety of political,
social and economic systems…”
“…We suggest that progress in
this area depends on both
general and specific research…”
Supporting Paper
“…Perhaps the greatest challenges in
applying threshold concepts to
environmental problems arise from
difficulties in incorporating human
decision making and behaviour into
our evaluation framework and
methods…”
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Resources: Water
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The Paradox of Modern Landscapes
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Systems of Knowledge:
Rene Descartes(1596-1650): Philosopher and Mathmetician
“I think therefore I am”
Cartesian coordinate
system
The Age of Enlightenment
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Systems of Knowledge:
Greek Mythology
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Systems of Knowledge: Australian Aborigines
‘The Dreaming’
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Systems of Knowledge: First Nations
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Systems of Knowledge:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
‘A science of qualities’
The Romantic Era
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Compassionate Intelligence and Environmental Humility
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Managing for the Whole