The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Anna Tengberg

Anna Tengberg

Adjunct Professor

Anna Tengberg

Integrated approaches to natural resources management—Theory and practice

Author

  • Anna Tengberg
  • Sandra Valencia

Summary, in English

To meet multiple environmental objectives, integrated programming is becoming increasingly important for the Global Environmental Facility, the financial mechanism of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements, including the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. However, integration is often not well defined. We therefore focus on identifying key aspects of integration and assessing their implementation in natural resources management projects. To that end, we draw on systems thinking literature and carry out an analysis of a random sample of Global Environmental Facility integrated projects and in-depth case studies demonstrating lessons learned and good practice. We highlight the need for projects to identify clearer system boundaries and main feedback mechanisms within those boundaries, in order to effectively address drivers of environmental change. We propose a theory of change for integrated natural resources management projects, where short-term environmental and socioeconomic benefits will first accrue at the local level. Implementation of improved integrated natural resources management technologies and practices at the local level can then be extended through spatial planning and strengthening of innovation systems. Financing and incentive mechanisms at the watershed and/or landscape/seascape level coupled with supporting policies could sustain and enhance ecosystem services at even larger scales and longer time spans. The evolving scientific understanding of factors influencing social, technical, and institutional innovations and transitions towards sustainable management of natural resources should be harnessed and integrated into influencing models and theory of change for complex social-environmental problems, such as land degradation, and be coupled with up-to-date approaches for learning, adaptive management, and scaling up.

Department/s

  • LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)

Publishing year

2018-06-01

Language

English

Pages

1845-1857

Publication/Series

Land Degradation and Development

Volume

29

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Topic

  • Environmental Management

Keywords

  • global environment facility
  • integrated natural resources management
  • land degradation
  • systems thinking
  • theory of change

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1085-3278