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Bond AJ, O'Connor PJ, Cavagnaro TR. Carbonservation with Demonstrated Biodiversity and Carbon Gains: Carbon Can Pay But Biodiversity Must Lead. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024:10.1007/s00267-023-01928-4. [PMID: 38195904 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01928-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Land use has a critical role to play in both climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation, and increasingly there have been calls to integrate policies for concurrently meeting Paris Agreement commitments and the UN decade on ecosystem restoration 2021-2030. Currently however, investment activities have been dominated by climate change mitigation activities, including through the development of carbon markets (both voluntary and compliance markets). Whilst climate change mitigation is to be welcomed, the prioritization of carbon in avoided deforestation and reforestation can lead to suboptimal or negative outcomes for biodiversity. Restoration of degraded native vegetation may provide an opportunity for concurrent production of both carbon and biodiversity benefits, by harnessing existing carbon markets without the need to trade-off biodiversity outcomes. Here we demonstrate that carbon sequestered by restoring degraded temperate woodland can pay the price of the restored biodiversity. This is shown using conservative carbon prices in an established market (during both a voluntary and compliance market phase), and the restoration price revealed by a 10-year conservation incentive payment scheme. When recovery rates are high, market prices for carbon could pay the full price of restoration, with additional independent investment needed in cases where recovery trajectories are slower. Using carbon markets to fund restoration of degraded native vegetation thereby provides a solution for constrained resources and problematic trade-offs between carbon and biodiversity outcomes. Multi-attribute markets offer the potential to greatly increase the extent of restoration for biodiversity conservation, while providing an affordable source of carbon sequestration and enhancing economic benefits to landowners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthelia J Bond
- The Waite Research Institute, and The School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, The Waite Campus, PMB 1 Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia.
- The Centre for Global Food and Resources, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia.
| | - Patrick J O'Connor
- The Centre for Global Food and Resources, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Timothy R Cavagnaro
- The Waite Research Institute, and The School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, The Waite Campus, PMB 1 Glen Osmond, Adelaide, SA, 5064, Australia
- The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, and Office of Graduate Research, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Portfolio, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
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Kindu M, Mai TLN, Bingham LR, Borges JG, Abildtrup J, Knoke T. Auctioning approaches for ecosystem services - Evidence and applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 853:158534. [PMID: 36075405 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Auctions have attracted growing attention as bidding mechanisms for soliciting or allocating payments for a wide range of ecosystem services (ES). This paper reviews the latest scientific knowledge on ES auctioning approaches. Using systematically selected academic articles, we trace and discuss the development of ES auction literature across space, time, target ecosystem, and mechanism type. We integrate previous attempts to organize this body of work to produce a composite factor map of entry points to more specialized sub-literatures engaging with current issues in auction design and implementation. The results show that most academic work focuses on reverse auctions, where landowners bid their willingness to accept contracts to protect or promote ES provisioning, but we also locate several forward (i.e. beneficiaries bid their willingness to pay for ES) and mixed mechanisms. We critically analyze major advantages and challenges for each approach, emphasizing issues related to transaction costs and accessibility for participants and agencies. Overall, our findings suggest that ES auctions have a robust track record but remain administratively and logistically challenging. Further investment in open-source tools, shared infrastructure, and other efforts to make auctions more accessible to researchers, agencies, and participants alike is strongly indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengistie Kindu
- Institute of Forest Management, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany.
| | - Trang Le Ngoc Mai
- Institute of Forest Management, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Logan Robert Bingham
- Institute of Forest Management, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany; Forest Research Centre and Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José G Borges
- Forest Research Centre and Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jens Abildtrup
- AgroParisTech, CNRS, INRAE, BETA, Université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France
| | - Thomas Knoke
- Institute of Forest Management, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, D-85354 Freising, Germany
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Atkinson J, Brudvig LA, Mallen-Cooper M, Nakagawa S, Moles AT, Bonser SP. Terrestrial ecosystem restoration increases biodiversity and reduces its variability, but not to reference levels: A global meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1725-1737. [PMID: 35559594 PMCID: PMC9320827 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Ecological restoration projects often have variable and unpredictable outcomes, and these can limit the overall impact on biodiversity. Previous syntheses have investigated restoration effectiveness by comparing average restored conditions to average conditions in unrestored or reference systems. Here, we provide the first quantification of the extent to which restoration affects both the mean and variability of biodiversity outcomes, through a global meta-analysis of 83 terrestrial restoration studies. We found that, relative to unrestored (degraded) sites, restoration actions increased biodiversity by an average of 20%, while decreasing the variability of biodiversity (quantified by the coefficient of variation) by an average of 14%. As restorations aged, mean biodiversity increased and variability decreased relative to unrestored sites. However, restoration sites remained, on average, 13% below the biodiversity of reference (target) ecosystems, and were characterised by higher (20%) variability. The lower mean and higher variability in biodiversity at restored sites relative to reference sites remained consistent over time, suggesting that sources of variation (e.g. prior land use, restoration practices) have an enduring influence on restoration outcomes. Our results point to the need for new research confronting the causes of variability in restoration outcomes, and close variability and biodiversity gaps between restored and reference conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Atkinson
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lars A Brudvig
- Department of Plant Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Max Mallen-Cooper
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela T Moles
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen P Bonser
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
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Martín‐Forés I, Bywaters SL, Sparrow B, Guerin GR. Simultaneous effect of habitat remnancy, exotic species, and anthropogenic disturbance on orchid diversity in South Australia. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Martín‐Forés
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Samantha L. Bywaters
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Ben Sparrow
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
| | - Greg R. Guerin
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
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Fitzsimons J, Cooke B. Key questions for conservation tenders as a means for delivering biodiversity benefits on private land. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/emr.12484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Li R, Zheng H, O'Connor P, Xu H, Li Y, Lu F, Robinson BE, Ouyang Z, Hai Y, Daily GC. Time and space catch up with restoration programs that ignore ecosystem service trade-offs. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/14/eabf8650. [PMID: 33789907 PMCID: PMC8011961 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf8650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In response to extreme societal consequences of ecosystem degradation and climate change, attention to ecological restoration is increasing globally. In China, investments in restoration exceeded USD 378.5 billion over the past decade. However, restoration programs are experiments that can cause marked unintended consequences, with trade-offs across space and time that have undergone little empirical examination. We quantified the long-term effects of large-scale afforestation for soil erosion and sandstorm prevention in semiarid China. We found that soil erosion was notably reduced by afforestation but surface runoff declined significantly, after a time lag of 18 years, limiting overall benefit. While forest area also increased, forest quality declined, interacting with reduced surface water runoff. Crucially, increased forest water consumption accelerated downstream groundwater depletion, thus intensifying conflicts over water use. The time lags and spatial trade-offs revealed by this case study provide critical lessons for large-scale restoration programs globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Patrick O'Connor
- Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Huashan Xu
- Daning Management Office of the Beijing South-to-North Water Diversion, Beijing 102442, China
| | - Yunkai Li
- College of Water Resource & Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Fei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei National Observation and Research Station for Eco-Environmental Change and Integrated Management, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Brian E Robinson
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - Zhiyun Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yue Hai
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Geography and Environmental Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Gretchen C Daily
- Department of Biology, Natural Capital Project, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Prowse TA, O'Connor PJ, Collard SJ, Rogers DJ. Eating away at protected areas: Total grazing pressure is undermining public land conservation. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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