Plural valuation of nature for equity and sustainability: Insights from the Global South

ZAFRA-CALVO NOELIA; MERÇON, JULIANA; MWAMPAMBA, TUYENI HEITA; ARIAS-AREVALO, PAOLA; O`FARRELL, PATRICK; KRISHNAN, SIDDHARTHA; KRAUS-ELSIN, YOANNA; DÍAZ, SANDRA; PASCUAL, UNAI; VAN NOORDWIJK, MEINE; IFEJIKA SPERANZA, CHINWE; CÁCERES, DANIEL MARIO; SOUBADRA, DEVY; GUIBRUNET, LOUISE; CARIÑO, JOJI; BALVANERA, PATRICIA; MARTIN- LOPEZ, BERTA; LELE, SHARAD; CABROL, DIEGO ANTONIO; SUBRAMANIAN, SUNEETHA MAZHENCHERY; CARMENTA, RACHEL; MOERSBERGER, HANNAH

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2020 vol. 63

0959-3780

Plural valuation is about eliciting the diverse values of nature articulated by different stakeholders in order to inform decision making and thus achieve more equitable and sustainable outcomes. We explore what approaches align withplural valuation on the ground, as well as how different social-ecological contexts play a role in translating plural valuation into decisions and outcomes. Based on a co-constructed analytical approach relying on empirical information from ten cases from the Global South, we find that plural valuation contributes to equitable and sustainable outcomes if the valuation process: 1) is based on participatory elicitation approaches; 2) is framed with a clear action-oriented purpose; 3) provides space for marginalized stakeholders to articulate their values in ways that can be included in decisions; 4) is used as a tool to identify and help reconcile different cognitive models about human-nature relations held by different stakeholders; and 5) fosters open communication and collaboration between stakeholders. We also find that power asymmetries can hinder plural valuation. As interest and support for undertaking plural valuation grows, a deeper understanding is needed regarding how plural valuation can be adapted to different purposes, approaches, and social-ecological contexts in order to contribute to social equity and sustainability.