A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services

Authors

Timon McPhearson, Urban Systems Lab, The New School, New York, NYFollow
Elizabeth M. Cook, Environmental Science Department, Barnard College, New York, NY
Marta Berbés-Blázquez, School of Planning and Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
Chingwen Cheng, The Design School, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Nancy B. Grimm, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Erik Andersson, Stockholm Resilience Center, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
Olga Barbosa, Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
David G. Chandler, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Heejun Chang, Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Mikhail V. Chester, Metis Center for Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Daniel L. Childers, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Stephen R. Elser, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Niki Frantzeskaki, Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Zbigniew Grabowski, Urban Systems Lab, The New School, New York, NY
Peter M. Groffman, CUNY Advanced Science Research CenterFollow
Rebecca L. Hale, Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
David M. Iwaniec, Urban Studies Institute, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Nadja Kabisch, Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Christopher Kennedy, Urban Systems Lab, The New School, New York, NY
Samuel A. Markolf, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Merced, CA
A. Marissa Matsler, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Lauren E. McPhillips, Departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Thaddeus R. Miller, School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Tischa A. Muñoz-Erickson, International Urban Field Station, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
Emma Rosi, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY
Tiffany G. Troxler, Department of Earth and Environment and Sea Level Solutions Center, Institute of Environment, Florida International University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-5-2022

Abstract

As rates of urbanization and climatic change soar, decision-makers are increasingly challenged to provide innovative solutions that simultaneously address climate change impacts and risks and inclusively ensure quality of life for urban residents. Cities have turned to nature-based solutions to help address these challenges. Nature-based solutions, through the provision of ecosystem services, can yield numerous benefits for people and address multiple challenges simultaneously. Yet, efforts to mainstream nature-based solutions are impaired by the complexity of the interacting social, ecological, and technological dimensions of urban systems. This complexity must be understood and managed to ensure ecosystem-service provisioning is effective, equitable, and resilient. Here, we provide a social-ecological-technological system (SETS) framework that builds on decades of urban ecosystem services research to better understand four core challenges associated with urban nature-based solutions: multi-functionality, systemic valuation, scale mismatch of ecosystem services, and inequity and injustice. The framework illustrates the importance of coordinating natural, technological, and socio-economic systems when designing, planning, and managing urban nature-based solutions to enable optimal social-ecological outcomes.

Comments

This article was originally published in One Earth, available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007

This work is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).