Biodiversity, ecosystem services and poverty alleviation - assessing the current state of evidence
Lead Research Organisation:
International Institute for Environment and Development
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Dilys Roe (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Roe D
(2014)
Which components or attributes of biodiversity influence which dimensions of poverty?
in Environmental Evidence
Roe D
(2013)
A systematic map protocol: which components or attributes of biodiversity affect which dimensions of poverty?
in Environmental Evidence
| Description | Both "biodiversity" and "poverty" are complex, multi-dimensional concepts. Searching for relevant literature that addresses the question "Which components of biodiversity affect which dimensions of poverty" meant that we had to cast our net wide in order to capture this complexity. Our "systematic map" of the evidence covers a wide range of different components of biodiversity - but particularly species and ecosystems - affecting different dimensions of poverty - particularly income, assets and food security. The overwhelming majority of studies indicates a positive effect of biodiversity on poverty. Caveats aside as to our coverage of biodiversity "dis-services" this implies that development planners should take far more seriously the importance of biodiversity in the lives of poor people. While much lip-service is paid to this relationship, "mainstream" development pathways continue to degrade the natural environment and deplete biodiversity as has been highlighted in numerous analyses. Most of the studies we identified did not relate to any particular intervention but rather to the day-to-day use that poor people make of biodiversity. This implies that maximising the benefits of biodiversity for poverty alleviation means ensuring people's continued ability to access and use it. This in turn implies attention to biodiversity governance - promoting local control through strong and enforceable resource rights. Such processes are, however, hard to measure which can be difficult to reconcile with the current trend of development policy to be more "evidence-based". Furthermore we currently have no way of knowing how much of "what works" (and is therefore considered of policy relevance) is documented and therefore available for inclusion in systematic maps such as this and able to influence policy. Attention is needed to how better to integrate the documented and undocumented, the "scientific" and traditional in order to generate a much richer evidence base. We identified a number of apparent gaps in the evidence base but given the difficulties we encountered in ensuring a comprehensive search we would recommend, in the first instance, further analysis to determine which of these are real knowledge gaps that require primary research (as opposed to gaps resulting from limitations of our search strategy). Key areas that we identified for follow-up research are: • More detailed, sector-by-sector reviews on key mechanisms for generating value from biodiversity including wildlife trade, crop improvements, fishing etc - together with an analysis of underlying conditions influencing success or failure. • Analyses of biodiversity-poverty interactions in non-forest ecosystems particularly those that are home to significant numbers of poor people such as drylands. • Investigation into the value role of diversity over abundance of resources. The majority of the studies we identified implied that the abundance or availability of particular species or resources was more critical than their diversity. Quantifying the value of diversity and where it is particularly important in delivering ecosystem services would make a significant contribution to the biodiversity-poverty debate. • More research on less tangible components of biodiversity. We found few studies that dealt with genetic diversity, microbes or even invertebrates. The studies that have been undertaken to date barely scratch the surface in terms of the full complement of biodiversity. • Biodiversity-poverty trade-offs:. We were surprised that more studies did not consider the sustainability of biodiversity use. More research into key factors underlying sustainability in different contexts and for different types of use, as well as consideration of thresholds and tipping points would help decision-makers balance the drive for poverty reduction with the need for biodiversity conservation. • Long vs short term biodiversity-poverty links: The majority of the evidence we found documented the contribution of biodiversity to short term needs. More analysis is required to uncover the evidence/generate new evidence on the role of biodiversity in poverty prevention and enhancing longer term resilience. |
| Exploitation Route | The database of studies can be screened on a country by country basis as a quick reference guide for non-academics to determine what work has already been conducted in their country and by who. The research also highlights implications for policy and practice. policy makers and project implementers will be able to use our research outputs to make better informed decisions about linked biodiversity-poverty interventions. They will have a better understanding of cross-disciplinary concepts of evidence and of the specific poverty alleviation impacts that specific components of biodiversity can deliver - rather than basing their interventions on broad assumptions that there will be a de facto positive poverty impact as a result of conserving biodiversity. This research has highlighted a number of knowledge gaps on the links between biodiversity conservation/use and poverty and can be used immediately to develop new research programmes that address these gaps. It has also generated a database of studies on biodiversity-poverty links that can be further analysed - either as a whole or in sub-sets. |
| Sectors | Environment |
| URL | http://povertyandconservation.info/biodiversity-poverty-evidence |
| Title | Biodiversity-poverty evidence database |
| Description | This is a bespoke searchable database of studies that document a contribution of biodiversity to poverty alleviation. The studies included in the dataset are those collected during the process to systematically map the evidence base on biodiversity-poverty linkages |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | WE have not yet evaluated the impacts of the database |
| URL | http://povertyandconservation.info/biodiversity-poverty-evidence |