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UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEMS DYNAMICS
AS A BASIS TO DEVELOPSUSTAINABLE HUMAN ENTERPRISES
Rodrigo tarté The City of Knowledge Foundation
Three issues:
1. The need to understand ecosystems dynamics in order to understand and increase our commitment to overall sustainability
2.Business sustainability and overall sustainability: an interdependent relationship
3.A mechanism to develop and transfer ecosystemic-based knowledge
1. UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEMS DYNAMICS
- multiple interactions - complex environments
COMPLEXITY OF INTERACTIONSWITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM
SpeciesPeople,Energy,Inputs,Goods
LightWaterGases
CO2
Nutrients
Agriculture and
Weeds
NaturalVegetation
Biomass
Biomass
Diversity
?Litter
?
People and Enterprises
Soil Organics
Micro-Organisms
Resource Losses and
ContaminatingWastes
USED ENERGY
?
SIMULATION OF INTERACTIONS IN
THE PANAMA CANAL WATERSHED
SIMULATION OF INTERACTIONS IN
THE PANAMA CANAL WATERSHED
TOXICITY TO AQUATIC FAUNA
LAKE CONTAMINATION
TOXICITY TO MARINE FLORAAND FAUNA
MARINE CONTAMINATION
11
11 INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY(wastes, spills)
22 DEFORESTATION(land degradation))
33 AGRICULTURE ANDFORESTRY (pesticides)
DANGER OF FLOODS
LOW WATER RESERVE
22EROSION AND
SEDIMENTATION
TOXICITY TOHUMANS
GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION
INCREMENTOF PLAGUES
33ALTERATION OF
BIOLOGICAL BALANCE
WATERWATER
GASESGASES
INPUTSINPUTS
SPECIESSPECIES
ENERGYENERGY
LIGHTLIGHT
PEOPLEPEOPLE
GOODSGOODSANDAND
SERVICESSERVICES
ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS AND ENTERPRISES
BIOPHYSICALENVIRONME
NT
SOCIALENVIRONMENT
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
ENTERPRISE
ECOSYSTEMS DYNAMICS AND ENTERPRISES
BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
ENTERPRISE
2. BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY AND OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY: AN INTERDEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP
1.Businesses are parts of complex economic networks ruled by principles similar to those of ecosystems dynamics
2.Overall sustainability is affected by, and affects, every human enterprise
WHY?
Therefore, we need to consider four different aspects in relation to sustainability and businesses:1.The new opportunities offered by the
sustainable use of resources and services from the biophysical environment
2.The ever increasing need, along with opportunities, involved in the development of clean and environmentally friendly business
3.The importance of the application of principles of ecosystems dynamics to business sustainability and overall sustainability
4.The ethical commitment of all human enterprises to contribute to overall sustainability
3. A MECHANISM TO DEVELOP AND TRANSFER ECOSYSTEMIC-BASED KNOWLEDGE
The mechanism is intended to deal with:
THE COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESSES AND ENTERPRISES
MA
RIN
E A
ND
CO
AS
TAL
RE
SO
UR
CE
S
WATER
RESOURCESATMOSPHERIC
GASES NO
N R
ENEW
AB
LE
RESO
UR
CES
NATURAL ENERGY
CLIMATE
LAND RESOURCES
NA
TUR
AL
FOR
ESTS
ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES
BIO
DIV
ERS
ITY
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
HEALTH
BELIEFS AND
VALUESINCOME
LIFE QUALITY
EQUITY
GOVER-NANCE
VULNERA-BILITY
SECURITY
HUMAN RESOURCES
MIN
ING
COMMUNI-
CATIONS
FORESTRY
INDUSTRY
TRANS-
PORT
MARKETS
AG
RI-
CU
LTUR
E
TO
UR
ISM
SERVICES
FIS
HE
RIE
S
ENTERPRISE
INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INTEGRATED EDUCATION
ETHICS
INTEGRATED RESEARCH
INTEGRATED
POLICIES
SOCIAL environment
ECONOMIC environment
BIOPHYSICAL environment
Panama Center for Sustainable Development
An international partnership initiative to develop an ecosystemic know,edge management model for the tropics
Panama Center for Sustainable
Development
Panama Center for Sustainable
Development
• More than 55 international, regional, and local organizations and networks will join efforts.
• An integrated information, research, and education approach to Ecosystem Management and Sustainable Development.
Panama Center for Sustainable
Development
Panama Center for Sustainable
DevelopmentThe Center is being established at the City of Knowledge, a multi-institutional complex for research, education, technology, and human development, located in a former US military base between the Panama Canal and a National Park
The City of Knowledge and the Panama Canal Watershed constitute ideal institutional and
physical scenarios:
The City of Knowledge and the Panama Canal Watershed constitute ideal institutional and
physical scenarios:
• The City of Knowledge provides high technology facilities and a capacity to establish multiple strategic alliances
• The Panama Canal Watershed is a natural showcase and living laboratory for ecosystem research and education.
THE PANAMA CANAL WATERSHED
A living laboratory• More than 500,000 hectares• Diversity of natural resources (lakes, rivers, coastal
areas, natural forests, high diversity, etc.)• Abundant water resources• Diversity of land uses (commercial and subsistence
agriculture and livestock, fishing, tourism, industries, national parks, navigation, ports, urban areas, etc.)
• Ethnic and cultural diversity• Land use plan approved by law in 1997
The Panama Canal Watershed
Atlantic Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Panama Center for Sustainable Development offers an opportunity to:
The Panama Center for Sustainable Development offers an opportunity to:• Integrate multiple disciplines, sciences and organizations in
research, education, and management of information systems within an ecosystem’s approach
• Integrate the economic, social, and biophysical dimensions of sustainable development in all knowledge management processes
• Provide decision makers at all levels with the relevant knowledge required to undertake sustainable development activities
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