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