Applied Multidisciplinary Solutions for the Sustainable Development of the Térraba‐SierpeRegion of Costa Rica

The ECOTICOS PROJECT

Presented by Azur Moulaert and Maya Kocian

Funded by

Human Capital GoodsandServices

EvolvingCulturalNorms andPolicy

Well Being(Individual andCommunity)

Consumption(based on changing,adaptingpreferences)

Education, training,research.

BuildingInvestment(decisions about, taxescommunity spending,education, science andtechnology policy, etc., basedon complex propertyrights regimes)

Individual Public

GNP

Wastes

Common

Ecologicalservices/amenities

- having,- being

negative impacts on all forms of capital

Restoration,Conservation Natural Capital

ManufacturedCapital

having

positive impacts on human capital capacity

doing, relatingComplex propertyrights regimes

SolarEnergy

SocialCapital

Waste heat

Institutionalrules, norms, etc.

Materially closed earth system

Lim

ited

Sub

stitu

tabi

lity

Bet

wee

n C

apita

l For

ms

Economic ProductionProcess

being, doing, relating

having, being

Why are we doing this?

Visions, values, valuation, and the need for an ecological economicsCostanza, R., Bioscience, Vol. 51, No. 6, pp. 459-468. Jun 2001

MOPT: Improving your quality of life!!!!

Threats

500 Million dollars a year in Ecosystem Services

SOLUTIONS

Technology

Institutions COncepts

• Geographic Information Systems• Landscape Analysis Tools• Ecological Restoration• Sustainable Agricultural Practices• Water Treatment Options • Organic Production Methods

• Scientific Baseline• Successful Case Studies• Belief System• Adaptive Management• Ecosystem Services•Ecological Economics

• Stakeholder Meetings• Outreach to local agencies• Coordination with others• Popular support• Representation• Broad representation

Modeling NOT for the sake of modeling

ECOTICOS: Transdisciplinary research team

This is NOT about basic research

IT’S ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE

Project 1: The Maps (http://www.tinyurl.com/ecoticosmapa)

Project 1: Green MappingExamples Opportunities Mistakes Threats

Natural Capital

Human Capital

Built Capital

Social Capital

Project 1: The Maps (Google “Ecoticos” 65 Gigabytes)

Quiénes somos?

Programa de Investigaciones Aerotransportadas

Coastal Analysis of LIDAR Data

Project 2: The meetings

Project 2: Meetings (crafting a vision)

Project 2: The Meetings (new office)

Project 3: Baseline (water quality and fish habitat)

After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy,

or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains. Walt Whitman.

SOLUTIONS

Technology

Institutions COncepts

• Geographic Information Systems• Landscape Analysis Tools• Ecological Restoration• Sustainable Agricultural Practices• Water Treatment Options • Organic Production Methods

• Scientific Baseline• Successful Case Studies• Belief System• Adaptive Management• Ecosystem Services•Ecological Economics

• Stakeholder Meetings• Outreach to local agencies• Coordination with others• Popular support• Representation• Broad representation

Beddoe et. al 2008

Ok ok, the methods and results…

Integrated Ecosystem Valuation and Multicriteria Aided Analysis

$12,000 to $102,000 of environmental services per hectare per year!

18-42 metric tons of carbon fixed per hectare per year (equivalent to the

emissions of 3 to 8 automotive vehicles according to EPA).

What are these numbers goods for, if for anything?

Exercise of Multicriteria Analysis

• Evaluate stakeholder preferences toward development scenarios

• All combinations reduced to the six possible

• Participatory process

• Analysis and conclusions

Workshops

Results

1

3

5

7

9

1: D+PM

2: TBR

3: D+TBR+PM

4: D+TBR-

5: TBR+P

M

6: A+TBR

Average of all participants

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Local NGOs

Youth

Local Government

Dependent and Independent Workers

National NGO

Education

SINAC-MINAET-Central Government

Entrepreneur-Productive

NAIADE Analysis

Presentations to ACOSA leadership and regional council: PLAN APPROVED

Conclusions

• Integrative valuation in a participatory exercise• Broad participation will influence policy directly• Ecological economic concepts are a powerful

tool to promote ecological democracy.

• To obtain results we must work across all levels (Technical, Institutional and

Conceptual)

SOLUTIONS

Technology

Institutions COncepts

• Geographic Information Systems• Landscape Analysis Tools• Ecological Restoration• Sustainable Agricultural Practices• Water Treatment Options • Organic Production Methods

• Scientific Baseline• Successful Case Studies• Belief System• Adaptive Management• Ecosystem Services•Ecological Economics

• Stakeholder Meetings• Outreach to local agencies• Coordination with others• Popular support• Representation• Broad representation

Beddoe et. al 2008