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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Timon McPhearson
  • Elizabeth M. Cook
  • Marta Berbés-Blázquez
  • Chingwen Cheng
  • Nancy B. Grimm
  • Erik Andersson
  • Olga Barbosa
  • David G. Chandler
  • Heejun Chang
  • Mikhail V. Chester
  • Daniel L. Childers
  • Stephen R. Elser
  • Niki Frantzeskaki
  • Zbigniew Grabowski
  • Peter Groffman
  • Rebecca L. Hale
  • David M. Iwaniec
  • Nadja Kabisch
  • Christopher Kennedy
  • Samuel A. Markolf
  • A. Marissa Matsler
  • Lauren E. McPhillips
  • Thaddeus R. Miller
  • Tischa A. Muñoz-Erickson
  • Emma Rosi
  • Tiffany G. Troxler

External Research Organisations

  • New School University
  • Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
  • Stockholm University
  • Barnard College
  • University of Waterloo
  • Arizona State University
  • North-West University (NWU)
  • Universidad Austral de Chile
  • Syracuse University
  • Portland State University
  • Utrecht University
  • City University of New York
  • Idaho State University
  • Georgia State University
  • University of California Merced
  • Pennsylvania State University
  • Isenberg Umass Amherst
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Florida International University
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)505-518
Number of pages14
JournalOne Earth
Volume5
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 20 May 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.

Keywords

    ban ecosystem services, cities, nature-based solutions, social-ecological-technological systems, SETS

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services. / McPhearson, Timon; Cook, Elizabeth M.; Berbés-Blázquez, Marta et al.
In: One Earth, Vol. 5, No. 5, 20.05.2022, p. 505-518.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

McPhearson, T, Cook, EM, Berbés-Blázquez, M, Cheng, C, Grimm, NB, Andersson, E, Barbosa, O, Chandler, DG, Chang, H, Chester, MV, Childers, DL, Elser, SR, Frantzeskaki, N, Grabowski, Z, Groffman, P, Hale, RL, Iwaniec, DM, Kabisch, N, Kennedy, C, Markolf, SA, Matsler, AM, McPhillips, LE, Miller, TR, Muñoz-Erickson, TA, Rosi, E & Troxler, TG 2022, 'A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services', One Earth, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 505-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007
McPhearson, T., Cook, E. M., Berbés-Blázquez, M., Cheng, C., Grimm, N. B., Andersson, E., Barbosa, O., Chandler, D. G., Chang, H., Chester, M. V., Childers, D. L., Elser, S. R., Frantzeskaki, N., Grabowski, Z., Groffman, P., Hale, R. L., Iwaniec, D. M., Kabisch, N., Kennedy, C., ... Troxler, T. G. (2022). A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services. One Earth, 5(5), 505-518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007
McPhearson T, Cook EM, Berbés-Blázquez M, Cheng C, Grimm NB, Andersson E et al. A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services. One Earth. 2022 May 20;5(5):505-518. doi: 10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007, 10.1016/j.oneear.2022.04.007
McPhearson, Timon ; Cook, Elizabeth M. ; Berbés-Blázquez, Marta et al. / A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services. In: One Earth. 2022 ; Vol. 5, No. 5. pp. 505-518.
Download
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title = "A social-ecological-technological systems framework for urban ecosystem services",
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.",
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AU - McPhearson, Timon

AU - Cook, Elizabeth M.

AU - Berbés-Blázquez, Marta

AU - Cheng, Chingwen

AU - Grimm, Nancy B.

AU - Andersson, Erik

AU - Barbosa, Olga

AU - Chandler, David G.

AU - Chang, Heejun

AU - Chester, Mikhail V.

AU - Childers, Daniel L.

AU - Elser, Stephen R.

AU - Frantzeskaki, Niki

AU - Grabowski, Zbigniew

AU - Groffman, Peter

AU - Hale, Rebecca L.

AU - Iwaniec, David M.

AU - Kabisch, Nadja

AU - Kennedy, Christopher

AU - Markolf, Samuel A.

AU - Matsler, A. Marissa

AU - McPhillips, Lauren E.

AU - Miller, Thaddeus R.

AU - Muñoz-Erickson, Tischa A.

AU - Rosi, Emma

AU - Troxler, Tiffany G.

N1 - Funding Information: We acknowledge support from multiple sources including from the US National Science Foundation (awards 1444755, 1832016, 1927167, 1927468 and 1934933), Chilean CONICYT-FONDECYT (award 3150290; Science Technology, Knowledge and Innovation Ministry of Chile), and NordForsk through funding to SMARTer Greener Cities (project 95377). We also thank the editors and anonymous reviewers for their suggestions to improve this manuscript. T.M. and E.M.C. contributed equally to the manuscript, and M.B.-B. C.C. and N.B.G. co-led the conceptual framing with T.M. and E.M.C. T.M. and E.M.C. contributed equally to lead the literature review and writing, with equal contributions to the writing and synthesis from all authors through UREx SRN meetings and writing workshops. The authors declare no competing interests.

PY - 2022/5/20

Y1 - 2022/5/20

N2 - 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.

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