Natural capital and the political economy of wetland governance in Alberta

The legitimacy of wetland decisions depends on how science and values are integrated and reflected in wetland management decisions. Natural capital and ecosystem services (ES) have become integral to how we think about ecosystem management however there is no consensus on how these concepts should b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental policy & planning 2017-05, Vol.19 (3), p.279-292
Main Authors: Weber, Marian, Krogman, Naomi, Foote, Lee, Rooney, Rebecca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
19th century
Capital
Compliance
Decision making
Decisions
Drainage
Ecological function
Ecology
Economics
Ecosystem management
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Enforcement
Governance
governmentality
Intervention
Justice
Land use
Legitimacy
Management
Natural capital
Noncompliance
Norms
Political discourse
Political economy
Political power
Politics
Power
Security
State intervention
Uncertainty
Values
Wetland management
Wetlands
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Summary:The legitimacy of wetland decisions depends on how science and values are integrated and reflected in wetland management decisions. Natural capital and ecosystem services (ES) have become integral to how we think about ecosystem management however there is no consensus on how these concepts should be applied in management. Through the example of Alberta's wetland policy, we show how policies designed to mainstream natural capital and ES in decision-making are aligned with liberal governance arrangements that emerged in the nineteenth century. There is a governance gap between individual wetland decisions and collective ecological outcomes. The Alberta wetland policy highlights three challenges to embracing the natural capital metaphor in a liberal government context: lack of consensus on policy objectives; case by case enforcement of policy leading to continued wetland drainage; and minimal consequences for non-compliance. The combination of norms about what is fair in terms of government intervention in land use decisions and scientific uncertainty about wetland ecosystem function makes it difficult to achieve consensus on limits to wetland loss contributing to continued loss of wetland ecological function. The discussion highlights the necessity of renewed political discourse about freedom, power, and justice in relation to collective economic and ecological security.
ISSN:1523-908X
1522-7200
DOI:10.1080/1523908X.2017.1308248