ECOLOGICAL governance effectively contributes to the principle of ecosystem stewardship. This promotes social ecological governance, which enhances collaborations among stakeholders, facilitates social learning and stewardship at various levels.
As natural ecosystems which are vital lungs and arteries of the environment face increasingly rapid degeneration and depletion, this calls for more discussion around this critical matter.
Ecosystem governance is a manifestation of the larger needs for what is termed ecological governance. The term governance is central to this discussion as it applies to the process of decision-making and in this regard, in relation to ecosystem-based management processes.
Key elements of ecological governance should always be taken into account for sustainable best practices and outcomes. Emphasis should be placed on the human activities which are affecting the physical environment. In the interest of ecological governance framework, it is essential to integrate both systems to maintain ecosystem processes and functions, in order to build the desired resilience.
Human needs should also consistently maintain ecosystem integrity, and this involves human behaviours, attitudes, ethical codes of conduct and socio-cultural issues that contribute a lot towards building a whole human being.
Ecosystem management should be combined with ecosystem-based management, which emphasises the need to adapt to socio-economic and political processes to fit within the framework.
Industrial ecology also has a fundamental role to play in enabling economic production to mirror the natural ecosystems.
In this regard, such pillars as recycling and re-use are at the core, just as the waste of the natural ecosystems.
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Ecological governance should be strongly aligned towards ecological mordernisation which seeks to shift the emphasis of the micro-economy to services and knowledge provision.
Governance takes into account formal government institutions, non-governmental actors with businesses and civil society informally establishing the rules of behaviour while contributing to decisions that shape collective livelihoods.
This situates the ecological environment and ecosystem services at the heart of ecological governance. Functional ecosystem services are referred to as the building blocks of natural life.
They are also the hidden underpinning of the human economy. It is vital in this regard, to sustainably manage ecosystem pillars like land, water, forests and all creatures in their biological and cultural diversities in order to avoid an ecological deficit.
Despite ongoing undesirable human activities which are unhealthy for the environment, it is the duty of human beings as ecosystem stewards, to maintain the quality of the environment.
This is important in ensuring the planet is passed on to other generations in no worse condition than it was received.
This has proved to be an extremely difficult task because the perceived stewards have turned against the environment to manipulate and exploit it for its intrinsic value for selfish and economic gains.
The natural ecosystems provide ecological balance to the natural capital whereby even the smallest creature has a role to play. Therefore, it is the role of human beings as environmental stewards to complement the natural process and efforts generated by ecological diversity.
This strengthens ecological integrity necessary for safeguarding ecosystem features, to provide services and to promote resilience.
This allows ecosystems to maintain functions and structures under constant environmental conditions.
In the spirit of sustainable living, communities have the capacity to modify their environment by changing the rules that shape human behaviours, in the absence of sustainable stewardship and against the background of rapid change.
It is also a matter of concern that the world is in its current state as a result of uncontrolled human behaviours.
Ecological governance is designed to give more prominence to ecological imperatives as a way of overcoming ecological and social dilemmas. If not governed properly, socio-ecological dilemmas can degenerate into ecological collapse.
That is why ecological governance is key as it provides ecological balance of nature including constant checks and balances, simply because it is only in God that we trust while in humans we need to check always.
What needs to be avoided through ecological governance is the global destruction of ecosystems due to unsustainable levels of resource exploitation and disturbances.
The rule of law also needs to be foregrounded as it is essential in enabling societies to respond to the deterioration in the conditions of ecosystems including associated dangers and risks.
While there are no superior ecosystems, water as an infrastructure and natural ecosystem is a vital component in the provision of ecosystemic services.
Water provides the bulk of ecosystem services that sustain lives and essential human livelihoods such as domestic chores, irrigation, habitat for wildlife, construction, mining, recreation, natural and industrial cooling, among others.
Ecological governance should carefully consider ecosystem processes, situate them at the heart of planning, at all levels of decision-making, with inclusivity.
In the framework of ecosystem-based management systems, adaptation is fundamental for economic, political and social processes to build strong ecosystems instead of depleting them.
In this view, all pillars critical in human survival and governance should have lots of influence in managing the ecosystems, while ecological governance leads to ecosystem integrity which is instrumental in setting management goals and decisions.
Local people and institutions should not be left out because they are best placed to monitor the environment and respond with solutions targeted on human, economic and environmental transformation.
Ecological governance should also consider, complex interaction of human activities and natural processes in planning and decision-making.
In the interest of ecological governance, managing ecosystems should not leave room for manipulation of ecosystems and unsustainable human activities.
Ecological governance does not only contribute to the principle of ecosystem stewardship, but also to ecological integrity.
These are instrumental in mapping appropriate ecological actions, leading to sustainable resilience building.
- Peter Makwanya is a climate change communicator. He writes in his personal capacity and can be contacted on: [email protected].
