Framing debates about poverty reduction and ecosystem services

This project sought to map and conceptualise the key disputes and areas of agreement that animate current debates in the field of ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. It sought to understand the different sorts of disagreement (and agreement) that existed between different epistemic communities, whether they were theoretical, moral, conceptual or empirical. The nature of these disagreements is important because it determined the sort of work required to resolve current disputes (if they are resolvable) and so advance current understanding. 

 

We explored this through three devices. First, we followed the model of a previous key paper written by some of the investigators in this project and published in Science 10 years ago (Adams et al 2004) that served as a vital concept note for work on conservation and poverty. The clarifications that paper helped to define debates on poverty and conservation over the next ten years by holding up a mirror to protagonists. We repeated that technique in a paper just accepted in Oryx. Second, we completed a questionnaire with over 150 respondents from across the ESPA community which explore different attitudes to ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. Third, we have mapped the social networks which have produced the most influential knowledge about ecosystem services and poverty alleviation.

 

Upon completion, the project left a legacy website and several papers published in the journals of leading disciplines.