the state of the nation’s ecosystems project and...

The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems Projectand

Conceptual Model Development

Robin O’MalleyThe Heinz Center

UN Statistical DivisionExperts Group MeetingNovember 10-12, 2009

Less detail

Number of Pieces of Information

Talking, discussing, arguing:a few key facts

Tracking key aspects of progress: succinct indicators of key attributes

Managing, deciding, evaluating: more details, stronger links to specific places and programs

Local decisions, research, evaluations: highly detailed and

specific information

Information and Indicators for Multiple Needs

More detail and specificity

How can we communicate what we know?

What do we need to know? What do we know?

Information Value Chain

ScienceManagement PolicyPublic

ScienceManagement Policy Public

Define information Needs

• Monitoring Systems • Indicators• DSS, models• Assessments

Information Products

Delivery Mechanisms

Goals of the State of the Nation's Ecosystems Project

• Identify strategic indicators of condition and use of U.S. ecosystems

• Lay the groundwork for periodic, high-quality, non-partisan reporting

Key Principles:• Focus on trends• Politically neutral• Scientifically excellent • Policy relevant• Not a one-time report

Process – a crucial distinguishing feature

Multiple “sectors”: government (federal, state, local), business, environmental NGOs, academia

Multiple skill sets: policy/legal/advocacy AND technical

Multiple rounds of collaborator and external reviews

Respectful dialog!

Chemical &

Physical

Biological Components

Goods &

Services

Nutrients, C, O

Contaminants

Physical Conditions

Plants & Animals

Communities

Productivity

Food, Fiber, Water

Recreation & Other Services

System Dimensions

Extent

Landscape Pattern

Urban & Suburban Areas

Coasts & Oceans

Farmlands

Forests

Fresh Waters

Grasslands & Shrublands

13 “Core National Indicators”

broad, cross-ecosystem

SixEcosystemChapters

~17 indicators per

chapter

The Reporting Framework

“Data Gaps”

Strategy: Report intentionally was not limited to data already in hand

Outcome: In 2002, nearly half of 103 high priority indicators could not be reported

~30% had inadequate data~14% had inadequate definition

2008: 26% (of 108)

2008: 11% (of 108)

Key Principles:

Focus on trends

Politically neutral

Scientifically excellent

X Policy relevant (connected to local / national decisions)

Not a one-time report

Conceptual Framework Development

(thanks to)

Integration and Synthesis Group Theodore Heintz

White House Council on Environmental Quality

Environmental Subsystem Human Subsystem

The Earth’s Ecosystem

Tier 0 – ISG Conceptual Framework

InitialEnvironmental

Conditions

NaturalResource

Capital

Social Capacity & Economic

Capital

Initial Human

ConditionsState t0

Processes

NewEnvironmental

Conditions

NaturalResource

Capital

Social Capacity & Economic

Capital

NewHuman

Conditions

Environm

ental &N

atural Resource

Processes

Social &

Econom

icP

rocesses

Tim

e

State t1

Tier 1 - ISG Conceptual Framework

Interactions

Environmental Subsystem Human Subsystem

CurrentEnvironmental

Conditions

NaturalResource

Capital

Social Capacity & Economic

Capital

CurrentHuman

ConditionsState t0

Processes

CurrentEnvironmental

Conditions

NaturalResource

Capital

Social Capacity & Economic

Capital

CurrentHuman

Conditions

Environm

ental &N

atural Resource

Processes

Tim

e

State t1

Tier 1a - ISG Conceptual Framework with Ecosystem Services

Environmental Subsystem Human Subsystem

Human Alterations& Discharges

EcosystemGoods & Services S

ocial &E

conomic

Processes

Initial EnvironmentalConditions

Air, Water. Climate,Plants, Animals

Soil, Microbes, Rocks

Initial NaturalResource Capital

Biomass, Water,Minerals

Initial Social Capacity And Economic Capital

Economic Assets & LiabilitiesSocial Opportunities & Constraints

Initial HumanConditions

Values & NormsIncome, Health, Security

Air, Water. ClimatePlants, Animals

Soil, Microbes, Rocks

New EnvironmentalConditions

Biomass, Water,Minerals

New NaturalResource Capital

Economic Assets & LiabilitiesSocial Opportunities & Constraints

New Social Capacity And Economic Capital

Values & NormsIncome, Health, Security

New HumanConditions

Environmental Subsystem Human Subsystem

Tier 2 – ISG Conceptual Framework

UnderlyingEnvironmental

Processes:

AtmosphericHydrologicBiologic/EcologicGeologic

Investment, Use of GoodsAnd Services

UnderlyingSocial AndEconomic

Processes:

Demographic,Cultural,

Governance’Legal,

Market,Interaction,

Family,Education

FinalEcosystem

Goods

FinalEcosystemServices

Processes ProducingFinal Ecosystem Services

Production of Economic Goods

and Services

Use of Final Ecosystem

Services

Processes ProducingFinal Ecosystem Goods Extraction

Land cover, land form and water flow alterations; Waste discharges; Biota transport

Land cover, land form and water flow alterations; Waste discharges; Biota transport

Thank you