Publications

Walker, B.H., L. Pearson, M. Harris, K.G. Mäler, L. Chuan-Zhong, R. Biggs and T. Baynes. Incorporating resilience in the assessment of Inclusive Wealth: An example from South East Australia. 2010. Environmental and Resource Economics 45: 183-202. DOI 10.1007/s10640-009-9311-7.

Publication review Researchers show how loss of resilience means loss of welfare. What is an extra unit of resilience worth? Previous research has shown how ecosystems can be included in wealth measurements . Now, centre researchers have tried to figure out how to put a price on resilience in order to include it in measures social-ecological welfare. How to evaluate trade-offs Using the Goulburn-Broken Catchment in sou...

Bakkes, J., L. Aalbers, T. Aalbers, R. Biggs, H. Eerens, B. Eickhout, K. Geurs, A. Hanemaaijer, H. Hoff, N. Hoogervorst, M. Kok, H. Nijland, T. Manders, K. Overmars, J. Notenboom, F. van Oort, A. Petersen, G. Peterson, J. Ros, B. van Ruijven, L. van Schaik, M. Thissen, D. van Vuuren, H. Westhoek. 2009. Getting in the Right Lane for 2050. 106pp. Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. ISBN: 978-90-6960-235-6.

Publication review Starting from a vision for Europe in 2050, this study identifies key policy junctions at which the EU will soon face strategic choices. This assessment highlights the  substantial potential the EU has through its regulatory powers to establish a  long-term investment framework for essential infrastructure and to act as a global  player. The vision for 2050 encompasses producing food for a global popula...

Chapin, F.S., III, Kofinas, G.P., Folke, C., Carpenter, S.R., Olsson, P., Abel, N., Biggs, R., Naylor, R.L., Pinkerton, E., Stafford Smith, D.M., Steffen, W., Walker, B.H., Young, O.R. (2009). Resilience-based stewardship: Strategies for navigating sustainable pathways in a changing world. In Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship: Resilience-Based Natural Resource Management in a Changing World. F.S. Chapin III, G.P. Kofinas, C. Folke (eds.). Springer Verlag, New York, pp. 319-337.

Publication review Accelerated global changes in climate, environment, and social—ecological systems demand a transformation in human perceptions of our place in nature and patterns of resource use. The biology and culture of Homo sapiens evolved for about 95% of our species´ history in hunting-and-gathering societies before the emergence of settled agriculture. We have lived in complex societies for about 3%, and in indust...

Carpenter, S.R., Biggs, R. (2009). Freshwaters: Managing across scales in space and time. In Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship: Resilience-Based Natural Resource Management in a Changing World. F.S. Chapin III, G.P. Kofinas, C. Folke (eds). Springer Verlag, New York, pp.

Publication review Freshwaters include groundwater, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. These ecosystems represent about 7% of earth´s terrestrial surface area. Although aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems appear clearly separate to the human eye, groundwaters, lakes, and rivers are in fact closely connected to terrestrial systems (Magnuson et al. 2006). Climate, soils, and water-use haracteristics of terrestrial plants affect...

Biggs, R., Carpenter, S.R., Brock, W.A. (2009). Spurious certainty: How ignoring measurement error and environmental heterogeneity may contribute to environmental controversies. BioScience 59: 65-76.

Publication review Disputes over conflicting information from different studies play a prominent role in many environmental controversies. Rather than resulting from flawed or fraudulent science, we suggest that conflicting findings may often result from the complex nature of environmental systems and the limitations of our analytical tools. Using heuristic simulation examples, we show how environmental heterogeneity and li...

Biggs, R., Carpenter, S.R., Brock, W.A. (2009) Turning back from the brink: Detecting an impending regime shift in time to avert it. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) 106: 826-831.

Publication review New research on the potential for averting regime shifts. In the PNAS-article entitled Turning back from the brink: Detecting an impending regime shift in time to avert it, centre-affiliated researcher Reinette “Oonsie" Biggs, Stephen R. Carpenter and William A. Brock investigated whether new early warning indicators of regime shifts may provide sufficient warning to take action to avert undesirable regime...