On the social-ecological systems (SES) diagnostic approach of the commons: Sharing, cooperation, and maintenance

Abstract

The future of human civilisation is dependent upon linking the prosperity of people and the planet. This paper provides a balanced survey of relevant studies on the social-ecological systems (SES) integration, organised in the analytical structure of institutionalised governance process of enduring human cooperation on shared common resources and environment. It takes a critical look at the emerging SES literature on complexity and uncertainty that attempts to capture the dynamics of change over time and across scale. The final section looks into some of the major challenges ahead—application of various valuation methods without proper location of diverse values in the SES model, interdisciplinary gap to capture the SES interactions, and obstacles of practising SES in reality. It aims to contribute to the broader significance by identifying 2 interconnected research gaps: systematic understanding of interactions among the SES integration (diagnostic explanation), and the development of appropriate scalable and integrated strategies for solving complex problems under SES integration (policy intervention).