Application of capability approach to assess the role of ecosystem services in the well-being of indigenous Australians
Sangha, Kamaljit K. and Le Brocque, Andrew and Costanza, Robert and Cadet-James, Yvonne (2015) Application of capability approach to assess the role of ecosystem services in the well-being of indigenous Australians. Global Ecology and Conservation, 4. pp. 445-458.
Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...
The well-being of Indigenous people in Australia and throughout the world is linked to the use and value of natural resources. This research analyses the current well-being approach applied to measure well-being of Indigenous Australians. It reports findings from three case studies in Queensland on Indigenous people's values and concerns and their capabilities in relation to natural systems. It applies a holistic approach based upon the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Sen's capability approaches and proposes an integrated well-being model by incorporating intangible values such as cultural and identity values, that are linked to people's capabilities involving natural systems. It provides a novel way of understanding the role of natural resources in Indigenous well-being by associating natural resources with people's capabilities. The study suggests transforming the present concept of well-being and its measures for incorporating people's capabilities that can effectively inform future policy decision making.
Permanent restricted access to Published version in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.
Current - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences
Indigenous well-being; natural resources; ecosystem services; capability approach; well-being policies
05 Environmental Sciences > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050201 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Environmental Knowledge
16 Studies in Human Society > 1699 Other Studies in Human Society > 169902 Studies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Society
05 Environmental Sciences > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity
E Expanding Knowledge > 97 Expanding Knowledge > 970105 Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences
C Society > 92 Health > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920399 Indigenous Health not elsewhere classified
10.1016/j.gecco.2015.09.001