Jana Schluenss
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Jérôme Dupras
Start: 2023-01-09
End: 2026-08-12
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Jérôme Dupras
Start: 2023-01-09
End: 2026-08-12
Project
Support decision-making processes for sustainable management in aquatic ecosystems: a critical perspective on plural values and human-nature relationshipsFreshwater ecosystems are under increasing pressure. From a value perspective, this pressure is closely related to a too narrow definition of nature’s values in decision-making. Assessing plural values that encompass not only economic factors, but a variety of different value dimensions, such as socio-cultural and intrinsic values, is imperative to achieve transformative change. Nevertheless, assessment and consideration of multiple values is still scarce. To promote a perspective of plural values in environmental decision-making, I assess intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values that people hold in a case study at the Lac Saint-Pierre, Quebec, where socio-environmental conflicts occur. I conducted semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders and orient my analysis along two conceptual frameworks: the IPBES (Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) values framework, and the Ojeda et.al. 2022 proposition on reciprocal contributions between humans and nature. Moreover, my research project investigates narratives about human-nature relationships, and implications for decision-making that come along with these prevailing worldviews. The empirical assessment of human-nature relationships and values critically informed my collaboration with experts in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – a decision-support tool to calculate potential environmental impact. We proposed a novel framework to include the benefits provided by ecosystems into the LCA structure, and discussed the role of plural values in environmental assessments. I use critical theories from environmental philosophy, human geography, and feminist studies to situate my findings in biodiversity conservation approaches.
