The Contribution of Natural Capital to Human Well-being

Abstract

Natural capital is recognized as a main source of human well-being. Many key components of life, such as emotion, religion, nutrition, security, or health are fulfilled through the direct or indirect use of natural resources. This association could even be more relevant among societies that have a close relationship with nature, such as rural and indigenous communities, and that are localized in areas with a degraded biodiversity.

Understanding how natural capital contributes to human well-being is a pivotal issue both for social development and for biological conservation. However, the scientific literature about the contribution of natural capital to human well-being is scarce and often it refers to human well-being as a single indicator more than a multidimensional concept.

Here, based on a multidimensional human well-being approach, we attempt to evaluate the contribution of natural capital to human well-being among communities from Kodagu District (Karnataka, India) in the Western Ghats. The study will be focused on the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from local communities. Specifically, we 1) assess the relationship between access to natural resources and the well-being of local people and 2) explore the contribution of natural capital to the dimensions of the human well-being. This research would help to integrate the social and scientific policy agendas and hence pay double dividends. This study will contribute to theoretical and practical knowledge about the relationship between human well-being and natural capital.

Francisco Zorondo-Rodríguez is doing his Ph.D in Environmental Sciences at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain under the guidance of Dr. Victoria Reyes-Garcia (Ph.D. Anthropology) with Dr. Claude García (Ph.D. Ecology) acting as co-advisor.

Speaker

Francisco Zorondo-Rodríguez, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain

Organisers

Department of Ecology, French Institute of Pondicherry

Venue

Jawaharlal Nehru Conference Hall, French Institute of Pondicherry, 11, Saint Louis Street, Pondicherry - 605 001

Time

5.00 pm