A landscape approach to planetary well-being

Abstract

“Landscape” refers to a perceivable spatial level shaped by socio-ecological interactions and represents the systems where people live. Human societies have globally transformed landscapes to meet their needs, e.g., nutrition or shelter, according to cultural preferences. This human domination of land has resulted in considerable competition for space with other lifeforms, driving biodiversity loss through land-use change and intensification, as well as coming into conflict with planetary well-being. Recent research has highlighted the relevance of the landscape level when articulating human activities with and in their environment and maintaining human and nonhuman cohabitation. Indeed, the landscape structure is a strong determinant of many ecological processes (e.g., species dispersal or nutrient flows) that support long-term ecosystem functioning and, ultimately, planetary well-being. This chapter discusses the transformative potential of systems-oriented landscape approaches to achieving planetary well-being. First, this chapter conceptualizes landscapes as geographic interfaces between humans and nonhuman beings, with a focus on their ecological characteristics, and in relation with planetary well-being. Second, this chapter provides examples of land-use planning principles that reconcile biodiversity and human benefits: (1) Agroecological farming systems, (2) urban green infrastructures, and (3) multi-objective forest management zoning.