Observatorio Medioambiental (ISSN 1139-1987, ISSN-e 1988-3277) is an annual journal that compiles topics related to analysing and interpreting the Environment: concepts and methods (in Spanish, English and other languages). This refers to global, European, Mediterranean and Spanish interdisciplinary research from the main sciences that converge in environmental studies (Geography, Economic, Law Biology, Sociology, etc.) and in sustainable development.
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The green spaces in the sustainable city
This article analyzes the introduction of the notion of sustainable development in the chilean legaland political order, in the field of territorial planning of urban green spaces.
Water management in Spain: foundations, contradictions, and challenges within the framework of development models, from the tourism perspective
This article examines the current state of water governance in Spain from a critical, multidisciplinary, and structural perspective. Its objective is to analyse the development models that have historically guided water planning, identify the contradictions that emerge from their practical application, and propose reforms that will allow us to move toward a more just, efficient, and sustainable paradigm. Starting from a comprehensive review of the physical, territorial, and climatic foundations that shape the availability of water resources in Spain, this paper examines the legal and institutional evolution of water policies, from the Water Law of 1866 to the incorporation of the Water Framework Directive into the national regulatory framework. This paper analyses the multilevel management that characterizes the Spanish system, characterized by the fragmentation of powers, the coexistence of divergent models, and the growing influence of the European Union. It also addresses the structural contradictions between official discourse and institutional practices, between the logic of supply and the need for demand-based management, and between economic interests and the principles of sustainability. Underscoring the importance of creating and implementing sustainability indicators, it allows us to interpret water management as a multidimensional phenomenon, facilitating the integration of water management into our country's territorial policies.
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The infrastructure of environmental awareness: a boost to sustainable development
This article approaches the environmental issue from an interdisciplinary perspective, focusing on how collective environmental awareness is developed and operates within the frameworks of environmental governance. It examines the process of institutionalizing environmental issues into social, economic, and political structures, becoming a distinct normative sector. The research highlights the need for a multilevel, multiscalar framework to coordinate global and local efforts, with an emphasis on the role of the United Nations, the Paris Agreement, the private sector, and quality infrastructure in fostering sustainable development. The conclusion asserts that environmental governance, through its actors and legal devices, effectively translates and materializes sustainable development principles into tangible, operational practices that go beyond traditional legal frameworks.
Urban bioindication: an approach to epiphytic lichens in the city of Madrid
This article analyzes the presence of epiphytic lichens in the urban fabric of Madrid in relation to the specific location of each of the stations that make up the Madrid City Council's Air Quality Monitoring and Control Network. With this as a starting point, a statistical analysis of the pollution data provided by the stations is established to verify the differences between the various urban enclaves. This gives rise to fieldwork that provides qualitative information on the existence of lichen specimens as an integral part of the environmental context in one of the most representative cities on the international scene, where the preservation of the urban environment continues to be a subject of perpetual debate. In this case, research on epiphytic lichens was carried out based on the analysis of specimens of the tree species Ulmus Pumila, which is widely distributed in the Madrid metropolitan area, conducting a homogeneous study on the factors that influence the presence of lichens in urban contexts. This research also provides a potential tool linked to environmental education for citizens, which can be used in the development of environmental education projects.
Anomie in its scientific application in the field of the environment and geographical spaces
This article examines the phenomenon of legal anomie as it applies to environmental protection and the regulation of geographic spaces. Anomie is understood here not merely as the absence of norms, but as a structural dysfunction marked by normative contradictions, institutional fragmentation, and limited enforceability of environmental rights. These conditions undermine legal certainty and hinder the effective safeguarding of collective ecological goods. The study proposes a systematic reading of the legal framework to overcome internal inconsistencies through integrative interpretation, aligned with constitutional principles and oriented toward sustainability and territorial equity. Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach, the article frames anomie as a complex legal and epistemological challenge that demands coordinated responses across legal, political, and spatial domains.
Global Warming and Climate Change focused on Social Conflicts and the Environment
This study analyzes the relationship between climate change and socio-environmental conflicts from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It examines how global warming leads to resource scarcity, water stress, and land loss, particularly affecting regions such as Africa and South America. It also explores how these changes intensify inequalities, trigger conflicts, and worsen issues such as migration, unemployment, and health. Through concrete case studies, the work investigates the economic, social, and health impacts of climate change.
Air Quality Visualization in Valencia: An Interactive Tool for Citize
Air quality is a key indicator of environmental health, and its effective communication is essential to support informed decision-making. In Valencia, although official air pollution data are openly available, their complexity hinders public understanding. This paper presents a web application that integrates real-time and historical information from eleven monitoring stations, enabling interactive visualization of the main pollutants (NO₂, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, O₃, SO₂) together with reference values from Spanish legislation and WHO guidelines. The tool combines maps, temporal charts, and heatmaps to facilitate trend analysis, comparison with regulatory thresholds, and identification of critical periods. Results reveal a progressive decline in NO₂ and PM₁₀ levels between 2014 and 2023, as well as seasonal patterns linked to ozone. The proposed platform helps democratize access to environmental information, raise public awareness, and provides a replicable resource for other cities seeking to make air-quality data more accessible to citizens
Smoking: A Public Health Problem That Contributes To The Climate Emergency
Smoking and vaping pose a challenge not only to public health but also to the environment. This study analyzes the impact of third- and fourth-hand tobacco use, highlighting the need to integrate educational strategies and stricter environmental policies to reduce its incidence and mitigate its effects on vulnerable ecosystems. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate how smoking and vaping contribute to the climate emergency and how public health policies can be integrated with environmental strategies for greater effectiveness. A hypothetical-deductive approach was used, evaluating the environmental impact of smoking in various contexts. Data on pollution generated by tobacco waste were analyzed, and regulatory and educational strategies that could mitigate this problem were examined. Three smoking cessation tests were also analyzed to assess whether they include the environmental component in their questions, such as air pollution, where tobacco smoke generates particulate matter that affects air quality and increases the risk of respiratory diseases; cigarette butt waste, where a single butt can contaminate up to 1,000 liters of water, releasing nicotine and heavy metals; the impact on flora and fauna, where negative effects were identified in ecosystems where cigarette waste accumulates; and the influence of digital marketing, which, through vaping advertising, has reinforced a false perception of safety in consumption, promoting a new generation of smokers. The findings demonstrate the absence of the environmental factor in the smoking cessation instruments, and therefore, an adaptation to one of the instruments is proposed. Thus, this research concludes that strict environmental regulations are needed, including prohibiting the disposal of cigarette butts in public spaces, limiting advertising of tobacco and vaping products, especially on social media, incorporating environmental education into school curricula to strengthen the link between public health and ecological protection, and implementing awareness campaigns that highlight the connection between smoking and the climate crisis. All of this, through an adaptation of the Glover-Nilson Test, aligned with Prochaska and DiClemente's transtheoretical model, would facilitate smoking cessation from an environmental perspective. The research concludes that education and the regulation of public spaces can strengthen awareness and action against smoking, promoting changes in the social perception of tobacco use and nicotine delivery devices.
ENG Immigrant entrepreneurs in Madrid: resilience and sustainability strategies
Following the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus, which halted economic activities in general and particularly affected the businesses of immigrant entrepreneurs, a new phase has begun in which so-called 'ethnic' businesses and services are having to adopt new resilience and sustainability strategies in the face of current challenges for small immigrant-run enterprises. Therefore, our objective is to analyze immigrant businesses located on a number of commercial streets in Madrid that were previously studied at the beginning of the 2008 economic crisis. These businesses were revisited after the economic crisis in 2015 and are now being analyzed again to observe their evolution and possible changes, following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology is comparative, applying both quantitative and qualitative techniques, the latter based on direct and participant observation”. This analysis allows us to conclude that the resilience and sustainability strategies of immigrant entrepreneurs are similar, with no dependence detected between certain changes and the immigrant's origin or gender. We only found an association between the immigrant entrepreneur's origin and the receipt of public aid, between origin and the evolution of demand in recent years, and between origin and gender with the use of ecological transport.
Analysis and Planning of Salamanca and its surroundings
This Project focuses on the analysis and territorial planning of Salamanca and the municipalities that comprise its surrounding area. On the one hand, it studies the evolution of the territory throughout history, with a special focus on the historic center and the factors that have contributed to the urban dynamism and expansion that have shaped the city as we know it today. On the other hand, it examines the processes of suburbanization and peri-urban expansion, and the challenges of addressing sustainable planning. Future strategies are projected to strengthen integration between Salamanca and its surrounding area, between urban and rural areas, and a commitment to a more compact and sustainable city model that balances urban development with the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
The process of globalization in China: The profound impact of economic development on the environment, human rights, and the economy
This study analyzes the main challenges of China's development in the context of globalization, with emphasis on the environment, economic structure and social equity. Although China has become a global manufacturing center through industrialization and foreign trade, this model has generated serious environmental impacts and growing inequalities. Through a mixed methodology - literature review, analysis of official data and case studies - ecological costs and patterns of resource use in global chains are examined.
The Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant (Ecuador): A problematic anthropogenic action
The article addresses the hypothesis that the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric power plant (1500 MW) is not the victim, but rather the main cause of the accelerated regressive erosion crisis in the Coca River following the collapse of the San Rafael waterfall (2020). Using a strategic methodology of documentary evaluation of reports from the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGE) and engineering records, the study demonstrates that the project largely ignored the precautionary principle and the principle of environmental legality (PLGA). The results reveal systemic failures: the dam created a condition of “hungry water” by retaining sediments, and thousands of fissures and uneven compliance with mitigation measures were documented. This technical dysfunction and dysfunctional governance externalized the risk, resulting in an asymmetric socioeconomic crisis in the canton of El Chaco, where erosion destroyed a significant part of the agricultural production base and the tourism sector, undermining territorial resilience.
Fire and territory in Navarre: an interdisciplinary perspective from Geography, History and Customary Law
The present research proposes an interdisciplinary reading of fire in Navarre, addressing its role in the ecological configuration of the territory, its historical use as an agricultural and cultural tool, its transformation into a catastrophic risk, and its legal regulation since the Middle Ages. Through the analysis of documentary sources such as charters, municipal ordinances, notarial records, and regional legislation, the evolution of the regulatory framework governing the use of fire in the Navarrese mountains is reconstructed. The study reveals how Navarrese historical law, deeply rooted in communal practices and customary customs, has been key to the management of fire as an ecological and social element. It is concluded that understanding fire in Navarre requires an approach that combines ecology, history, and law, and that traditional knowledge can offer keys to addressing the contemporary challenges of forest fires. This study has aimed to contribute to this understanding by offering a profound, well-documented, and original analysis of fire as a legal concept, a territorial practice, and a cultural expression. The Navarrese experience demonstrates that it is possible to regulate fire from a community-based, territorial, and traditional perspective, and that law can be a tool for balance, adaptation, and transformation. In a world increasingly threatened by climate change, regulatory homogenization, and biodiversity loss, the Navarrese model offers a valuable alternative and deserves to be studied, protected, and replicated.
Environmental and Social impact of Wind “Parks” on the Wayuu Indigenous Community, located in the Guajira of Colombia
The Colombian Guajira, located in the extreme north of the country, is a region known for its vast desert and Caribbean coastline. It is the ancestral home of the Wayuu indigenous community, who have lived on the peninsula for centuries. The Wayuu's symbiotic relationship with their natural environment is based on traditional activities such as fishing, cattle ranching and artisanal weaving. However, the recent introduction of renewable energy projects, specifically wind farms, is transforming both the physical and cultural landscape of the region. Wind farms are presented as a sustainable solution to the global climate crisis, offering clean energy that reduces dependence on fossil fuels. La Guajira, with its strong and constant winds, is ideal for the installation of wind turbines. However, these projects are not without controversy and challenges, especially in terms of environmental and social impact. The construction and operation of these facilities can significantly alter local ecosystems and negatively affect native fauna and flora. The environmental impact on the Wayuu community is manifested in the fragmentation of habitats and the modification of land use patterns, which threatens the region's scarce water resources. Culturally and socially, wind farms also represent a considerable challenge. Inadequate prior consultation and disregard for indigenous peoples' right to self-determination can lead to conflicts between communities and developers, as well as the loss of ancestral territories crucial to Wayuu identity and cultural survival. Disruption of traditional practices is another critical aspect. The construction of wind farms can limit access to lands used for grazing, agriculture and medicinal plant collection, affecting the local economy and social well-being. In addition, the presence of modern infrastructure in sacred landscapes may have a negative effect on Wayuu spirituality and traditions, which are closely linked to their natural environment. However, it is important to consider the potential advantages of wind energy production for the Wayuu community, if properly managed. These advantages include profit sharing, labor inclusion and commitment to environmental protection. Alternatively, energy production from biomass could offer lower environmental and social impacts, stimulating job creation and improving quality of life. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive view of the impact of wind farms and propose alternatives for a more sustainable development that respects the rights of indigenous communities, balancing energy transition with the preservation of cultural and ecological diversity.
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The bases of Environmental Geography in Spain: An approach to the birth, development and consolidation of the Geographic Society of Madrid
Throughout this research I approach the reality of the preliminaries of the Geographical Society of Madrid (reference point of the current Royal Geographical Society), assessing for this purpose, the historical, legal, political, and administrative relevance of a collective entity that, like the one studied, is from its origins directly dependent on a Territorial and Institutional Political Model such as the Spanish one, in which it has had to be integrated. This integration process that the Royal Geographical Society has experienced, in turn, breaks down into two perfectly differentiated stages: on the one hand, the integration of the geographical entity into a politically organized social organization, that is, into the State; and on the other hand, an integration referring to the legal system, which by chance or on the contrary as a result of this circumstance, at the historical moment in which the original Geographic Society of Madrid was established, began its journey. On the other hand, the social institutionalization of Geography would become a key process as strategic knowledge to provide a decisive response to eventualities such as the growth of the Spanish and European population, and its progressive relocation through emigration to the colonial territories of the States.
Epistemological bases of the environment and risks in the field of tourist activities: words, terms and concepts
Scientific knowledge, environmental knowledge, risk knowledge, etc., based not on the intrinsic rationality of the fundamental assumptions of unprovable science, but simply on a convention, is making its way today (as Professor Calsamiglia has shown in his work). Convention that changes over time, precisely for that reason it can progress. If we are able to overcome rigid methodological monism and stop considering unworthy of attention everything that does not agree with the established convention, then, and only then, we will be able to truly relativize our knowledge, which is the product of conventions and developments of these conventions, and we will not be able to claim that our knowledge is the truth, and that our convention is the true one, the one that corresponds to human reason, but we will simply maintain that it is a way of interpreting reality, a scheme of interpretation of the reality that we claim to know. I underline a scheme of interpretation, neither the only possible one nor the ultimately true one. Perhaps the closest or most true at a given time, but one that is destined to be surpassed. This is an idea that is attempted to be developed here.
Sustainable development and migratory movements: immigration in today's world
Immigration is a type of human displacement, also known as migration, in which people from one country or another region enter a given society. We can say that it is a worldwide phenomenon, which is growing every day. Its causes are multiple, from economic factors, through geographic problems to situations of political conflict. The article follows a qualitative methodology, where the world of immigration is explored. The objective of this essay is to analyze the interrelation between environment, sustainable development and immigration flows as a social reality. Finally, immigration as a complex phenomenon from the socio-political, legal and economic point of view, has caused poor countries to become expellers of cheap and qualified labor, and rich countries to become recipients of the same.
It is necessary to understand that the 21st century is the century of cities, in view of the proposed solutions to the problems that have occurred and will occur. Framed in a context of densification and hyperconnectivity, the great challenge of climate change finds in cities a confusing battlefield. Considered in the Sustainable Development Goals, the planning of cities with the epithet sustainable has become one of the most frequent challenges, but also an avantgarde one, which is why these paper aims to analyse the political-urbanist proposal of “The fifteen-minute city”, going through the existing literature on the subject and trying to deduce its viability, through the controversies that plague it.
Tourism and the Environment in Spain: Case Study
Environmental Planning, in the field of tourism activities in Spain, is closely related to the birth of Tourism in our country, with the study, analysis and interpretation of the so-called “tourist destinations” playing a fundamental role in it. In this article we approach the gestation of these works, through their diachronic treatment, abroad, until reaching the present day. All this without forgetting that, in Spain, tourism as an economic activity was in its infancy, closely related to historical events; the political circumstances that marked the more than turbulent 19th century did not facilitate the cultural emergence of the aforementioned tourist activities, having to wait until the second half of the 20th century for individual initiatives to end up adding up and becoming what is known today as “mass tourism”, in total and continuous transformation. From this perspective, the research shows how this process has coincided in our country with the various transformations that the State has undergone (especially from the appreciation of this transition that runs between the Modern Absolutist State, to the Contemporary Constitutional State), from the point of view of the relations of this with the social community, it can be seen how the reformulation that the constitutional approach warned at the time implemented in our state reality, would attract with it a growing importance of the regulation of the different state powers (a matter of notable interest for the development of the aforementioned tourist activities).
Comparative analysis of Spanish regulations on the protection of forest areas and their differences with Ecuadorian law
Currently, forests cover about 4060 million hectares in the world, representing 31% of the earth's surface and hosting a large part of the biodiversity of flora and fauna, which, over the years has been diminished because of the old beliefs that their resources were unlimited, These beliefs are no longer valid due to the different studies that show that many of these resources are non-renewable, which has generated a great interest on the part of human beings to conserve and protect it, all this through the creation of several international and national legal instruments that are directly linked to the protection of the legal good called environment. In view of the above, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the protective regulations of the existing forest areas in Spain and Ecuador, thus being able to compare them and determine whether their operation is really in compliance with the existing regulations.
Territorial effects of Green Hydrogen in Chilean Patagonia: counter-current readings and some precautions for the future
In this work, the central issues related to Green Hydrogen technology will be discussed from a critical and rigorous perspective, taking into consideration its main characteristics, both positive and negative. After this, we will make an exhaustive review of the value markets in which this industry will play a leading role in the future. In the following term, we will focus this study on the territory of Chilean Patagonia, placing special emphasis on its territorial effects, considering its social, economic and environmental effects. A review will be carried out of the main current and future projects in the area of said technology and finally, a cycle of proposals for legislative improvement will be made in order to remedy the problems or conflicting nodes evidenced.
The Daimiel and Doñana Tables, problems of overexploitation of resources. Comparative analysis
Las Tablas de Daimiel and Doñana National Parks have suffered serious damage. Water, as the main asset of wetland ecosystems, and its management, necessary, by public bodies can achieve an improvement of the damage caused. The transformation of the territory, together with the problems of overexploitation of resources, has led these wetlands to a precarious situation. Precariousness of both flora and fauna and its most precious asset, water. Water has been a subject of conflict Water has been a subject of conflict in these territories since time immemorial. Conflicts that must be confronted and managed through homogeneous legislation that allows the conservation of these ecosystems in a common way with common objectives. The application of this legislation must be carried out by entities dependent on the State but with their own personality and capacity for action.
Environmental monitoring in the sanitation sector in Peru: the case of Ucayalí
Peru, like many other countries in the region, is rich in natural resources, but their conservation is affected by various economic activities such as mining, agriculture, industry, forestry and sanitation. It is the latter that is considered one of the main environmental problems affecting the entire country and especially in fragile ecosystems such as the Peruvian jungle – such as the Ucayali region – or the sources of water resources, due to a lack of control and monitoring by the competent entity, that is, by the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation. Indeed, despite the continued action of the ministry referred to in the preceding paragraph, environmental problems persist and in some cases have worsened, as evidenced by the reports prepared by the Environmental Assessment and Oversight Agency, the governing body of the National Environmental Assessment and Oversight System. This is how, within the identified problems that affect the adequate environmental supervision by the competent entity, we have the incorrect environmental planning that negatively impacts the results proposed by the entity, which prevents the contribution or solution of the various environmental problems. Thus, the present work, after analyzing the Sanitation System and the National System of Environmental Evaluation and Supervision, aims to identify the problem that results in insufficient and inadequate environmental supervision by the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation, proposing a solution that allows improving its work as a supervisory entity.
Socio-ecological approaches to sustainability: economics, ecology, evolution and human pro-environmental behavior
Current approaches and developments regarding the concept and policies of sustainability management have been based, to a large extent, on general principles and models derived from economic theory, rather than on the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of biology, ecology and evolutionary theory. To verify this situation and proposed trend, a review is made of the conceptions and contributions of current approaches regarding sustainability management in public policies and economic and business strategies, together with an approximation, through the application of a survey, to the discourses in related professionals and in the general population. As a contribution to the proposal of a model of greater scope and breadth in addressing the complexity and multidimensionality of sustainability, an approach is proposed with a greater integration of levels and frameworks of analysis and interpretation of human behavior in its relationship with the environment, based on the analytical and conceptual instruments of socioecology, environmental psychology, ecological economics, evolutionary ecology, systems ecology and the various approaches to human ecology
Cahuita (Costa Rica), a tourist destination beyond the circular economy
This work analyzes the conditions of the Cahuita community in terms of marketing of raw materials, products and services offered to tourists, travelers or visitors. It is important to highlight that this town was formed mainly by fishermen and farmers, which led to it becoming a rural community tourist destination that at the same time congests the Cahuita National Park, evidencing a series of characteristics that resemble the circular economy. These particularities make this destination attractive to people because it maintains ancestral traditions of indigenous and Afro-descendant culture. The objective of this work is to present the form of commercialization and barter (exchange is the form used by the tourism sector), that the Cahuita people have with tourism entrepreneurs to strengthen the economy from the tourism approach. The methodology is participatory, and is oriented towards case studies. The population is made up of 245 members of the Cahuita community. The main results are that some types of musaceae, tubers from the region, fruits, among others, are harvested from homes, which become raw materials for tourism businesses and the homes themselves. The main conclusion is that the members of the community are active suppliers of businesses dedicated to tourism and favor the local economy because income from tourism is democratized to other sectors such as commerce in general and the different audiences that live in the Community. from Cahuita, Limón, Costa Rica.
The complex reality of the identification of Protected Natural Spaces in the Basque Country: the case of cross-border spaces
The present work introduces a completely new vision to begin to investigate on a case-by-case basis the possible legal-administrative inconsistencies of the Protected Natural Areas (ENP) that could affect the different ecosystems due to legislative gaps between the autonomous borders. It is part of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, but is applicable to the other 16, and also to the European protection zones, the Natura 2000 Network. The complexity of nature, the heterogeneity, requires an exhaustive analysis far from politics. and bureaucracy; and clinging to environmental scientific criteria.
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Tourism, sustainability and environment: a sociological approach to the tourism management of the geographical space and the territory in Spain.
The purpose of this study is to approach the sociological implications of territorial planning in Spain, addressing its implications in the field of Tourism, from an environmental perspective - from the field of sustainability-. In this way, it is based on the knowledge of the essential precepts of Territorial Planning, conceived as a technique, a public-social policy, focused around the processes of physical planning, the organization of economic activities - specifically, in our work, focused on tourism-, and in the territorial development, in its triple dimension, of the set of agents, elements and factors that define the tourism system, in our case in Spain, from the different scalar levels, the basis for the implementation of tourist activities.
Public transportation and environmental problems in Colombia
This study seeks to understand the situation concerning public transport in Colombia, by means of literary review and meta-analysis, and deduce its environmental effects in the city of Barranquilla and the surrounding locality of Norte-Centro Histórico. Focusing on cause-and-effect relationships this analysis seeks to understand the environmental consequences of public transport within the study area. The principal finding of this study is that public transportation within Barranquilla and the surrounding locality suffers greatly from problems related to the planning and management of urban mobility within the study area. These planning and management-related problems are principally due to a lack of regulation, updates, and control. Private interests have had severe consequences on public safety leading to an 18% increase in road-related deaths, with those most affected being pedestrians and cyclists. There currently exists an insufficient surveillance system for air-quality containing outdated information. This is especially concerning given the study area’s public transportation is excessively reliant on combustible fossil fuels. The contaminants attributed to public transportation found in the highest concentrations included Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5). These contaminants are associated with negative health and environmental effects, in particular Black Carbon appears within the category of contaminants known as (PM2.5) and is strongly associated with respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. Black Carbon also contributes to climate change and emits ⅓ of the radiative force of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Evaluation of ecosystem services through stakeholders’ co-participation. A retrospective on the case of forests
In the last few decades, the research on the evaluation of ecosystem services (ES) has increased, although it has been generally focused on economic and biophysical analysis, without paying attention to the social component. The purpose of this study is to explore how the ES are valued from a sociocultural approach, including the co-participation of different stakeholders. For this purpose, a systematic analysis of the scientific literature indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases has been carried out. From the bibliographic review, it has been possible to establish the characteristics and services that predominate in sociocultural evaluations, and, on the other hand, a gap has been detected in the framework of natural/protected parks and Mediterranean forests. For this reason, the findings in this work could serve as a reference in the approach of studies related to the evolution, planning and future policies on sustainability and environmental awareness.
Economic valuation of the CO2 absorbed by a territory. Application to the Sevillian municipalities
A simple methodology is proposed to economically value de total CO2 balance of a territory. This balance is the difference between the CO2 absorbed by the vegetation (ornamental, cultivated and natural) and the CO2 emitted by the activities carried out in the territory. This methodology is applied to the municipalities of the province of Seville. It is obtained that 17 sevillian municipalities have negative values of the CO2 balance and 88 municipalities have positive values. Écija (+1.257.528,21 tCO2/year) and Carmona (+1.105.480,97 tCO2/year) stand out. The highest CO2 balance per hectare is found in Gilena (20,43 tCO2/ha-year) followed by Badolatosa (19,34 tCO2/ha-year). The economic valuation is carried out by applying a coefficient of 15 €/tCO2, deducted according to the legislation on the fluorinated gas tax, and economic amounts obtained that can be very high in some cases. This money is proposed to be economic compesation for rural municipalities for acting as CO2 sinks. Likewise, several uses are proposed for this money, all of them aimed at improving the sociodemographic and economic indicators of rural municipalities.