Framing the relationship between justice and ecosystem services: A systematic review

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Ecosystem services (ES) are integral to environmental justice, in particular because they unevenly contribute to the well-being of different communities. Effective ES management and governance can promote equitable access and ensure that marginalized groups are not excluded from ES benefits, while recognizing the interests of multiple stakeholders and fostering fair decision making. Although environmental justice is a multifaceted concept that encompasses distributive, procedural, and recognition dimensions, most of the research on justice in ES has focused primarily on distributional aspects. Recent reviews indicate a growing interest in integrating environmental justice concerns with ES, but also highlight gaps in understanding how the relationship between justice and ES is framed and studied in different contexts. We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature to identify the predominant framings of the relationship between ES and justice. Through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 217 articles, examined from an environmental justice perspective, we identified five distinct framings, i.e. particular conceptualizations of the relationship between ES and justice that ultimately influence what (in)justices can be rendered visible or invisible. Each of the framings ‘Space’, ‘Access’, ‘Values’, ‘PES’ (Payment for ES), and ‘Management’ is associated with specific research questions and methods on ES, as well as specific perspectives and findings on justice. The plurality of framings identified in this review underscores the conceptual complexity of environmental justice and highlights the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives when addressing justice in relation to ES.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101755
JournalEcosystem Services
Volume74
Number of pages14
ISSN2212-0416
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 08.2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s)

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Friction riveting of 3D printed polyamide 6 with AA 6056-T6
  2. How development leads to democracy
  3. Manual construction and mathematics- and computer-aided counting of stereoisomers. The example of oligoinositols
  4. Computer als Medium (Hyperkult VI)
  5. Gesichtssprache
  6. More than Yield
  7. Sustainability-oriented technology exploration: managerial values, ambidextrous design, and separation drift
  8. Explaining primary school teachers’ intention to use digital learning platforms for students’ individualized practice
  9. Leveraging the macro-level environment to balance work and life
  10. Learning Analytics and Personalized Learning
  11. The Effectivity of Technological Innovation on Mitigating the Costs of Climate Change Policies
  12. Analyzing Pragmatic Variation in English
  13. Behavior of microstructure and mechanical properties in the stir zone of friction stir welded ME21 magnesium alloy
  14. Towards 3D Process Simulation for In Situ Hybridization of Fiber-Metal-Laminates (FML)
  15. Utilizing Synchrotron Radiation for the Characterization of Biodegradable Magnesium Alloys — From Alloy Development to the Application as Implant Material
  16. Insights into the accuracy of social scientists’ forecasts of societal change
  17. Case study on delivery time determination using a machine learning approach in small batch production companies
  18. Noise-induced Statistical Periodicity in Random Lasota-Mackey Maps
  19. Two degrees and the SDGs:
  20. Der "fachdidaktische Code" der Lebenswelt- und/oder (?) Situationsorientierung
  21. Lizard distribution patterns in the Tumut Fragmentation "Natural Experiment" in south-eastern Australia
  22. Advancing science on the multiple connections between biodiversity, ecosystems and people
  23. Hacking Crowdfunding
  24. Georeferencing System for Maneuvering of Autonomous Truck in Mining Environment
  25. Investigating values and environmental attitudes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
  26. An-arche and Indifference