Search results

ABSTRACT This article uses theories of virtualism to analyse the role of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) project in the production of natural capital. Presented at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the project seeks to redress the 'economic invisibility of nature' by quantifying the value of ecosystems and biodiversity. This endeavour to put an economic value on ecosystems makes nature legible by abstracting it from social and ecological contexts and making it subject to, and productive of, new market devices. In reducing the complexity of ecological dynamics to idealized categories TEEB is driven by economic ideas and idealism, and, in claiming to be a quantitative force for morality, is engaged in the production of practices designed to conform the 'real' to the virtual. By rendering a 'valued' nature legible for key audiences, TEEB has mobilized a critical mass of support including modellers, policy makers and bankers. We argue that TEEB's rhetoric of crisis and value aligns capitalism with a new kind of ecological modernization in which 'the market' and market devices serve as key mechanisms to conform the real and the virtual. Using the case of TEEB, and drawing on data collected at COP10, we illustrate the importance of international meetings as key points where idealized models of biodiversity protection emerge, circulate and are negotiated, and as sites where actors are aligned and articulated with these idealized models in ways that begin further processes of conforming the real with the virtual and the realization of 'natural capital'.

The main aim of this research is to define the mineralogical composition of recent sediments deposited around the Al-Teeb river basin in eastern Missan, trying to determine the provenance or the source of these sediments.
The study area represents the southeastern edge of the Mesopotamian Plain and is part of it. Quaternary deposits cover most of the area. It is clayey with old sea and river deposits and part of aeolian deposits.
These sediments cover 95% of the study area, while the older rocks, which date back to the Tertiary (Late Miocene – Pliocene), exposed in the area east and northeast of the Al-Teeb area, made up hills which back to the undifferentiated Pliocene Mukdadiya and Bai-Hassan formations.
The light components of these sediments consist mainly of quartz, feldspars (potash and plagioclase feldspar), sedimentary rock fragments (carbonate rock fragments, chert rock fragments, evaporates fragments), igneous rock fragments, and metamorphic rock fragments
The heaviest minerals are opaque, amphiboles, pyroxenes, chlorite, epidotes, biotite, garnet, muscovite, zircon, kyanite, staurolite, and rutile.
These sediments are typically formed by sedimentary rocks (single or many cycles), low and high-rank metamorphic rocks, acidic and basic igneous rocks, and pegmatite rocks.
The high percentage of opaque heavy minerals in clastic sediment refers to unstable clastic sediments. The stability issue to the areas during the study shows that there are significant variances over the several places, indicating dissimilar sources and types of source rocks

Responding to the UN programme &ldquo ; The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity&rdquo ; (TEEB), TEEB-DE (2012&ndash ; 2018) was a science&ndash ; policy interface (SPI) set up in Germany with the objective of mobilising scientific expertise for a better consideration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in political and corporate decision-making. The aim of this paper is to contribute to an assessment of TEEB-DE by analysing its objectives, structure, processes and outputs. The analysis is guided by a theoretical framework that takes credibility, relevance and legitimacy (CRELE) as normative criteria for examining SPIs. Methodologically, the paper relies on a fine-grained analysis of published documents and interviews with key figures of TEEB-DE. The results allow for a preliminary assessment of TEEB-DE in regard to CRELE and illuminate how its conceptual foundation&mdash ; namely the ecosystem services concept&mdash ; was discussed in the public realm. We also consider a number of trade-offs which the coordinators of TEEB-DE had to negotiate. In conclusion, we identify some proposals for designing future SPIs in the domain of biodiversity and nature conservation in Germany such as paying greater attention to policy windows, broadening the thematic scope beyond economics and providing better opportunities for debate and contestation.

Nature provides a range of benefits (ecosystem services) that underpin human and socio-economic well-being. Many of these benefits – and the associated economic values – are not acknowledged in decision-making. As a result, nature remains almost invisible in the political and individual choices made. This report presents a synthesis of the socio-economic importance of ecosystem services in the Nordic countries. The study was initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) and the NCM Finnish Presidency in 2011, following in the footsteps of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative. The study reveals that Nordic ecosystems play an integral role in supporting socio-economic wellbeing. However, a number of gaps in the existing information base still need to be addressed to ensure that these benefits are fully integrated into the Nordic decision-making processes.

Intro -- Forword -- Authors and contributors -- Executive summary -- PART I: -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Aims and structure of the report -- 2.1 Aims and objectives -- 2.2 Report structure -- 3. Approach and methods -- 3.1 Scope and terminology -- 3.2 Methods -- PART II: -- 4. Nature, human wellbeing and economic development -- 5. Understanding and assessing the value of nature -- 5.1 Why and how do we assess the value of nature? -- 5.2 Economic valuation within ecosystem service assessments -- 6. Value of nature and the policy response -- 6.1 Measuring and monitoring our natural capital -- 6.2 Adopting appropriate tools for integrating the value of nature into policy and decision-making -- PART III: -- 7. Nordic countries and ecosystems -- 7.1 Nordic ecosystems: status and trends -- 7.2 Protecting Nordic ecosystems -- 8. Nordic ecosystem services -- 8.1 Identification and classification of Nordic ecosystem services -- 8.2 Flow of Nordic ecosystem services: who benefits and where? -- 9. Nordic ecosystem services: status and trends -- 9.1 Identification of indicators -- 9.2 Existing knowledge on status and trends -- 10. Socio-economic value of Nordic ecosystem services -- 10.1 Identification of indicators -- 10.2 Existing knowledge on socio-economic value -- 11. Identification of gaps in the existing knowledge -- 12. Conclusions -- 12.1 Ecosystem services in the Nordic countries -- 12.2 Synergies and trade-offs between Nordic ecosystem services -- PART IV: -- 13. Existing Nordic policy frameworks and tools for ecosystem services -- 14. Policy conclusions and recommendations: opportunities and priorities for Nordic countries -- 14.1 Development of indicators and assessments for ecosystem services -- 14.2 Towards sustainable Green Economy supported by the Nordic nature -- 14.3 Policy recommendations -- 15. References.

Mukdadiya Formation represents one of the formations that cover a huge area of Iraq. It contains several clastic deposits, such as sandstone, siltstone, and a noticeable amount of gravels. The gravels are considered as the hallmark to differentiate between Injana and Mukdadiya formations. Therefore, the current study focused on these facies to determine the petrography, paleontology , and origin of Mukdadiya deposits. The results of SEM-EDX and XRD analyses showed two types of gravels, namely the siliceous and lime gravels. The highest percentage of gravels belonged to the sedimentary origin (limestone). The elements of Si, Ca, and Fe represented the common elements that formed the studied gravels. The paleontological study displayed numerous fossils that are composed of these gravels, belonging to several groups, including foraminifera, radiolaria, dinoflagellata, echinoida, gastropoda, and calcisphera. Also, four microfacies were identified in the studied gravels. After comparison of all collected data with selected formations, the results confirmed that the origin of the derived gravels is from the Qulqula Formation, because of their content of radiolaria and the other characterizing fossils.