Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Quarter 2 – Module 1 & 2: Human - Environment Systems

HUMAN ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM APPROACH

The Human Environment System (HES) in the social sciences is an interdisciplinary approach in the social
sciences. It bridges the gap between and integrate knowledge from, the social and the natural sciences within one
framework in the study of environmental and social issues.
Human-environment system (HES) refers to „‟the interaction of human system with corresponding
environmental or technological systems‟‟ Schools and Binder, (n.d., 791). The HES approach conceptualizes mutual
dependence between human and environmental systems Schools and Binder (n.d., 791) describe this mutual
dependence as „‟two different systems that exist in essential dependencies and reciprocal endorsement‟‟. The use
of the term human systems or „‟social systems ranging from society to individuals‟‟ (Apostle 1952 in Schools and
Binder n.d.) can be traced as far back as the time of the ancient Greeks, while the use of the term environmental
systems began late in the early nineteenth Century (Schools and Binder n.d.,791 ).
Human-environment interactions existed since time immemorial, but the scope and intensity of these
interactions have increased significantly since the Industrial Revolution. Whereas most of the early human-
environment interactions have taken place at a local/national scale, contemporary interactions between human and
natural systems have not only reached regional, sub regional, continental, and global scales but also have also
become special concerns (Liu J et al., 2007).
The human-environment system also referred to as the “coupled human environment system‟‟ or the
“coupled human and natural system‟‟ or CHANS‟‟ acknowledges the fact those humans, as users, actors, and
managers are not external but integral elements of the human –environment systems‟‟ (Schr‟ter D et al. 2004, 11).
As integral parts of the human-environment system----as users, actors, and managers----they become duty bearers
themselves who must share the responsibility for the sustainability of the human-environment system.
The science of CHANS builds on but moves beyond previous work such as human ecology, ecological
anthropology, and environmental geography (Liu. et.a., 2007). The following are three central features of HES of
CHANS.
First, CHANS research focuses on the patterns and processes that link human and natural systems. Second,
CHANS research such as integrated assessment of climate change emphasizes reciprocal interactions and feedbacks--
both the effects of humans on the environment and the effects of the environment on humans. Third, understanding
within-scale and cross-scale interactions between human and natural components (e g. how large-scale phenomena
emerge from local interactions of multiple agents and in turn influence local systems and a major challenge for the
science of CHANS. Although each of these three aspects has been addressed in some studies on human-environment
interactions, the science of CHANS promotes the integration of all these aspects (Liu J, et al., 2007, 639).
Liu, J, et al. (2007) made a clear articulation of the reason why an integration of the three aspects is
necessary. They argued that „‟such integration is needed to tackle the increased complexity and to help prevent the
dreadful consequences that may occur due to the fundamentally new and rapid changes, because the magnitude,
extent, and rate of changes in human-natural couplings have been unprecedented in the past several decades, and
the accelerating human impacts on natural systems may lead to degradation and collapse of natural systems which in
turn compromise the adaptive capacity of human systems.‟‟ To understand and appreciate the human-environment
system (HES) approach in the social sciences, the following discussion outlines three areas or fields of inquiry where
the HES approach is relevant and necessary as both an analytical tool and framework.
One is the study of the human causes of environmental change----not only proximate causes, such as burning
coals, releasing heavy metals into rivers, and clearing forests, that immediately change a part of the environment----
but especially indirect causes or driving forces, such as population growth, economic development, technological
change, and alterations in social institutions and human values, that must be understood to forecast trends in
environmentally destructive human activity and, if necessary, to change those trends.
A second field of inquiry concerns the effects of environmental change on things people value----both
proximate effects, such as on growing seasons and rainfall in agricultural areas, soil fertility, endangered species, and
so on, and indirect effects, such as on population migrations international conflict, agricultural markets, and
government policies.
The third field is the study of the feedbacks between humanity and the environment----the ways individuals,
organizations, and governments act based on experienced or anticipated environmental change to manage human
activity and preserve environmental values. These feedbacks provides the greatest challenge for the scientist and
policy-makers, partly because there are so many ways people intervene in the system (Stern 1993, 1897).
To date, significant studies on the many problems of human-environment interaction have been undertaken.
For example, “in understanding how people perceive and judge environmental risks; how societies create institutions
for managing common-property resources, such as fisheries, grasslands, and the atmosphere; what brought about
anthropogenic environmental changes in the past: the dynamics of public concern about the environment; and the
economic forces affecting natural resource availability” (Stern 1993, 1898).
 However, the field of inquiry of human-environment interactions has achieved modest progress only. Stern
(1993, 1898) identified both scientific and institutional reasons that explain such modest outcome.
It has all the scientific problems of other interdisciplinary fields, but more intensely because it involves all the
disciplines of environmental science and those of social science as well. It is difficult in such a field to do high-quality
interdisciplinary work, integrate separate disciplinary projects, and set productive research agendas, and some are
tempted to proceed without the requisite background knowledge.
There are also significant institutional barriers in academia and government. Universities are reluctant to give
institutional support to interdisciplinary fields that do not yet have widespread recognition or a proven ability to
attract resources… the field does not have a unifying society or journal, university departments, or the other
conventional signs of a cohesive intellectual community. In government, „‟there is an almost complete mismatch
between the roster of federal agencies that support research on environmental change and the roster of federal
agencies with strong capabilities.‟‟ So what can be done? Adopting the National Research Council reports
recommendations for global change research, (Stern 1993, 1899) proposed that there should be: (1) increased
institutional and financial support for research, post-graduate and doctoral fellowships as well as interdisciplinary
research centers to enhance interdisciplinary training: (2) improved systems for acquisition and management or date
related in human environment interactions: and (3) environmental research activities of disciplinary associations in
social science.

MODELLING HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEMS

The Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) Model

The DPSIR model (drivers, pressures, state, impact, response) is the most internationally accepted framework
for studying the human-environment system. This model was originally developed by the European Environmental
Agency (EEA) and is used to assess and manage environmental problems. This framework for human-environment
systems recognizes the human activities, which place pressure on the environment and how these pressures modify
the current state of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. This leads to impacts on the
environment as well as on social and economic systems. In turn, human society attempts to problem-solve in order to
remove, reduce or prevent the drivers and pressures, restore the state of the environment and mitigate impacts. See
Figure 1 for the DPSIR model.

Driving forces Pressures

generat e
Human “activities” that e
Direct stresses from the
causes pressures: human social system on the
Total industrial production, natural environment:
GDP, road traffic… Emissions (toxic, CO 2,),
noises due to road traffic…
reduce, prevent

modify, re move modify

Responses State
restore
Human society tries to solve Current state of the
problems and adapt to atmosphere, land, and
changed situations: water:
Policies, technological compensate, Air, water and soil quality,
progress… mitigate global mean temperature,
acidity of forest soils…

stimulate Impact
“Source: Information on theEffects
DPSIRon the human
model andsocial provoke, from
its indicators.” Retrieved
system due to environmental cause
change:
Human health, economic loss,
floods…

Figure 1. The Driver-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model

Indicators of the DPSIR model

1. Driving force indicators- are human “activities” that causes pressures such as total industrial production,
GDP, road traffic. These indicators are useful to: (a) derive important pressure indicators, (b) help decision-
 makers to plan measures (“responses”) to mitigate or avoid future problems (“pressures”),(c) can be used as
a basis for scenario development and long-term planning.
2. Pressure indicators- These indicators show the direct stresses from the human social system on the natural
environment such as Emissions (toxic, CO 2 ,), noise due to road traffic, etc. Pressure indicators are generally
responsive. Decision-makers should be able to reduce the pressure by introducing appropriate actions.
Furthermore, pressure indicators demonstrate the effectiveness of political action.
3. State indicators- are the current state of atmosphere, land and water: Air, water and soil quality, global mean
temperature, acidity of forest soils. These indicators are very useful to make a first assessment of the
situation. Furthermore, they can be appropriate tools to plan habitat restoration and similar activities.
4. Impact indicators- are the effects on the human social system due to environmental change: Human health,
economic loss, floods, etc. These indicators react even slower than state indicators. When the impacts are
felt, it is usually too late for action. Nevertheless, Impact indicators demonstrate the cause-effect chains and
help searching for adequate measures to prevent negative impacts in future . In this sense, they are not
statistical “indicators”, but scientific “decision models”.
5. Response indicators- These indicators are very fast. They monitor the measures that have been launched to
solve the problems and adapt to changed situations such as policies, technological progress, etc.

AIM AND PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) approach to ecosystem-based management is
that: Ecosystem and natural habitats management seeks to meet human requirements to use natural resources,
whilst maintaining the biological richness and ecological processes necessary to sustain the composition, structure
and function of the habitats or ecosystems concerned. Important within this process is the setting of explicit goals
and practices, regularly updated in the light of the results of monitoring and research activities.
Humans have always been major causes of disturbance and degradation of natural systems. Problems are
caused by intensive land-use, fisheries, deforestation, the establishment of urban areas and many more. Therefore
human environmental systems management should focus on the role of people and their interactions with
environment.
There are some fundamental principles when dealing with human environmental systems:
• human society is constantly changing, and so is the environment. Therefore sustainable ecosystem management
must be very flexible in order to adapt to continually changing situations and conditions.
• ecosystem management is only partly about ecological sciences. It has to take into consideration all the
economic, social and cultural factors affecting the communities concerned with an ecosystem management
project.
• public and community participation – at all stages of project development and implementation – is extremely
important for success.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIONS AND EFFECTS)

Many of the environmental issues of today relate to human‟s over use of finite resources for economic
development. As a species, humans tend to regard the environment as a never-ending source of materials and
energy. Changes in human lifestyle needs to be done in order to create a sustainable society. Healthy ecosystems and
environment are necessary to the survival of humans and other organisms. Ways of reducing negative human impact
are environmental resources and management, environmental protection, and environmentally friendly chemical
engineering. Environmental awareness, consciousness, and sensitivity needs to be promoted at all times.
Examples of these environmental issues are as follows:

Humans Actions Environmental Issues/Effects

Human overpopulation • Water Scarcity Waste Disposal Management
• Land reclamation Urbanization
• Land degration Industrialization
Intensive farming • Intensive animal farming Slash and burn
• Intensive crop farming Deforestation
• Pesticide drift Plasticulture
• Environmental effects of meat production
Exhaustive land use • Habitat fragmentation Land pollution
• Habitat destruction Built environment
• Land degradation Desertification
Hydrology • Tile drainage Flooding Landslide