274
W. T. Woo et al.
SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequality) and SDG
12 (responsible consumption and production).
6 Discussion: SDGs and Ecosystem Services
Research and outreach on the four core SDGs 3, 6, 13 and 17 within Sunway University and Universiti Sains Malaysia has opened the window of opportunities to other
fruitful collaboration. A discussion on potential research and outreach collaboration
on related SDGs will be briefly explored in this section. Found mainly at the interface of land and the sea, mangroves are vulnerable to disturbances in the land-sea
interface. Yet mangroves, and other marine ecosystems, can provide valuable ecosystem services to human well-being (Torres and Hanley 2017) and to the fulfilment of
certain SDGs. This includes the protection of coastal and terrestrial habitats (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Teh et al. 2009) and protection from disruptions
from the oceans, both natural and anthropogenic. In a survey, ecosystem services
are perceived to contribute to the achievement of 41 SDG targets. The provision of
food and water, the maintenance of habitats and biodiversity, and the storage and
sequestration of carbon (Dung et al. 2016) are perceived to each make contributions
to more than 14 SDG targets, suggesting cross-target interactions. This may present
opportunities for synergistic outcomes across multiple SDGs.
The ecosystem services provided by marine ecosystems include fish, fibre, fuel
and coastal protection, on which over 1 billion people currently rely. Small-scale
local artisanal fishery can boost social equity (SDG 10), provide inexpensive food
and protein (SDG 1, 2), encourage sustainable economic growth (SDG 8) and support ecological sustainability at the local scale, supporting many SDG targets all at
once (Chadwick et al. 2014). This conclusion was also reached from the ecosystem service research conducted on the West Coast Rock Lobster fishery within the
Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area in South Africa (Ward et al.
2018). With a clear mandate to integrate social justice, economic viability and environmental objectives in the 17 SDGs, maintaining healthy ecosystems (Goal 14:
life below water and Goal 15: life on land) is a prerequisite to achieving the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development that ensure post-2030 sustainability (Reid et al.
2017). Ecosystem health is the foundation for social and economic well-being, as
the three pillars of sustainable development (just society, vibrant economy, healthy
environment) are intimately linked. The tightly connected and synergetic ecological,
social and economic outcomes will sustain strong incentives for compliance. Ample
opportunity abounds for early-career scientists and social-economic researchers to
approach economic-social-ecological integration from a trans-disciplinary perspective, spanning the entire society, economy and environmental spectra. The authors
take pride in supporting the new paradigm shift that dictates that ecosystem health
must be managed and maintained for its own sake, as well as for that of the human
users and associated sectors, as they are all interlinked in a holistic entity.
W. T. Woo et al.
SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequality) and SDG
12 (responsible consumption and production).
6 Discussion: SDGs and Ecosystem Services
Research and outreach on the four core SDGs 3, 6, 13 and 17 within Sunway University and Universiti Sains Malaysia has opened the window of opportunities to other
fruitful collaboration. A discussion on potential research and outreach collaboration
on related SDGs will be briefly explored in this section. Found mainly at the interface of land and the sea, mangroves are vulnerable to disturbances in the land-sea
interface. Yet mangroves, and other marine ecosystems, can provide valuable ecosystem services to human well-being (Torres and Hanley 2017) and to the fulfilment of
certain SDGs. This includes the protection of coastal and terrestrial habitats (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; Teh et al. 2009) and protection from disruptions
from the oceans, both natural and anthropogenic. In a survey, ecosystem services
are perceived to contribute to the achievement of 41 SDG targets. The provision of
food and water, the maintenance of habitats and biodiversity, and the storage and
sequestration of carbon (Dung et al. 2016) are perceived to each make contributions
to more than 14 SDG targets, suggesting cross-target interactions. This may present
opportunities for synergistic outcomes across multiple SDGs.
The ecosystem services provided by marine ecosystems include fish, fibre, fuel
and coastal protection, on which over 1 billion people currently rely. Small-scale
local artisanal fishery can boost social equity (SDG 10), provide inexpensive food
and protein (SDG 1, 2), encourage sustainable economic growth (SDG 8) and support ecological sustainability at the local scale, supporting many SDG targets all at
once (Chadwick et al. 2014). This conclusion was also reached from the ecosystem service research conducted on the West Coast Rock Lobster fishery within the
Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area in South Africa (Ward et al.
2018). With a clear mandate to integrate social justice, economic viability and environmental objectives in the 17 SDGs, maintaining healthy ecosystems (Goal 14:
life below water and Goal 15: life on land) is a prerequisite to achieving the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development that ensure post-2030 sustainability (Reid et al.
2017). Ecosystem health is the foundation for social and economic well-being, as
the three pillars of sustainable development (just society, vibrant economy, healthy
environment) are intimately linked. The tightly connected and synergetic ecological,
social and economic outcomes will sustain strong incentives for compliance. Ample
opportunity abounds for early-career scientists and social-economic researchers to
approach economic-social-ecological integration from a trans-disciplinary perspective, spanning the entire society, economy and environmental spectra. The authors
take pride in supporting the new paradigm shift that dictates that ecosystem health
must be managed and maintained for its own sake, as well as for that of the human
users and associated sectors, as they are all interlinked in a holistic entity.