Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MUSIASEM): An Outline of Rationale and Theory

Mario Giampietro (), Kozo Mayumi () and Jesus Ramos-Martin
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Mario Giampietro: ICREA Institut de Ciencia i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

Working Papers from Department of Applied Economics at Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona

Abstract: This paper presents an outline of rationale and theory of the MuSIASEM scheme (Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism). First, three points of the rationale behind our MuSIASEM scheme are discussed: (i) endosomatic and exosomatic metabolism in relation to Georgescu-Roegen’s flow-fund scheme; (2) the bioeconomic analogy of hypercycle and dissipative parts in ecosystems; (3) the dramatic reallocation of human time and land use patterns in various sectors of modern economy. Next, a flow-fund representation of the MUSIASEM scheme on three levels (the whole national level, the paid work sectors level, and the agricultural sector level) is illustrated to look at the structure of the human economy in relation to two primary factors: (i) human time - a fund; and (ii) exosomatic energy - a flow. The three levels representation uses extensive and intensive variables simultaneously. Key conceptual tools of the MuSIASEM scheme - mosaic effects and impredicative loop analysis - are explained using the three level flow-fund representation. Finally, we claim that the MuSIASEM scheme can be seen as a multi-purpose grammar useful to deal with sustainability issues.

Keywords: Energy; Flow-Fund Model; Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis; Mosaic Effects; Impredicative Loop; Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism; Hierarchy; Multi-Purpose (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O11 O13 Q01 Q57 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 15 pages
Date: 2008-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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