Toward Rigorous Telecoupling Causal Attribution: A Systematic Review and Typology

Andrew K. Carlson, Julie G. Zaehringer, Rachael Garrett, Ramon Felipe Bicudo Silva, Paul R. Furumo, Andrea N Raya Rey, Aurora Torres, Min Gon Chung, Yingjie Li and Jianguo Liu
Additional contact information
Andrew K. Carlson: Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 115 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Julie G. Zaehringer: Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Ramon Felipe Bicudo Silva: Center for Environmental Research and Studies, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP 13083-867, Brazil
Paul R. Furumo: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, San Juan 00931, Puerto Rico
Andrea N Raya Rey: Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B. Houssay 200, Ushuaia V9410BFD, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Aurora Torres: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
Min Gon Chung: Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 115 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Yingjie Li: Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 115 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Jianguo Liu: Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 115 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: Telecoupled flows of people, organisms, goods, information, and energy are expanding across the globe. Causes are integral components of the telecoupling framework, yet the rigor with which they have been identified and evaluated to date is unknown. We address this knowledge gap by systematically reviewing causal attribution in the telecoupling literature (n = 89 studies) and developing a standardized causal terminology and typology for consistent use in telecoupling research. Causes are defined based on six criteria: sector (e.g., environmental, economic), system of origin (i.e., sending, receiving, spillover), agent, distance, response time (i.e., time lapse between cause and effect), and direction (i.e., producing positive or negative effects). Using case studies from the telecoupling literature, we demonstrate the need to enhance the rigor of telecoupling causal attribution by combining qualitative and quantitative methods via process-tracing, counterfactual analysis, and related approaches. Rigorous qualitative-quantitative causal attribution is critical for accurately assessing the social-ecological causes and consequences of telecouplings and thereby identifying leverage points for informed management and governance of telecoupled systems.

Keywords: telecoupling; causality; cause; effect; coupled human and natural systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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