Emergy as a Tool to Evaluate Ecosystem Services: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Ana Carolina V. Nadalini, Ricardo de Araujo Kalid and Ednildo Andrade Torres
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Ana Carolina V. Nadalini: Energy and Environment Interdisciplinary Center (CIENAM), Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Salvador 40170-115, Brazil
Ricardo de Araujo Kalid: Federal University of the South of Bahia (UFSB), Itabuna 45613-204, Brazil
Ednildo Andrade Torres: Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Rua Aristides Novis, 2, 3rd Floor, Salvador 40170-115, Brazil

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to present a review of current research on the valuation of ecosystem services, using emergy evaluation methodology (EME). A bibliometric analysis and a systematic review were carried out between 2000 and 2020, using all of Web of Science database subfields that collected 187 papers, selected through the keywords “emergy” and “ecosystem services”. In the second part of the research, we carried out a new search on Web of Science of the 187 initial articles produced, with the words “valuation” and “economic”, in order to analyze those directly related to the evaluation of ecosystem services. The results showed that the EME method is an effective tool to evaluate ecosystem services, since it relates economic and ecological aspects in the evaluations. The research also indicated that the use of isolated methods does not appear to be the most appropriate solution, and that emergy used in combination with other methodologies can be used to obtain more accurate and comprehensive results to evaluate natural resources.

Keywords: emergy; ecosystem services; evaluation; systematic review; emergy analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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