Phosphorus sustainability through coordinated stakeholder engagement: a perspective

Alison Deviney (), Khara Grieger, Ashton Merck, John Classen and Anna-Maria Marshall
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Alison Deviney: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
Khara Grieger: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
Ashton Merck: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
John Classen: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center
Anna-Maria Marshall: Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center

Environment Systems and Decisions, 2023, vol. 43, issue 3, 371-378

Abstract: Abstract In this Perspective we take an in-depth look at what coordinated stakeholder engagement could entail for phosphorus sustainability. The element phosphorus is critical to life on Earth and to the continued functioning of society as we know it. Yet, how society uses phosphorus is currently unsustainable, both as a resource in support of global food production where inequitable distribution creates food security challenges, but also from an environmental aspect, where mismanagement has led to negative impacts on the quality of agricultural soils, human health, and freshwater and marine ecosystems. A number of initiatives and cross-sector consortia have come together to address sustainable phosphorus management at either global or regional scales. However, these efforts could benefit from a more coordinated approach to stakeholder engagement to identify the diversity of needs and perspectives involved in this complex challenge. Herein we examine some examples of different approaches to developing such coordinated stakeholder engagement in other areas of environmental sustainability. We consider how to apply the lessons learned from those efforts toward stakeholder coordination in the realm of phosphorus sustainability. Particularly, we discuss the value of a coordinating body to manage the communications and knowledge sharing necessary to develop trust and cooperation among diverse stakeholder groups and to transition society to more sustainable phosphorus use.

Keywords: Stakeholder coordination; Stakeholder engagement; Phosphorus sustainability; Sustainability transitions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s10669-023-09896-0

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