Framing the relationship between justice and ecosystem services: A systematic review

Abstract

Ecosystem services (ES) are integral to environmental justice, in particular because they unevenly contribute to the well-being of different communities. Effective ES management and governance can promote equitable access and ensure that marginalized groups are not excluded from ES benefits, while recognizing the interests of multiple stakeholders and fostering fair decision making. Although environmental justice is a multifaceted concept that encompasses distributive, procedural, and recognition dimensions, most of the research on justice in ES has focused primarily on distributional aspects. Recent reviews indicate a growing interest in integrating environmental justice concerns with ES, but also highlight gaps in understanding how the relationship between justice and ES is framed and studied in different contexts. We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature to identify the predominant framings of the relationship between ES and justice. Through a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 217 articles, examined from an environmental justice perspective, we identified five distinct framings, i.e. particular conceptualizations of the relationship between ES and justice that ultimately influence what (in)justices can be rendered visible or invisible. Each of the framings ‘Space’, ‘Access’, ‘Values’, ‘PES’ (Payment for ES), and ‘Management’ is associated with specific research questions and methods on ES, as well as specific perspectives and findings on justice. The plurality of framings identified in this review underscores the conceptual complexity of environmental justice and highlights the importance of engaging with diverse perspectives when addressing justice in relation to ES.