Abstract
AbstractNumerous challenges confront the task of evaluating sustainable development—its complex nature, complementary evaluation criteria, and the difficulty of evaluation at the nexus of human and natural systems. Theory-based evaluation, drawn from critical realism, is well suited to this task. When constructing a program theory/theory of change for evaluating sustainable development, concepts of socioecological systems and coupled human and natural systems are useful. The chapter discusses four modes of inference and the application of different theory-based evaluation approaches. It introduces the CHANS (coupled human and natural systems) framework, a holistic, analytical framework that is useful in evaluating such complex, social-ecological systems and resonates with the challenging elements of sustainable development evaluation.
Highlights
Numerous challenges confront the task of evaluating sustainable development—its complex nature, complementary evaluation criteria, and the difficulty of evaluation at the nexus of human and natural systems
The focus of this chapter is to look at the challenges in evaluating the status of sustainable development, which requires looking into the nexus of human and natural systems, and introduce the utility of theory-based evaluation for such purposes
The chapter introduces a holistic framework called Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS), an analytical framework that is useful in evaluating such complex, social- ecological systems
Summary
More often than not, measuring, analyzing, and evaluating the status of or movement toward sustainable development has been influenced by social science disciplines rather than natural, biophysical sciences (Rowe, 2012) Such analysis leaves no doubt that all economic and social activities are based on a healthy environment and the finite resources existing on earth. The natural ecosystems are diverse, complex, and dynamic; traditional, disciplinary science is “not by itself sufficient for understanding and dealing with ecosystems” (Waltner-Toews et al, 2008, xii) In light of these current situations surrounding sustainable development evaluation efforts, we turn to theory-based evaluation and its approaches. An origin in critical realism is deemed quite appropriate to evaluating sustainable development, which involves two-evaluand systems
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