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between them, thereby preventing genetic stagnation that undermines
the resilience of isolated pockets of species over time (
), and
allowing the passage of migratory species. Finally, broad qualities such as
the possession of
'
openness
'
'
reserves
'
and
'
capital assets
'
buffer systems against
negative impacts.
Collectively, these attributes are viewed as conferring
exibility,
adaptability and an enhanced ability to absorb shock on systems. They
are described in general terms and, as with resilience itself, cannot be
quanti
ed or judged to be at a suf
cient level. They are also referred to as
characteristics that
'
social-ecological
'
systems should acquire to enhance
their resilience. The
perspective is used by writers on
general resilience rather than an ecological one alone because they regard
the human and natural worlds as having become so interconnected that
effective solutions to problems caused by resource exploitation cannot
be identi
'
social-ecological
'
ed by looking only at one side of this equation.
79
Iagreethat
the growing vulnerability of socioeconomic systems, due to the pressures
they place on a deteriorating environment, is a perilous situation that
demands an immediate and drastic response. I also agree that placing so
much weight for so long on the functioning of ecosystems, an unknown
quantity, for the continued functioning of human societies has proved
to be deeply unwise, and that there is an obvious and pressing need,
now that we are conscious of the risks presented by
'
anthropogenic
overshoot
, to move rapidly and permanently to a less-exposed position.
Even so, my preferred focus remains on exploring what makes ecosys-
tems resilient and how this can be enhanced. The aim of my research is
to explore possible legal responses to the growing threat of ecological
degradation for human well-being. The starting point for this analysis
must be to understand the nature of the threat and how human activities
are contributing to it so that appropriate reforms to governance for
'
'
socioeconomic
'
systems can be identi
ed. In this regard, the
'
social-
ecological
literature on general resilience often refers to desirable attrib-
utes of social and ecological systems together and sometimes con
'
ates
them. This can make it dif
cult to identify exactly how the cultivation of
a capacity on the social side over time would assist with addressing the
ecological crisis that confronts humanity in the present.
Less attention has been devoted to exploring the contours of a general
resilience approach to ecosystem protection to date than has been given
79
Walker and Salt,
'
Resilience Thinking
'
,pp.31
-
4.
