A regenerative systems framework for sustainable management of natural resources: integrating ecosystem resilience with intergenerational wellbeing

Abstract Achieving transformative progress on sustainability goals is dependent on synergistic actions across multiple policy domains. This identifies requirements for more coherent and integrated approaches to sustainable management of natural resource (SMNR) across land and sea, including air, water, soil, and geological resources. The challenge is further emphasised by severity and cross-cutting dimensions of nature loss and climate change crises. To help address this challenge, a general systems-based framework for SMNR was developed to facilitate co-ordinated knowledge exchange across the science–policy interface. Inspiration was provided by the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act in Wales, which obligates major policy innovation to sustain intergenerational wellbeing at a level beyond the current UN SDGs, including robust formulation of target outcomes and indicators. The SMNR framework, therefore, aimed to cross-reference primary outcomes for ecosystem resilience, natural resource management, and human wellbeing. Outcomes were linked through a circular reinforcing systems loop emphasising both ‘nature’s contributions to people’ relationships (including ecosystem services) and adaptive regenerative actions working with natural processes. Candidate indicators representing key concepts were also defined. The framework was applied in Wales through systems mapping to show relationships across policy domains. This highlighted added value of linked headline indicators with hierarchical components, exemplified by resource footprint metrics. Key issues from stakeholder engagement included long-term ‘reference conditions’, cross-scale integration, and inclusivity through multiple values. Major knowledge gaps exist regarding diverse relationships between nature and wellbeing, together with associated behaviours and actions, and hence efficacy of different actions for regenerating both natural and social systems. These issues highlight the need for flexibility, ongoing learning and adaptive capacity as integral to regenerative systems design.