Sustainability through MuSIASEM nexus analysis: the case of Andorra

Abstract

This thesis insists that the polycrisis affecting human societies —consisting of biodiversity loss, land degradation, climate change, and waste production, among others— is rooted in a “crisis of perception”. The preset prevalence of the narratives proposed by conventional economics has produced a distorted worldview where social and economic structures’ dependence on a biophysical reality is systematically ignored or, at best, minimised. Intending to transform our existing perceptions and representations of society-nature interactions into a more holistic one that accounts for different biophysical limits, this thesis builds on the Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM). This methodological approach tackles the complexity associated with the generation of quantitative models of sustainability issues by integrating different dimensions of analysis (e.g. economic, demographic and biophysical), different scales (i.e. the whole, its compartments and the relation between the whole and other systems) and information referring to non-equivalent descriptive domains (e.g. use of secondary inputs like energy carriers and primary sources like oil or water).

The thesis is developed at two levels: methodologically and analytically. Methodologically, I critically appraise conventional economics when studying sustainability problems (Chapter 2). Subsequently, I discuss the appropriateness of MuSIASEM to address these issues, delving into its theoretical foundations and offering a detailed overview of the analytical tools available within the approach for addressing various relevant aspects concerning the sustainability of social-ecological systems. Lastly, I mention some practical examples where MuSIASEM has been applied and clarify some problems that arise when using such a protocol (Chapter 3).

Analytically, I apply a set of epistemological tools developed in the latest version of MuSIASEM to the Andorra case study, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of its sustainability. This analytical endeavour serves a dual purpose: (i) generating valuable descriptions by considering Andorra a social-ecological system, which involves performing a biophysical analysis, characterising the metabolic pattern of Andorra (Chapter 4) and an externalisation analysis, accounting for the nexus elements embodied in energy and food imports (Chapter 5); and (ii) analysing the framing of the country’s sustainability policy, with a focus on the existing narratives (Chapter 6). The choice of Andorra as a case study is not merely incidental. Due to its relative simplicity and unique blend of country and city characteristics, it is an ideal case study within the European orbit and a helpful guide for metabolic assessments of larger countries.

In summary, the primary goal of this thesis is to articulate a sound sustainability analysis that provides valuable and alternative representations on the scientific side, offering possibilities for fairer ecological futures where environmental sustainability and well-being are central axes.