Telecoupled world

The concept of telecoupling has an intertwined and complex meaning the was summarized by Linderman et al. 2005) as compounded system that covers diverse socioeconomic and environmental interaction that can occur from one country or location to another and over a period of time.  The telescoping has a causative or predisposing factors, that has short or long time consequences on the countries where the interactions take place. Telescoping usual occur in international trade between two or more countries. That is the sending and receiving countries. Demand and supply of goods and services are major causes of telecoupling, and the process could have a spillover effect.  This complex interaction between human and natural condition is coupled with the societal interaction.

Telecoupled world provides a wider understanding of how the socioeconomic and environmental conditions of countries interfaces over distances. The continuous interaction of these natural and human conditions without depletion of the natural elements such land, water, climate and organisms lead to sustainability for the receiving and sending system. The system can have a spillover effect from variety of distantness interaction in trades, species invasion, disease spread like COVID 19, ecosystem service that can affect sustainability.

Many distance interactions occur as telecoupling such as trade in goods and services, from the sending countries or locations to the receiving locations. And spillover effect may occur that threatens sustainability of the natural and environmental systemic. However, the socioeconomic system are normal achieved through creation of jobs, create or strengthen of political and inter trade relationships between countries, and boosting the economy of the country.

Some cause of telecoupling include, economic demand, cultural cause, Technology etc..

What is a coupled social-ecological system?

Telecouple across west Africa and China in timber production, a case study of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is in the West coast of Africa, the produce timber that is exported to mainly china for processing into other goods.

Sierra Leone is the sending country of Timber product, while China is the receiving country of the raw timber. Timber production in sierra Leone comes from ecosystem service that provides livelihoods and tax revenue for the country, the process involves, the local community stakeholders, timber loggers, whole seller and retailers, the government ministry of forestry, the exporters to China, ministry of trade who provide policy on international, the Bankers where monies are transfer, the National Revenue Authority in the sending country, environmental NGOs who support and promote afforestation, shippers and port Authorities in both sending and receiving countries, etc… The receiving country here, China also has human and socioeconomic systems that are involved in the interaction such as the timber processors, the government agencies, financial institutions etc..

The cause of this trade are argue for international trade, China’s ambition of strengthen political and international relation, technological improvement, foreign revenue for the sending country

Effect: this interaction has some spillover effect to both the sending and receiving countries.

Environmental Sustainability: natural resources and environmental systems are required by the “sending” country to produce the timber, the timber trade from Sierra Leone has increased indiscriminate deforestation and removing the carbon sink, inducing climate change action and impacts. Farm land are also converted to planting timber also affecting food production.  

Socioeconomic impacts are accomplished by job provision, livelihood enhancement for community people

What is a value chain?  

The different process and stages of activities in which a product passes through to add value to its quality in terms of taste, presentation, marketing, distribution, and after services activities. Value chain has environmental and social impact of the producing socio –ecosystem and environment.   Natural system and technology are used in value chain of a product