Rethinking nature with the paradigm of territorial care

Abstract

Amid the intensifying ecological crisis and global warming, numerous theories have emerged that propose moving beyond the modern paradigm centred on the dichotomy between nature and humanity. The neoliberal approach has permeated many theoretical and operative frameworks within territorial sciences. It has produced rhetorical visions of nature grounded in themes of interconnection, while nevertheless promoting various forms of extractivist approaches. In response to the proliferation of “natural resource management” tools rooted in this vision – such as Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) – a debate has developed within the scientific community critical of neoliberalism, questioning whether or not to engage with mainstream instruments. This article addresses these issues from a territorialist perspective. It draws on concepts from the fund-flow model of bioeconomics and from studies on valuation and value attribution. The aim is to highlight both the need for, and the already existing practical relevance of, approaching nature as a “dialogic otherness,” grounded in a paradigm of territorial care.