Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2025
Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In react... more Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In reaction to the escalating depletion of biodiversity, governments and organizations are crafting policies and strategies with a central focus on biodiversity conservation. Assessing the extent of biodiversity loss and its relationship with human society necessitates reliable ecological metrics. However, the tools used to assess biodiversity encompass not only empirical dimensions but also normative values that shape conservation outcomes. This review examines the normative dialog implicit in our conceptualizations and measurements of biodiversity through the chronological framework of four conservation focal areas: Red Listing, species richness, environmental indicators, and the integration of human values. This investigation underscores the imperative to more clearly articulate the values of the conservation movement, a task that is even more pressing with the emergence of novel biodiversity finance tools.
Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 2024
Histories of racist and classist land use decision-making have resulted in environmental disparit... more Histories of racist and classist land use decision-making have resulted in environmental disparities across lines of race and income in many U.S. cities. To redress this, many municipal governments are adopting urban greening initiatives that aim to provide public health benefits and bolster climate resilience in underserved communities. Unfortunately, increasing the quantity of green space in these areas does not necessarily mitigate disparities as environmental quality is just one factor in the broader challenges imposed by legacy land use decisionmaking. Green development in underserved neighborhoods has the potential to worsen social and economic equity concerns due to the influence of market forces. Employing a mixed-method approach encompassing policy review, spatial exploration, and qualitative interviews, this research examined the policies that guide urban greening decision-making in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Results indicate that Philadelphia faces a complex array of obstacles that inhibit equitable urban greening through four themes: (1) perceptions of agency responsibilities, (2) approaches to stakeholder engagement, (3) patterns of disinvestment and maintenance, and (4) project siting decisions. New policies and approaches are recommended to address these obstacles.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2025
Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In react... more Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In reaction to the escalating depletion of biodiversity, governments and organizations are crafting policies and strategies with a central focus on biodiversity conservation. Assessing the extent of biodiversity loss and its relationship with human society necessitates reliable ecological metrics. However, the tools used to assess biodiversity encompass not only empirical dimensions but also normative values that shape conservation outcomes. This review examines the normative dialog implicit in our conceptualizations and measurements of biodiversity through the chronological framework of four conservation focal areas: Red Listing, species richness, environmental indicators, and the integration of human values. This investigation underscores the imperative to more clearly articulate the values of the conservation movement, a task that is even more pressing with the emergence of novel biodiversity finance tools.
Perceptions of vacant urban land and resulting policies are based in nature/ culture dualisms tha... more Perceptions of vacant urban land and resulting policies are based in nature/ culture dualisms that condemn abandoned properties as wasteful at best and at worst outright dangerous for communities. Decades of research on urban vacancy reinforce these perceptions, with findings showing higher crime rates, lower property values, and poorer mental health in communities with high rates of vacancy. These established paradigms for thinking about vacant land obscure any benefits that such spaces have while also justifying gentrification. In this essay, we suggest there is more than meets the eye in common assessments of vacant lots. Biodiversity, ecosystem services, and informal community land use are all routinely overlooked in municipal decision-making processes. Using photographs from a pilot field study on ecological health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we advance a politics of sight that reframes overlooked features of abandoned properties. Rather than approaching urban vacancy as a problem to be addressed through development, we argue that vacant land is a problem-space with potential for transformation already contained within it.
An urban wood re-use program at The University of Pennsylvania is in production, with the goal of... more An urban wood re-use program at The University of Pennsylvania is in production, with the goal of sustainably recycling trees and tree parts from Penn properties in the form of marketable wood products. My objective is to jumpstart a sustainable and adaptable wood re-utilization program on Penn's main campus and at Morris Arboretum by analyzing current practices, developing an adaptable tree removal policy, and establishing partnerships with local organizations and artisans.
Leaf litter has been shown to support soil ecology, although this relationship is poorly understo... more Leaf litter has been shown to support soil ecology, although this relationship is poorly understood in urban environments. Currently, the University of Pennsylvania removes leaf litter from most of its landscapes to make way for lawn, mulch, or ground cover planting. To assess the ecological impacts of various landscape management practices at Penn, our team is monitoring the chemical and biological changes that occur in soil treatments across campus. After final data are collected, we hypothesize sites covered with leaf litter will demonstrate a notable ecological benefit. These findings will inform sustainable landscape practices, both at Penn and in other urban landscapes.
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) conducts interdisciplinary researchreal... more The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) conducts interdisciplinary researchrealized through teams drawn from the founding partners and a network of national and global affiliates-and provides objective and credible data, tools, and analysis to guide global energy investment and policy decisions. JISEA is focused on providing leading analysis; guiding decisions on energy, investment, and policy; and answering questions that enable a cost-effective transition to sustainable energy at significant speed and scale, while minimizing unintended impacts.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2025
Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In react... more Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In reaction to the escalating depletion of biodiversity, governments and organizations are crafting policies and strategies with a central focus on biodiversity conservation. Assessing the extent of biodiversity loss and its relationship with human society necessitates reliable ecological metrics. However, the tools used to assess biodiversity encompass not only empirical dimensions but also normative values that shape conservation outcomes. This review examines the normative dialog implicit in our conceptualizations and measurements of biodiversity through the chronological framework of four conservation focal areas: Red Listing, species richness, environmental indicators, and the integration of human values. This investigation underscores the imperative to more clearly articulate the values of the conservation movement, a task that is even more pressing with the emergence of novel biodiversity finance tools.
Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 2024
Histories of racist and classist land use decision-making have resulted in environmental disparit... more Histories of racist and classist land use decision-making have resulted in environmental disparities across lines of race and income in many U.S. cities. To redress this, many municipal governments are adopting urban greening initiatives that aim to provide public health benefits and bolster climate resilience in underserved communities. Unfortunately, increasing the quantity of green space in these areas does not necessarily mitigate disparities as environmental quality is just one factor in the broader challenges imposed by legacy land use decisionmaking. Green development in underserved neighborhoods has the potential to worsen social and economic equity concerns due to the influence of market forces. Employing a mixed-method approach encompassing policy review, spatial exploration, and qualitative interviews, this research examined the policies that guide urban greening decision-making in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Results indicate that Philadelphia faces a complex array of obstacles that inhibit equitable urban greening through four themes: (1) perceptions of agency responsibilities, (2) approaches to stakeholder engagement, (3) patterns of disinvestment and maintenance, and (4) project siting decisions. New policies and approaches are recommended to address these obstacles.
Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2025
Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In react... more Contemporarily, biodiversity loss is the prominent concern of the conservation movement. In reaction to the escalating depletion of biodiversity, governments and organizations are crafting policies and strategies with a central focus on biodiversity conservation. Assessing the extent of biodiversity loss and its relationship with human society necessitates reliable ecological metrics. However, the tools used to assess biodiversity encompass not only empirical dimensions but also normative values that shape conservation outcomes. This review examines the normative dialog implicit in our conceptualizations and measurements of biodiversity through the chronological framework of four conservation focal areas: Red Listing, species richness, environmental indicators, and the integration of human values. This investigation underscores the imperative to more clearly articulate the values of the conservation movement, a task that is even more pressing with the emergence of novel biodiversity finance tools.
Perceptions of vacant urban land and resulting policies are based in nature/ culture dualisms tha... more Perceptions of vacant urban land and resulting policies are based in nature/ culture dualisms that condemn abandoned properties as wasteful at best and at worst outright dangerous for communities. Decades of research on urban vacancy reinforce these perceptions, with findings showing higher crime rates, lower property values, and poorer mental health in communities with high rates of vacancy. These established paradigms for thinking about vacant land obscure any benefits that such spaces have while also justifying gentrification. In this essay, we suggest there is more than meets the eye in common assessments of vacant lots. Biodiversity, ecosystem services, and informal community land use are all routinely overlooked in municipal decision-making processes. Using photographs from a pilot field study on ecological health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we advance a politics of sight that reframes overlooked features of abandoned properties. Rather than approaching urban vacancy as a problem to be addressed through development, we argue that vacant land is a problem-space with potential for transformation already contained within it.
An urban wood re-use program at The University of Pennsylvania is in production, with the goal of... more An urban wood re-use program at The University of Pennsylvania is in production, with the goal of sustainably recycling trees and tree parts from Penn properties in the form of marketable wood products. My objective is to jumpstart a sustainable and adaptable wood re-utilization program on Penn's main campus and at Morris Arboretum by analyzing current practices, developing an adaptable tree removal policy, and establishing partnerships with local organizations and artisans.
Leaf litter has been shown to support soil ecology, although this relationship is poorly understo... more Leaf litter has been shown to support soil ecology, although this relationship is poorly understood in urban environments. Currently, the University of Pennsylvania removes leaf litter from most of its landscapes to make way for lawn, mulch, or ground cover planting. To assess the ecological impacts of various landscape management practices at Penn, our team is monitoring the chemical and biological changes that occur in soil treatments across campus. After final data are collected, we hypothesize sites covered with leaf litter will demonstrate a notable ecological benefit. These findings will inform sustainable landscape practices, both at Penn and in other urban landscapes.
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) conducts interdisciplinary researchreal... more The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) conducts interdisciplinary researchrealized through teams drawn from the founding partners and a network of national and global affiliates-and provides objective and credible data, tools, and analysis to guide global energy investment and policy decisions. JISEA is focused on providing leading analysis; guiding decisions on energy, investment, and policy; and answering questions that enable a cost-effective transition to sustainable energy at significant speed and scale, while minimizing unintended impacts.
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Papers by Eliza C Nobles