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National Ecosystem Assessments in Europe: A Review.

ABSTRACT: National ecosystem assessments form an essential knowledge base for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. We analyze eight European (sub-)national ecosystem assessments (Portugal, United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Flanders, Netherlands, Finland, and Germany) and compare their objectives, political context, methods, and operationalization. We observed remarkable differences in breadth of the assessment, methods employed, variety of services considered, policy mandates, and funding mechanisms. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are mainly assessed independently, with biodiversity conceptualized as underpinning services, as a source of conflict with services, or as a service in itself. Recommendations derived from our analysis for future ecosystem assessments include the needs to improve the common evidence base, to advance the mapping of services, to consider international flows of services, and to connect more strongly to policy questions. Although the context specificity of national ecosystem assessments is acknowledged as important, a greater harmonization across assessments could help to better inform common European policies and future pan-regional assessments.

SUBMITTER: Schroter M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5421311 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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National Ecosystem Assessments in Europe: A Review.

Schröter Matthias M Albert Christian C Marques Alexandra A Tobon Wolke W Lavorel Sandra S Maes Joachim J Brown Claire C Klotz Stefan S Bonn Aletta A

Bioscience 20160817 10

National ecosystem assessments form an essential knowledge base for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. We analyze eight European (sub-)national ecosystem assessments (Portugal, United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Flanders, Netherlands, Finland, and Germany) and compare their objectives, political context, methods, and operationalization. We observed remarkable differences in breadth of the assessment, methods employed, variety of services considered, policy mandates, and funding mechan ...[more]

PMID: 28533561

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National Ecosystem Assessments in Europe: A Review.

Publications

National Ecosystem Assessments in Europe: A Review.

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