Exploring the concept of ecosystem services in the context of biosphere reserves. Belinda Reyers, Maria Tengö, Olof Olsson & Jeff Ranara

Transcription

1 Exploring the concept of ecosystem services in the context of biosphere reserves Belinda Reyers, Maria Tengö, Olof Olsson & Jeff Ranara 1

2 Introductions Your name Your biosphere reserve / place of work

3 Plan for the day To explore the concept of ecosystem services in biosphere reserves To review some tools and approaches of possible interest To introduce a social-ecological perspective on ecosystem services in biosphere reserves

4 Plan for the day Time Session Group work 1: Exploring ecosystems services in Biosphere reserves: commonalities and uniqueness Coffee An exploration of the concept of ecosystem services Group work 2: Ecosystem service benefits, beneficiaries and human wellbeing LUNCH Ecosystem service tools and approaches A Social-Ecological lens and tool for exploring ecosystem services - experiences from MAB reserves Group work 3: Social-ecological inventories Coffee Presentations and Q&A: Biosphere reserves and ecosystem services - experiments in sustainability.

5 Group work 1: Exploring ecosystems services in Biosphere reserves Group discussion List the ecosystem services provided by your biosphere reserve Which of these are priority ecosystem services for your biosphere reserve and why? Feedback: What 3-5 ecosystem services were found to be common across many biosphere reserves? Which ecosystem services were unique or surprising?

6 Evolution of ecosystem service concepts

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8 Links between people & ecosystems Biosphere 2

9 History of ecosystem services

10 History of ecosystem service valuation

11 Examining the evolution of ecosystem services

12 1997 a big year for ecosystem services trillion US$ because ecosystem services are not fully captured in commercial markets.often given too little weight in policy decisions.lack of public appreciation of societal dependence upon natural ecosystems

13 Reconnecting people to nature by making the case for nature

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15 What does the declining health of the planet mean for us?

16 Largest assessment of the health of the planet s ecosystems Experts and Review Process Prepared by 1360 experts from 95 countries 80-person independent board of review editors Review comments from 850 experts and governments Governance Called for by UN Secretary General in 2000 Authorized by governments through 4 conventions Partnership of UN agencies, conventions, business, nongovernmental organizations with a multi-stakeholder board of directors Aim: Assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human wellbeing

17 Ecosystem Services The benefits people obtain from ecosystems

18 Linkages and scales

19 Systems and bundles

20 Conceptual framework The conceptual framework for the MA places human well-being as the central focus for assessment while recognizing that biodiversity and ecosystems also have intrinsic value and that people take decisions concerning ecosystems based on considerations of both well-being and intrinsic value Any assessment empowers some stakeholders at the expense of others by virtue of the selection of issues and of expert knowledge to be incorporated. People seek many services from ecosystems and thus perceive the condition of an ecosystem in relation to its ability to provide desired services.

21 Feet 2000 Eiffel Tower Millennium Assessment (Pages end to end)

22 Explosion of ecosystem service projects

23 Papers published on ecosystem services

24 Definitions Process Life Nature Good Needs Direct Ecosystem Benefit Well-being Indirect

25 Figure 4 gives a schematic representation of the way TEEB proposes to disentangle the pathway fro Explosion of ways of understanding & valuing ES ecosystems and biodiversity to human wellbeing. A central concept in this diagram is the notion (ecosystem) service which the MA defined simply as the benefits humans derive from nature (M 2005a). Management/ Restoration Ecosystems & Biodiversity Institutions & human Judgments determining (the use of) services Feedback between value perception and use of eco - system services Biophysical Structure or process ( eg. vegetation cover or Net Primary Productivity Function* ( eg. slow water passage, biomass) *) subset of biophysical structure or process providing the service Service ( eg. flood - protection, products 1) Human wellbeing (socio - cultural context) Benefit(s ) (contribution to health, safety, etc) (econ) Value ( eg. WTP for protection or products) Adapted from Haines - Young & Potschin, 2010 and Maltby (ed.), 2009 Figure 4: The pathway from ecosystem structure and processes to human well-being From biophysical structure and process to ecosystem services and benefits As Figure 4 shows, a lot goes on before services and benefits are provided, and decision-makers nee to understand what this involves. It is therefore helpful to distinguish functions from the even deep ecological structures and processes in the sense that the functions represent the potential th ecosystems have to deliver a service which in turn depends on ecological structure and processes. F example, primary production (= process) is needed to maintain a viable fish population (= function which can be used (harvested) to provide food (= service); nutrient cycling (=process) is needed f

26 Definitions, frameworks and values Which is the right one?

27 Conservation framing Balmford et al MA 2005; Ash et al. 2010

28 Ecological economics framing Fisher et al. 2009; UK NEA 2011

29 Conservation in the ecological economics framing Tallis et al Mace et al. 2012

30 Cascade framework

31 Emerging gaps Links to human wellbeing Interactions and trade-offs Cultural services

32 Consequences of Ecosystem Change for Human Well-being

33 Human wellbeing is complex Ecosystem services & human wellbeing white board

34 Daw et al Env. Conservation

35 Group work 2: Exploring human wellbeing & biosphere reserves From your list of ecosystem services for biosphere reserves discuss: Who benefits? How do they benefit? How might you capture/value this benefit? Does anyone lose or incur costs?

36 Tools and approaches for ecosystem services

37 Choosing tools: What do you want to do? Research Observation Assessment Policy / management

38 Practioner needs

39 What is an assessment A social process designed to bring the findings of science to bear on the needs of decision-makers Science Research Assessment Decision-makers Governments Private Sector Civil Society Individuals Observation A scientific assessment applies the judgment of experts to existing knowledge to provide scientifically credible answers to relevant questions

40 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Questions 1. What is the rate and scale of environmental change? 2. How do environmental changes affect the delivery of ecosystem services and human-well being? 3. How might ecosystems change over the next 50 years? 4. What options exist for maintaining the delivery of services and improving human well-being?

41 Intensity of stakeholder engagement Stage 1 Design Define scope of assessment Identify services and coupled beneficiaries Stage 2 Evaluation Stage 3 Planning Characterising social system Economic valuation Integrated Analysis (Spatial & multivariate analysis, tradeoffs, policy endpoints, equity) Review Define alternate future states and scenarios Characterising biophysical system Intensity of advisory and technical committee engagement Develop strategies and responses Stage 4 Communicating Reporting Review Communication & dissemination Figure 1. An approach for assessing ecosystem services at a local level Integrally involved Notified

42 Intensity of stakeholder engagement Stage 1 Design Define scope of assessment Identify services and coupled beneficiaries Stage 2 Evaluation Stage 3 Planning Characterising social system Economic valuation Integrated Analysis (Spatial & multivariate analysis, tradeoffs, policy endpoints, equity) Review Define alternate future states and scenarios Characterising biophysical system Intensity of advisory and technical committee engagemen

43 Design phase: scoping By who for whom? Need? Aim? Targeted processes? Advisory committee Technical committee Scope & scale Time frame Conceptual framework Capacity requirements

44 Design phase: services and beneficiaries Beneficiaries Benefits Ecosystem Services Commercial farmer Water for irrigation Communal farmer Water for drinking Farm worker Water for livestock Land owner Food for eating Miner Food for sale Rural dweller Tourist Recreation Urban dweller Medicines International community Shelter Water supply Grazing Tourism Harvestable products

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46 Beneficiaries

47 Evaluation phase Identify services and coupled beneficiaries Stage 2 Evaluation Characterising social system Characterising biophysical system Economic valuation Integrated Analysis (Spatial & multivariate analysis, tradeoffs, policy endpoints, equity) Review Stage 3 Planning Define alternate future states and scenarios

48 Social assessment In-depth analysis of the owners/suppliers, beneficiaries, markets and demand for each of the identified ecosystem services An evaluation of how decisions are made within the study area and what the key issues governing processes are. An assessment of government policy in relation to the suite of identified ecosystem services.

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50 Evaluation phase Identify services and coupled beneficiaries Stage 2 Evaluation Characterising social system Characterising biophysical system Economic valuation Integrated Analysis (Spatial & multivariate analysis, tradeoffs, policy endpoints, equity) Review Stage 3 Planning Define alternate future states and scenarios

51 Assessing ecosystem services: ecology and economics Emerging lessons

52 1. Be clear about what you are measuring Supply Benefit Value Ecological functions Ecosystem elements Fish stock Supply + Location and activity of beneficiaries Landings 8,652 tonnes Service + Social preference $30.6 M 8,513 tonnes $8.7 M

53 Multiple measurements

54 Water purification 2. Production functions are central Food production = f (primary productivity + soil fertility + soil water + species + pollination Riparian veg / Wetland area

55 Production functions Water Supply as an Ecosystem Service for Hydropower and Irrigation Retention of Nutrients and Sediment by Vegetation Carbon Sequestration and Storage Provisioning Value of Timber and Non Timber Forest Production Storm peak mitigation INVEST TOOLBOX

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57 3. Maps are a great tool & don t always need lots of data

58 Vegetation units

59 Vegetation units: qualitative

60 Models

61 4. Think before you value Supply Benefit Value Ecological functions Ecosystem elements Supply + Location and activity of beneficiaries Service + Social preference Total annual value (R) Magisterial District Cost Recovery GVA Calitzdorp R R Calvinia R R Ceres R R Clanwilliam R R George R R Ladismith R R Laingsburg R R Montagu R R Namakwaland R R

62 Valuation Some things to think about What is the benefit? Who benefits? What is a good value to capture this benefit

63 Values Forage production 100% 74.7% Potential Current 50% Erosion control Carbon storage 55.8% 71.6% 0% 81.8% 72.7% Water flow regulation Tourism viewshed

64 5. Change is central Source: MA 2005; Heinz Center 2008; EEA 2009

65 Indicators of change track and communicate trends in the quantity and quality of ecosystem services essential to knowing whether or not these services are being sustained or lost, understand how policies should be designed to ensure the sustainable flow of services to support human welfare and maintain biodiversity

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67 6. Services come in bundles

68 7. Ecosystem services are not the product of ecosystems only