International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Introduction to the discussion(s) on ecosystem services classification

Jean-Louis Weber, EEA

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services

10 and 11 December 2008 at EEA premises in Copenhagen

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Worldwide interest for ecosystem services

Example: the Australian Ecosystem Services Project

http://www.ecosystemservicesproject.org/index.htm

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

SWOT

• Strong point: economists speaking biology + biologists speaking economy have a chance to attract the attention of policy makers – see the impact of TEEB

• Weak point: definitions still a bit loose, classifications not enough standardised

• Opportunity: establish an consensus on a core common international classification to be used in the various programmes (MA, TEEB, GEI, SEEA, IW research, National assessments, Corporate/business accounting…) + establish a “system of classifiers” (classification system) for multiple purposes

• Threat: multiplication of ad hoc classifications impairing comparability, aggregation…

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Threats: Examples of “variants” of the classical MA classification which may lead to inconsistencies…

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Wikipedia: 4+1

– Provisioning services • • foods (including seafood and game) and spices • • precursors to pharmaceutical and industrial products • • energy (hydropower, biomass fuels)

– Regulating services • • carbon sequestration and climate regulation • • waste decomposition and detoxification • • nutrient dispersal and cycling

– Supporting services • • purification of water and • • crop pollination and seed dispersal • • pest and disease control

– Cultural services • • cultural, intellectual and spiritual inspiration • • recreational experiences (including ecotourism) • • scientific discovery

– Preserving services • • genetic and species diversity for future use • • accounting for uncertainty

• • protection of options

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Wallace, 2007

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

More examples at

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

At the same time, improvements are legitimate…

• Clarifications needed• Connect to international standards where relevant

(products, trade)• Fit specific purposes• Scales perspectives

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Costanza 2008: Ecosystem services: Multiple classification systems are needed

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Working nomenclature of ES for the EEA/TEEB Wetlands Accounts Case Study (1)

Service-type Category ServiceStrong, short term

Medium/ long

termWeak

[B] Quantity (non-

market only)

[C] Estimated value (shadow

price)

1 Provisioning 1.1 Food 1.1.1 Hunting prays x x x x1.1.2 Gathering/ picking up goods x x x x1.1.3 Fishing x x1.1.4 Seafood x x1.1.5 Livestock x x x1.1.6 Agriculture x x x1.1.7 Aquiculture x x…

1.2 Materials 1.2.1 Fresh water x x x x1.2.2 Salt works x x1.2.3 Construction materials ("Arids") x x1.2.4 Fiber crops x x x1.2.5 Tree plantations x x…

1.3 Forest trees-related 1.3.1 Timber x x1.3.2 Fuel / wood x x1.3.3 Cork x x1.3.4 Pines x x…

1.4 Plant-related 1.4.1 Genetic resources x x x1.4.2 Medicinal & cosmetic plants x x x x…

1.5 Physical support 1.5.1 Communication x x x1.5.2 Housing x x x x…

2 Cultural 2.1 Amenity x x x x3 Regulating 3.1 Cycling x x x

Source: Berta Martin, Pedro Lomas et alii, Autonomous University of Madrid, 2007

Wetland social-ecological system: .........Dependence from biodiversity state

[A]

Market commodities

Final use non market Ecosystem Services

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Working nomenclature of ES for the EEA/TEEB Wetlands Accounts Case Study (2)

Service-type Category ServiceStrong, short term

Medium/ long

termWeak

[B] Quantity (non-

market only)

[C] Estimated value (shadow

price)

1 Provisioning 1.1 Food x x x x2 Cultural 2.1 Amenity 2.1.1 Recreation x x x x

2.1.2 Tourism/Ecotourism x x2.1.3 Landscape beauty x x x x…

2.2 Identity 2.2.1 Sense of place x x x2.2.2 Cultural heritage x x x x2.2.3 Religious / spiritual x x x…

2.3 Didactic 2.3.1 Education / interpretation x x x x2.3.2 Scientific research x x x x2.3.3 Traditional Ecological Knowledge x x x…

3 Regulating 3.1 Cycling 3.1.1 Soil retention & Erosion control x x x3.1.2 Hydrological regulation x x x3.1.3 Saline equilibrium x x x3.1.4 Pollination for useful plants x x x x3.1.5 Climate regulation x x x x…

3.2 Sink 3.2.1 Soil purification x x x3.2.2 Waste treatment x x x3.2.3 Water purification x x x…

3.3 Prevention 3.3.1 Flood buffering x x x3.3.2 Pest prevention x x x3.3.3 Invasive species prevention x x x3.3.4 Air quality x x x…

3.4 Refugium 3.4.1 Habitat maintenance x x x…

3.5 Breeding 3.5.1 Food web maintenance x x x3.5.2 Nursery x x x…

Source: Berta Martin, Pedro Lomas et alii, Autonomous University of Madrid, 2007

Wetland social-ecological system: .........Dependence from biodiversity state

[A]

Market commodities

Final use non market Ecosystem Services

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Bob Scholes, 12 June 2008

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Accounting for ecosystem costs and benefits at 3 different scales…EEA Mediterranean Wetlands Ecosystem Accounts for TEEB (2008)

Global scale

National & regional government, European market

Action level, local scale

Migratory Birds Flyways, Wetlands & Bird Flu PreventionDoñana, Spain: Water, Wetland & StrawberriesAmvrakikos, Greece: Wetland management, Water & Fish

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Ecosystem services and spatial characteristics

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Services and benefits

See also Boyd, J., and S. Banzhaf. 2007. What are ecosystem services? The need for standardized environmental accounting units. Ecological Economics 63:616-626.

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Camargue Wetland AccountsCase Study

The “Zanzibar table”

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

The way forward

• Build up on existing achievements from the pioneering lists (Daily, De Groot Costanza et al…) to MA conceptual model and classification

• Do quickly, if needed some marginal adjustments or clarifications in order to come to a consensus on a working core common classification

• Plan a revision of the classification at the end of the MA2015 process for taking stock of new experiences

• Open a research agenda for defining/developing a classification system for guiding on purpose classifications – 1 year needed

CICES: Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

The early lists: Daily, De Groot, Costanza, 1997-2000-2002

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

The MA classification

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Bob Scholes, 12 June 2008

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Clarification needed ?E.g.: from biodiversity to ecosystem services and benefits (Haines-Young 2006)

Biophysical structure or

process(e.g. woodland habitat or net

primary productivity )

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)Σ Pressures

Limit pressures via policy action?

Biophysical structure or

process(e.g. woodland habitat or net

primary productivity )

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)

Biophysical structure or

process(e.g. woodland habitat or net

primary productivity )

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Service(e.g. flood

protection, or harvestable products)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Function(e.g. slow

passage of water, or biomass)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)

Benefit (Value)(e.g. willingness to pay for woodland protection or for

more woodland, or harvestable products)Σ Pressures

Limit pressures via policy action?

‘Intermediate Products’ ‘Final Products’

Maintenance and

restoration costs

Economic and social values (sometimes

market values).

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

A basis for a consensus

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

The same graph applied to ecosystem accounting (EEA 2008)

Supply of com m odities

Stocks & flows, Integrity, B iodivers ityFunctional Landscape

RegulatingClim ate, floods, soil form ation,

carbon sequestration, air quality, water quality, pest and diseases

control, pollination, invasion resistance, habitat provisioning

SupportingPrim ary production

W ater cycleBiogeochem ical cycles

Provis ion ingFood, water, fibre, wood, fuel,

m edicines

Cultura lAesthetics, tourism , spiritual, education, research, traditional

knowledge

Non nature -based sources o f goods

and services

Insurance value M arket & nonm arket values

Mainte

nance / resto

ration of natu

ral capital

M ostly negative

feedbacks

Adapted from Scholes , 2007, Lomas, 2007

Use of com m odities& non-produced services

Ecosystem and services

Internal habitat

functionsEcosystem

Services M arket input Free end use

Provis ionning x xCultural x x xRegulating x x x xSupport x

Physical units Money

International expert meeting on classification of ecosystem services10 and 11 December 2008 Copenhagen

Towards a classification system

CICESCICESFrom

services to benefits

Zooms on specific issues

(biodiversity, catchments,

sea, carbon…)

Socio-economic focus,

property

rights…

National Accounts

(SEEA)

Corporate, business

accounting

Inclusive Wealth

Research

Spatial breakdowns

PES/ IPES markets