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Biodiversity loss leading to economic loss: ten cases in Europe

Biodiversity loss leading to economic loss: ten cases in Europe. Marianne Kettunen www.ieep.org.uk Expert workshop - biodiversity and economics 5 October 2006 European Environmental Agency Copenhagen, Denmark. Structure of the presentation. Background – where do the 10 cases come from

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Biodiversity loss leading to economic loss: ten cases in Europe

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  1. Biodiversity loss leading to economic loss:ten cases in Europe Marianne Kettunen www.ieep.org.uk Expert workshop - biodiversity and economics 5 October 2006 European Environmental Agency Copenhagen, Denmark

  2. Structure of the presentation • Background –where do the 10 cases come from • Introduction to the 10 case • Case study insights • Value lost • Conclusions & concluding remarks

  3. Background • Commission / DG Env study (beginning 2006) • Objective: to bring together EU examples where biodiversity loss • loss / degradation of ecosystem services •  economic costs and / or social losses • Why: several examples exists but not documented • Illustrate costs & benefits of environmental conservation VS. cost & benefits of development initiatives • Methodology: questionnaire survey • 37 relevant examples  10 studies selected • Ecosystem services lost identified (according to MEA) • Aim to find “monetary evidence”

  4. Cases – introduction (1/2) • Decline / disappearance of three European native crayfish species(Atlantic area, Scandinavia and Circum-alpine regions) • Loss of ecosystem services provided by the Danube River basin & delta (Germany, Romania) • Loss of ecosystem services provided by former Lake Karla (Greece) • Depletion of the North Sea provisioning services • Loss of ecosystem services provided by peat bogs • (UK & Finland)

  5. Cases – introduction (2/2) • Loss of ecosystem services due to the plantation of non-native monoculture forests(Portugal) • Loss of ecosystem services due to eutrophication of coastal marine ecosystems(Sweden) • Value of cultural ecosystem services – case study on the recovery of ospreys(the UK) • Loss of a keystone species - the cost and benefits of beaver reintroduction(Germany) • Loss of provisioning ecosystem services in lagoon of Venice(Italy)

  6. Insights – what have we lost? • Biodiversity lost • Loss / degradation of natural ecosystems / habitats - both drastic and gradual • Declined species population levels • Loss / decline of keystone species • Change of dominant species / dominant species characteristics • Loss due to introduction of exotic species • Ecosystem services lost • Generally: almost all ecosystem services identified by MEA • Most commonly: food and fresh water • Water purification and waste management • Nutrient cycling • A range of cultural services

  7. Estimates of the lost value (1/2)

  8. Estimates of the lost value (2/2)

  9. Conclusions - general • Through out Europe a variety of ecosystems lost / degraded •  wide range of biodiversity-related services lost • Evidence of socio-economic costs exists • Loss of biodiversity / ecosystem services not generally included in decision making • If the cost and benefits arising from ecosystems services would have been considered •  more complete view of costs and benefits •  different decision taken

  10. Conclusions – counting our losses (1/2) • Often very difficult / impossible to form a complete picture of the real losses and benefits • Losses are not often directly apparent • ‘Long run’ effects of tradeoffs • Cost and benefits occur in different ecosystem and / or socio-economic sectors • Distribution of costs and benefits is biased between different stakeholders • benefits obtained on a private level VS. the associated costs often of more social nature

  11. Conclusions – counting our losses (2/2) • Limitations of knowledge • What is the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem properties? • What are the factors influencing environmental values? • Values from one ecosystem cannot be easily transferred to another ecosystem • When estimating the losses • Need to consider qualitative evidence • Need to be pragmatic and “inventive”

  12. Concluding remarks • The implications of biodiversity loss and related • ecosystem services should be adopted as an integral • part of future policy and decision-making processes • Tools that could be used • Comprehensive and integrated assessments at project level (eg EIAs) • Comprehensive and integrated assessments as a basis for regional land use planning and management • SWOT assessments • ‘Critical threshold’ concept • Precautionary approach • Ex post assessments • Integrating Natura 2000 areas into regional and local planning • Making stakeholders aware!

  13. Thank you! Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)London / Brusselswww.ieep.org.uk

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