scholarly journals Incorporating Ecosystem Services in the Assessment of Water Framework Directive Programmes of Measures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Souliotis ◽  
Nikolaos Voulvoulis
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Water Status ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ecological Condition ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Ecological Objectives ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe EU Water Framework Directive requires the development of management responses aimed towards improving water quality as a result of improving ecosystem health (system state). Ecosystems have potential to supply a range of services that are of fundamental importance to human well-being, health, livelihoods and survival, and their capacity to supply these services depends on the ecosystem condition (its structure and processes). According to the WFD, Programmes of Measures should be developed to improve overall water status by reducing anthropogenic catchment pressures to levels compatible with the achievement of the ecological objectives of the directive, and when designed and implemented properly should improve the ecological condition of aquatic ecosystems that the delivery of ecosystem services depends on. Monitoring and evaluation of implemented measures are crucial for assessing their effectiveness and creating the agenda for consecutive planning cycles. Considering the challenges of achieving water status improvements, and the difficulties of communicating these to the wider public, we develop a framework for the evaluation of measures cost-effectiveness that considers ecosystem services as the benefits from the reduction of pressures on water bodies. We demonstrate its application through a case study and discuss its potential to facilitate the economic analysis required by the directive, and that most European water authorities had problems with. Findings demonstrate the potential of the methodology to effectively incorporate ecosystem services in the assessment of costs and benefits of proposed actions, as well as its potential to engage stakeholders.

scholarly journals Governance of Water Resources in the Phase of Change: A Case Study of the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Sweden

AMBIO ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Hammer ◽  
Berit Balfors ◽  
Ulla Mörtberg ◽  
Mona Petersson ◽  
Andrew Quin
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Eu Water Framework Directive ◽  
The Eu

scholarly journals Towards implementing Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services in Cyprus: A first set of indicators for ecosystem management

One Ecosystem ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Vogiatzakis ◽  
Savvas Zotos ◽  
Vassilis Litskas ◽  
Paraskevi Manolaki ◽  
Dimitrios Sarris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Ecosystem Management ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Geographical Context ◽  
The Eu

Ecosystems deliver a range of services that are important for human well-being. Although Ecosystem Services (ES) assessments have been carried out worldwide in different geographical areas, islands are still under-represented. This research presents the first set of indicators developed for Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) provided by the ecosystems of Cyprus, as required by the EU Biodiversity Strategy, along with the rationale behind the selection criteria. In total, 269 potential indicators were assessed in terms of data availability at the national/subnational level and their suitability for MAES and were classified using a "traffic light" system on the basis of overall suitability (i.e. conceptually and in terms of datasets). The results showed that 89 indicators (Green indicators) can be directly used for assessing ES in Cyprus. Amongst these 89 Green indicators, 28 are considered to be new additions to the EU MAES list, since they were proposed solely for Cyprus ecosystems, as a result of consultation with local stakeholders. Provisioning and cultural services could be adequately mapped, but lack of data was observed for several regulating services (e.g. erosion, pollution, carbon sequestration). Not all Green indicators, identified herein, are relevant for assessing ES provided by ecosystems in Cyprus, whereas Green indicators which measure similar ES might be redundant. For a given geographical context, there might be relevant (and important) indicators which are not included in the MAES list and this is why consultation with stakeholders is advisable. Knowledge gaps and needs for further improving MAES on the island are also discussed.

scholarly journals Economic analysis of ecosystem based adaptation and engineering options: A case study from Udayapur, Nepal

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Dinesh Chandra Devkota ◽  
Kamal Thapa ◽  
Bhaskar Kharki
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
High Benefit ◽  
Adaptation Options

Ecosystem services are vital to our well-being as they directly or indirectly support our survival and quality of life. But, the growing impact of climate change diminishes the benefit from ecosystem services. Therefore, identifying possible applicable adaptation options are inevitable to reduce the effect of climate change. The present research is based on a case study of Ksedi River watershed, Ajgada Village in Udaypur district of Nepal. The study demonstrates the comparison between different options to deal with flood and make a sound decision, based on economic rationale for long-term benefits. The present study compares ecosystem based adaptation options with engineering options using cost benefit analysis in order to protect village from flooding. Through stakeholder and expert consultations, ecosystem based adaptation options and economic options that are feasible in the village and catchment to mitigate the floods were listed. Economic analysis of these options and the different combinations were done using cost benefit analysis. Analysis was carried out for each of the different combination of options. Focus on ecosystem based adaptation options provide high benefit to cost return in terms of avoided damages and considering engineering options efficient in flood and erosion control in initial stage in spite of its high cost. The study suggests that reforestation in upland forest areas; plantation along riverbed and management of rangeland should be prioritized. Similarly, preparation of flood model, flood height damage curve and flood vulnerable maps specific to the site will help decision makers to implement site specific adaptation options.

scholarly journals National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece): Floristic Diversity, Ecosystem Services and Management Implications

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Maria Tsakiri ◽  
Eleni Koumoutsou ◽  
Ioannis P. Kokkoris ◽  
Panayiotis Trigas ◽  
Eleni Iliadou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
National Park ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Floristic Diversity ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Type Mapping ◽  
The Eu

This study highlights the importance of including detailed (local-scale) biodiversity and ecosystem services data for land-use management and promotion of protected areas using the National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece) as a case study. Along with the conducted field surveys and literature review for the National Park’s flora documentation, ecosystem type mapping and assessment of ecosystem services have been performed, following National and European Union (EU) guidelines for the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) implementation across EU Member States. Main results include floristic diversity indicators, ecosystem type mapping and assessment, and ecosystem services identification and assessment of their actual and potential supply. By this, a scientifically informed baseline dataset was developed to support management and policy needs towards a holistic National Park management and a sustainable spatial planning for protected areas. Additionally, local scale ecosystem type and ecosystem services data have been produced as input for the MAES implementation in Greece and the EU.

scholarly journals Priorities and Preferences in Water Quality Management - a Case Study of the Alsterån River Basin

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-173
Author(s):  
Kristina Ek ◽  
Lars Persson
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Status ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Quality Attributes ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
The European Union

AbstractSweden is a decentralised country where local managers, who are key actors in water management, often deal with relatively difficult prioritisations, tradeoffs and conflicting goals. Many of these challenges relate to the effective implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive. As an input to these challenges, the present paper elicits and analyses local and semi-local citizens’ preferences for water quality attributes related to the European Water Framework directive in a river basin located in southeast of Sweden. Based on a choice experiment tailored to the case study area, the paper analyses preferences for selected attributes based on real criteria for ecological water status in the implementation of the directive. The target population lives in the municipalities through which the river passes, or in municipalities neighbouring those. Despite this spatial proximity to the river, the analysis reveals limited knowledge and interest in matters related to the environmental quality of the river. There is no evidence that preferences differ between respondents with regard to experience or knowledge about the water basin, nor with regard to recreational habits in the area. These results offer input to local water management by providing information about preferences for explicit water quality attributes.

scholarly journals A framework linking ecosystem services and human well‐being: Saltmarsh as a case study

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 486-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia R. Rendón ◽  
Angus Garbutt ◽  
Martin Skov ◽  
Iris Möller ◽  
Meghan Alexander ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Well Being
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