The purpose of the article is to substantiate the theoretical and methodological approach to determining the key characteristics of the assessment of ecosystem assets of territorial communities related to water. The study considers the theoretical and methodological principles of assessing ecosystem assets for sustainable development of local communities. The initial methodological approaches of the accumulated world experience on the assessment of ecosystem services and ecosystem assets of local level territories in the context of three components (ecological, economic and social) in the context of water-related ecosystems are specified. An algorithm for estimating ecosystem assets is proposed. The key guidelines for assessing the ecosystem assets of territorial spatial entities based on European experience are revealed. The list of scientific recommendations for the assessment of water-related ecosystem assets to enhance the capacity of local communities and preserve and restore ecosystems is substantiated.
The novelty of the study lies in the proposals for the implementation in Ukrainian practice of general approaches to the methodology of assessment of ecosystem assets and services, according to the recommendations of the international project of the European Commission “The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity” (TEEB). The key Euro-benchmarks proposed by the author for the assessment of water-related ecosystem assets will help increase the investment attractiveness of spatial territorial formations and create preconditions for the development of a new economy on an ecosystem basis. Further research has prospects in the following areas: formation of a comprehensive strategic approach to the introduction of ecosystem asset valuation at the local level; development and introduction of effective methodological approaches to the assessment of ecosystem assets for the formation of investment attractiveness of the territory through the use of local natural resources, including water, as ecosystem assets of sustainable spatial development.