Approach and Objectives of the EU MAES Process as an

Examplefor Regional Cooperation

Markus Erhard European Environment Agency (EEA)Kongens Nytorv 6, 1050 Copenhagen K, DENMARK

markus.erhard@eea.europa.eu

TEEB Workshop, Vilm, 21-24 May 2013

EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 Target 2

By 2020, ecosystem services are maintained and enhanced through the establishment of Green Infrastructure and the restoration of at least 15% of degraded ecosystems. •Action 5: Improve knowledge about ecosystems and their services in the EU MAES Working Group (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services)Target setting•Action 6: Establish priorities for restoration and promote the use of Green Infrastructure •Action 7: Ensure no net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Ecosystem Assessment in EU Biodiversity Strategy to

2020Action 5 under Target 2 of the Biodiversity Strategy to 2020:

”Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, will map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014, assess the economic value of such services, and promote the integration of these values into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020.”

Ecosystems (ES) – Ecosystem Services (ESS)

WHY:

To address multiple use of ecosystems (demand

for services) in relation to multi-functionality of

ecosystems

synergies and trade-offs

Landuse

Tourism

Oil & Gas

Coastal defencePorts &

Navigation

Military activities

CultureConservationDredging &

DisposalSubmarine

cablesFishing Renewab

le energy

Marine recreation

Mineral extraction

Mariculture

Vision: to map and assess ecosystems and their services e.g. coastal, marine and maritime space

Sou

rce: D

EFR

A

MAES Analytical Framework

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/knowledge/ecosystem_assessment/pdf/

MAESWorkingPaper2013.pdf

Matrix Approach: from Baseline 2010 (Rubicode, UK-NEA etc.) to 2014 MAES-0 baseline

4 steps of implementationUntil 2014/2015

I.Biophysical baseline mapping and assessment of the state of major

ecosystems (EEA); MAES-0 baseline scenario 2014

II.Biophysical baseline mapping and assessment of defined

ecosystem services (JRC);

Until 2020

III.Alignment of ecosystem service assessments with scenarios of

future changes;

IV.Valuation of ecosystem services for baseline and contrasting

scenarios and integration into environmental and economic

accounting.

Building Blocks 1(3)• Ecosystem typology and ecosystem service classification

(CICES v4.3 www.cices.eu) MAES analytical

framework

• Ecosystem mapping and assessment (conditions and

trends for MAES-0 baseline 2014) EEA

• Ecosystem service assessment (PRESS, OPERAS,

OPENESS etc.) JRC

• Integrate reporting data (HD/BD, WFD. MSFD etc.) and

reference data (land cover, DEM, soil, geology)

• Link to research and Conventions (IPBES, TEEB)

Building Blocks 2(3)• Learn from Member States approaches (MESEU Project)

• Use Ecosystem Capital Accounts (ECA) – water, land,

carbon

• Streamline vs. targets (Action 6, 7):

Restoration and Prioritization Framework (RPF)

No net loss (NNL)

Green Infrastructure (EU Communication Paper)

• Develop scenarios to 2020 (Quickscan tool)

• BISE platform for Information exchange: literature, data,

review (virtual library)

• Communication and outreach (e.g. Eye on Earth)

Sources: CLC 2006. Legend: 1km and 5 km refer to the radius used for the CORILIS.

Green Infrastructure e.g. Brussels

Green : Green infrastructure Red : potentially affected by built-up areas

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE FOR A MEMBER STATE WITH HIGH COVERAGE OF NATURAL AREAS

 

  Types of areas Base-line

By 2020 (and net gain) By 2050

LEVEL 1

Key species, properties and processes of ecosystems and their functions are restored

‘wilderness’ areas and N2000 sites in FCS

30%32%

(+ 2% from L2)

40% (+ 8% from

L2)

LEVEL 2

Abiotic and/or biotic factors largely in good condition but still restoration management measures required

N2000 sites not in FCS, national parks, …

15%

28%(+ 15% from

L3; - 2% to L1)

35%(+15% from L3; - 8% to

L1)

LEVEL 3

Abiotic factors in moderate to good condition; severe problems with one or more biotic factors

Non-protected rural areas, not including intensive agriculture

30%

16% (+ 1% from

L4; - 15% to L2)

10% (+ 9% from L4; - 15% to

L3)

LEVEL 4

Severe problems with one or more abiotic factors e.g. excessive nitrate load in groundwater; severe problems with several biotic factors; no traces of original ecosystem visible

‘transformed ecosystems’ (e.g. Intensive agriculture, build urban areas, roads, airports, quarries, brownfield areas, heavily modified water bodies)

25% 24%15% (non-

restorable)

TOTAL SURFACE 100%    TOTAL ‘RESTORABLE’ SURFACE 55%    

TOTAL ‘RESTORED’ SURFACE (cumulative starting from baseline)   18% 50%

RESSTORATION

DEGRADATION

Restoration and Prioritisation Framework (RPF)

4 level approach

Courtesy: ARCADIS draft, April 2013

Building Blocks 3(3)• 6 pilot studies to explore data, methodology, scaling

etc.

1. Nature attribution species data to ecosystem conditions

2. Agro-ecosystems using IACS/LPIS data for assessing

agro-ecosystems

3. Forest ecosystem services and trade-offs e.g.

sequestration – biodiversity

4. Freshwater ecological status data for freshwater

ecosystem (WFD) – incl. Wetlands

5. Marine MSFD and IMP data integration for marine

ecosystems assessments

6. Natural capital accounting explorative

• Integration: climate change, vulnerability and adaptation,

resource efficiency (EU Horizon 2020 targets)

• Knowledge base: evidence incl. co-forcing / synergies /

trade-offs

• Methodology: assessment, harmonization, scaling issues,

spatial explicity (incl. trajectories), multiple service valuation

(integration, aggregation), monetization

• Use of and need for indicators

To be further explored

Thank you for your attention

markus.erhard@eea.europa.eu

EEA: http://www.eea.europa.eu/Ecosystem Assessment: http://biodiversity.europa.eu/ecosystem-assessmentsEcosystem Service Classification: www.cices.euEU Beyond GDP: http://www.beyond-gdp.eu/UNSD-SEEA: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/envaccounting/seea.aspEye on Earth: http://watch.eyeonearth.org/