Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls Member States to map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory with the assistance of the European Commission. My perception is that at this stage most of the effort is focused on continental Europe (but check for yourself the website and the country profiles).
Webinars on this topic are being organized by Oppla (a hub of knowledge due to launch on September this year). If you want to know more about this subject, it may be useful to attend the next webinar. See the information below.
Dear Oppla member,
The next event in our programme of Oppla Webinars is taking place at 11:00 CET on 25th May.
This second session will continue the topic of ecosystem services mapping, focusing on its benefits for practitioners and decision makers.
Our guest presenters are:
Nuria Marba, speaking about the importance of spatial distribution of ecosystem services in Posidonia meadows.
Sander Jacobs, speaking about mapping ecosystem services in Flanders.
Benjamin Burkhard, speaking about mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services across European biomes, states and policies.
The webinar is free to Oppla members.
Visit the website for further information and registration:
http://oppla.eu/oppla-webinar-ecosystem-services-mapping-practical-applications
Best wishes.
Oppla Team
www.oppla.eu
The European Commission released a study (and a video) on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services. This is an important publication, because the two issues do not necessarily go hand in hand in many people's minds. The first chapter addresses the question "Will use of the ecosystem services approach protect biodiversity?"; the authors conclude that "As long as the approach is implemented via policies based on sound evidence, and in conjunction with strategies that recognise the intrinsic value of biodiversity, it has the potential to be a powerful instrument in the struggle to halt biodiversity decline".
Ecosystem services and Biodiversity - Science for Environment Policy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6luBEJfi3s&feature=youtu.be
Full European Commission's related report available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/ecosystem_services_biodiversity_IR11_en.pdf