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Dear Subscribers,

Please see herebelow the in-Depth Report 'Taking stock: progress in natural capital accounting' (plus other related resources) from European Commission's Science for Environment Policy newsletter of 30 November 2017.

Apologies for cross-posting.

Amir Kassam

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From: Science Env Policy <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, Nov 30, 2017 at 2:50 PM
Subject: Science for Environment Policy: Taking stock: progress in natural capital accounting (In-Depth Report)
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In-Depth Report
30 November 2017
 Science for Environment Policy
 
   

 

Taking stock: progress in natural capital accounting

 

The growing human population and a shift to more resource-intensive habits and behaviours are increasing the demands on global ecosystems. Natural capital is a way to describe Earth’s natural assets, including soil, air, water and living things, existing as complex ecosystems, which provide a range of services to humans. Depleting and degrading these reserves may irreversibly reduce the availability of benefits to future generations. This In-Depth Report presents an overview of ideas, debates and progress so far in natural capital accounting, in particular in accounting for ecosystems and their services.

 
 
  Related resources from Science for Environment Policy

If you are interested in finding out more about research into ways to value nature, here is a selection of resources from Science for Environment Policy available to watch or download:

Ecosystem services and biodiversity - short film (April 2016)
To keep Europe’s ecosystems healthy, we need to protect #biodiversity. How can the ecosystem service approach help? And how can we capture people’s more deeply held values beyond mere money? Watch the video produced by Science for Environment Policy about the different tools in the ecosystem services toolbox.
Watch film

Why protect nature? Relational values: the missing link in policies for the natural environment  (May 2016) 
The concepts of instrumental value (protecting nature for humans’ sake) and intrinsic value (protecting nature for nature’s sake) are fundamental to environmental policy. This paper — based on a literature review and critical analysis — argues that using these concepts alone overlooks important concerns for the environment. The authors recommend also considering relational values, which derive from the relationships between people and nature.
Download article

The economic impact of climate change on European agriculture (May 2017) 
A new study has estimated how changes to climate might affect the value of European farmland. Based on data for over 41 000 farms, the results suggest that their economic value could drop by up to 32%, depending on the climate scenario considered. Farms in southern Europe are particularly sensitive to climate change and could suffer value losses of up to 9% per 1 °C rise. The researchers say policy, on water and land use, for example, will be crucial to help farmers adapt to climate change and mitigate economic losses.
Download article

Managing water resources for an uncertain future: new method of robust planning  (June 2017) 
Water-supply planning that considers the preferences of multiple stakeholders under uncertain and variable future conditions are more robust than planning decisions based on historical conditions, a recent study has stated. Using the Thames river basin in the UK as an example, the researchers present a new computer-modelling approach to assess which combinations of water-management measures best secure future water supply under a wide range of possible future conditions. 
Download article

You may also be interested in these related Future Briefs:

The Value of Natura 2000 (May 2015)
The Natura 2000 network encompasses nearly a fifth of EU territory and provides protection for more than a thousand rare and threatened species. The benefits provided by the network are estimated to be worth €223–314 billion per year. In this new Future Brief we examine the 'value' of Natura 2000 from different angles: in terms of biodiversity conservation, the benefits for people, and economic value.
Download Future Brief

No net land take by 2050? (April 2016)
Land and soil are limited natural resources essential to all human life. One of the major environmental challenges facing Europe is an increasing demand for development, which threatens ecosystem services. This Future Brief focuses on how land and soil could be used efficiently to continue to provide these functions and services for generations to come. 
Download Future Brief

You may also be interested in a related In-Depth Report:

Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity (May 2015)
Ecosystems provide a multitude of benefits to humanity, from food to recreation. In our latest In-depth Report, we explore four core facets of the ecosystem services concept: the links between biodiversity and ecosystem services; techniques for mapping and assessing ecosystems and their services; valuation of ecosystem services and the importance of considering all services; and biodiversity as part of an interconnected system.
Download In-Depth Report

You may also be interested in a related Thematic Issue:

Integrating environmental risk assessment (December 2015)
Environmental risk assessment is challenging because of the complexity of the physical and ecological systems around us. Natural disasters, the spread of dangerous substances, ecosystem changes leading to food and health security issues, and the emergence of new materials, new events and new knowledge make it essential to update our understanding continually, to be able to identify threats and opportunities for timely action. This Thematic Issue presents some collaborative and integrated paths towards forward-thinking assessment and management of environmental risks.
Download Thematic Issue

To view the Science for Environment Policy website, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/science-environment-policy.

The contents and views included in this News Alert are based on independent, peer-reviewed research and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Commission.


 Beyond this In-Depth Report
   
News Alert archive News Alert article archive Read articles published in past issues of Science for Environment Policy's News Alert.
Indepth Reports In-Depth Reports Take a comprehensive look at the latest relevant science for key policy topics.
Future Briefs Future Briefs Policy briefs shedding light on emerging areas of research and policy.
Thematic Issues Thematic Issues Special editions of the News Alert focusing on hot policy issues and providing expert commentary.
   

Science for Environment Policy is published by the European Commission's DG Environment and edited by the Science Communication Unit (SCU), at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
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