The costs of pricing nature: The implications of payment for ecosystem services in Europe Bethany Squire & Alexandra Bosbeer Quaker Council for European Affairs.
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The costs of pricing nature: The implications of payment for ecosystem services in Europe Bethany Squire & Alexandra Bosbeer Quaker Council for European Affairs Outline 1. Problem: Trends in ecosystem change in Europe 2. One solution: Overview of EU initiatives in payment for ecosystem services (PES) 3. Does it work? Main concerns 4. What to do? Other solutions Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] 2000 - 2006 Source: European Environment Agency Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Degraded ecosystem services Status 1990-2010, based on EEA 2010 (Rubicode) AgroFores Service ecosystems t Crops/timber Grassland Heath/ scrub Wetlands mixed Livestock Wild foods degraded Water Genetic Pollination Climate regulation Pest regulation Erosion regulation Water regulation Recreation Aesthetic enhanced Lakes and rivers Alien species increasing Source: European Environment Agency Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] EU initiatives: Soils and water Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Biodiversity Targets 2010 : halt the loss of biodiversity 2020 : halt the loss of biodiversity Target 2: Maintain and restore ecosystems and their services: Member States to map and assess state of ecosystems and services by 2014, assess the economic value of such services, &, by 2020, promote integration of these values into accounting at EU & national levels. Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Weaknesses • Provisioning services easiest to value – Integration: CAP and CFP • Market is not amenable to reflecting complexities Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Case study: Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) • Left to market – demand assumed • 2005 = €40 2013= €4 • Managing emissions credits = fast-growing sector of financial services • Halting emission of CO2 => secondary objective Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Problems & opportunities • • • • • Market ≠ public interest ‘Business as usual’ Exacerbating scarcity to maximize profits Behavioural economics Social justice issues – Exporting land demand – Human well-being Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Potential solutions • Raising awareness of values vs valuing – Public decision-making • Wider picture – Non-provisioning services – ‘Mainstreaming’ – Combination of methods: regulation and pricing Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected] Questions or more information: You are ‘civil society’! [email protected] Quaker Council for European Affairs Square Ambiorix 50, 1000 Brussels www.qcea.org Sign up with us for action alerts to respond to EU consultations. Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected]