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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
The costs of pricing nature: The implications of payment for
ecosystem services in Europe
Bethany Squire & Alexandra BosbeerQuaker 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 concerns4. What to do? Other solutions
Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected]
Source: European Environment Agency
2000 - 2006
Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected]
Degraded ecosystem services
Service
Agro-ecosystems
Forest
Grass-land
Heath/scrub
Wetlands
Lakes and rivers
Crops/timber mixedLivestockWild foods degradedWaterGeneticPollinationClimate regulationPest regulationErosion regulationWater regulation
enhanced
RecreationAesthetic
Status 1990-2010, based on EEA 2010 (Rubicode)
Alien species increasingSource: European Environment Agency
Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected]
Biodiversity Targets
2010 : halt the loss of biodiversity2020 : halt the loss of biodiversityTarget 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] Council for European AffairsSquare Ambiorix 50, 1000 Brusselswww.qcea.orgSign up with us for action alerts to respond to EU consultations.Quaker Council for European Affairs [email protected]
