Engaging with ecosystem evaluation

Ecosystem evaluation –  a masterclass

In these short videos Prof Ian Bateman (UEA) looks at the latest thinking behind the economic valuation of environmental assets. In them he:

  • sets out the basic principals and assumptions
  • explains how to go about obtaining monetary equivalent values in practice
  • explores the advantages for improving policy decisions
  • addresses some of the misconceptions and limitations
 Q1 Why is it important to distinguish between price and value?  Q2 What is the basic ecosystem economic conceptual framework for valuing nature?  Q3 Why is it useful to obtain monetary values for ecosystem services?
 Q1 Why is it important to distinguish between price and value?  Q2 What is the basic ecosystem economic conceptual framework for valuing nature?  Q3 Why is it useful to obtain monetary values for ecosystem services?
Q4 What methods can we use to get economic values for ecosystem services  Q5 How can we reliably model future scenarios looking across all the values?  Q6 How does looking at all the values allow you to target policies? And how is biodiversity loss addressed?
 Q4 What methods can we use to get economic values for ecosystem services  Q5 How can we reliably model future scenarios looking across all the values?  Q6 How does looking at all the values allow you to target policies? And how is biodiversity loss addressed?
 Q7 How can social inequity be accommodated in ecosystem service accounting?  Q8 How does the approach encourage cross-sector business innovation and efficiency?  Q9 Summary and challenges for the future.
 Q7 How can social inequity be accommodated in ecosystem service accounting?  Q8 How does the approach encourage cross-sector business innovation and efficiency?  Q9 Summary and challenges for the future.

While is it increasingly seen to be essential to factor the value of natural ecosystem services (such as the provision of clean water, fresh air and fertile soil) in policy making,  addressing this in specific contexts and applying it to real world situations is still a challenge.

Ian draws on approaches and assessments used in the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UKNEA) to explore it is this important to do this? In doing so he explores how this relates to biodiversity loss and the value of living species.

Ian is chairman of the Valuing Nature Network (VNN) and a member of the Natural Capital Committee which advises HMG on the state of English Natural Capital through the Economic Affairs Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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This masterclass is post produced with permission from a Webinar co-organised by the Ecosystems Knowledge Network and VNN on 11 Feb 2013, you will find a full original transcript of it here.

See also in UK Resources: The Lawton Report – Making Space for Nature; The UKNEA; UK Environment Whitepaper – The natural choice;UK Biodiversity 2020 strategy