Wed, Oct 17, 2012 -
New User-oriented Guides on Integrating
the Benefits from Nature Launched by 'The
Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity'
(TEEB) Initiative
Hyderabad (India), 11 October 2012 - Assessing
and taking into account the economic, social
and cultural value of ecosystems and biodiversity
can play a key role in efforts to achieve
international biodiversity targets, according
to a new series of guides published by The
Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
(TEEB) today.
The publications were
launched during the 11th meeting of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad,
India.
Further Resources
TEEB Implementation GuidesUNEP and Ecosystem
ManagementHelmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research (UFZ)Towards a Green Economy. Pathways
to sustainable and poverty eradicationThe
TEEB guides, developed by the Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
on behalf of the German Agency for Nature
Conservation (BfN), focus specifically on
three of the co-called 'Aichi Targets';
a set of 20 biodiversity goals agreed by
governments under the CBD in 2010.
They are: the integration
of biodiversity values into strategies for
development and poverty reduction, planning
processes and national accounting (Aichi
Target 2), reforming subsidies harmful to
biodiversity and promotion of incentives
for conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity (Aichi Target 3), increasing
the amount and effectively managing land,
inland waters and ocean covered by protected
areas (Aichi Target 11).
The guides provide practical
support for national governments, regional
policy-makers, and other groups in making
use of the findings of TEEB to support efforts
to achieve the Aichi targets by 2020.
TEEB, which is hosted
by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), has been gaining international recognition
since the launch of the initiative's first
major report in 2009. The study was among
the first to outline in detail the high
economic value of ecosystems including forests,
freshwater, soils and coral reefs - as well
as the social and economic costs of their
loss.
Since then, India, Brazil
and Georgia as well as several European
countries have initiated, or expressed interest
in conducting national TEEB studies to support
decision making on the environment. China
also recently voiced support for a national
study on the economic importance of ecosystem
services.
"Understanding
the values of ecosystems to economies and
communities can support countries in spearheading
the actions and policies needed to meet
biodiversity targets, and to enable the
transition to an inclusive green economy,"
said United Nations Under-Secretary-General
and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
"Importantly, the
new TEEB guides highlight that valuation
is not an end in itself, but that it allows
for a more comprehensive understanding of
the world's natural assets, and ensures
they are afforded due consideration by policy-makers
and integrated into decision-making on all
levels", added Mr. Steiner.
The new guides summarize
key findings and recommendations from major
TEEB studies relating to the Aichi targets,
as well as case studies, lessons learned
and links to other studies and relevant
publications.
"We were amazed
how many useful tools and information is
already out there on the economic aspects
of biodiversity conservation, within the
TEEB reports and beyond," said Julian
Rode from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research and co-author of the guides
"The Implementation
Guides offer a "menu" of tools
and advice for three of the Aichi targets
- now it is up to policy makers to choose
what is best suited for their national context,"
he added.
Biodiversity and National
Planning
In line with Aichi Target
2 , the guide encourages recognizing the
multiple values of biodiversity for human
well-being and their incorporation into
decision-making at all levels.
The dependence on poor
households on ecosystem services in particular
needs to be more fully integrated into policy,
says the TEEB guide. Non-marketed natural
goods can account up to 89 per cent of the
so-called 'GDP of the Poor' in some countries.
The guide recommends
the following actions and milestones towards
achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 2:
As a starting point,
countries can showcase the values of 'flagship'
ecosystems
Cooperation with national statistics offices
should be strengthened
Improved mapping of biodiversity and ecosystem
services is needed to support planning exercises
Increased coordination
among government ministries and different
levels of government can ensure biodiversity
is integrated in planning across all sectors
Subsidies and Incentives
Subsidies are used across
the world as a tool for economic development.
However, certain subsidies can be harmful
to the environment and cause significant
economic burdens.
Fishery subsidies, it
is often argued, can serve to provide incentives
for over-fishing. Around US$ 50 billion
in annual revenue is lost due to unsustainable
fishing practices, mostly due to over-fishing.
As a first step towards
achieving Aichi Target 3 , says the TEEB
guide, governments should aim for full disclosure
of subsidies, measuring and reporting them
annually in order that harmful components
may be recognize, tracked and eventually
phased out.
Payment for ecosystem
services, access and benefit sharing, green
public procurement and certification and
labeling schemes are among the incentive
measures explored in the TEEB guide, along
with numerous case studies, including schemes
from Sri Lanka, India, Ghana and Denmark.
The guide recommends
the following actions towards achieving
Aichi Biodiversity Target 3:
Governments should identify
those incentives which are particularly
detrimental to biodiversity and economically
costly, and prioritize these for removal,
phasing out, or reform
When developing positive
incentives, it is important to interact
with stakeholders to ensure that mechanism
are effective and continue to support livelihoods
Biodiversity and Protected
Areas
In line with Aichi Target
11 , TEEB illustrates that local protected
areas are an important resource for policy-makers
and benefit local communities if managed
effectively.
It is often not recognized
that protected areas also offer "value
for money", says TEEB, and can play
a key role in maintaining ecosystem services.
Ecosystem valuation, in turn, can help to
justify protected areas policy, identify
funding an investment opportunities, and
inform conservation priorities.
The TEEB guide cites
a case study from Namibia, where conservancies
and other tourism sites on communal land
cover 14 per cent of national territory.
The national benefit from tourism (over
US$ 335 million) is over eight times higher
than the management costs.
Currently, some 13 per
cent of terrestrial areas and around 6 per
cent of coastal areas are protected, while
very little of the open oceans are protected.
Some countries have already surpassed the
coverage targets contained in Aichi Target
11, and are now focusing on improving the
management and effectives of protected areas.
Recommended actions
in the TEEB guide towards achieving all
aspects of Aichi Target 11 include:
Recognition of indigenous and community-conserved
areas in national legislation or other means
of formal inclusion in national systems
Development and implementation of finance
plans for protected area systems
Aim to assess 60 per cent of protected areas
for management effectiveness and ensure
that the results of the assessments are
implemented
The TEEB Implementation Guides for Aichi
Biodiversity Targets 2, 3 and 11 are available
at: www.teebweb.org/
Notes to Editors
About the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental
Research (UFZ)
UFZ was established
in 1991 to study the complex interactions
between humans and the environment in cultivated
and damaged landscapes. The scientists develop
concepts and processes to help secure the
natural foundations of human life for future
generations. For more information, please
visit: www.ufz.de
