This document discusses ecosystem services in Europe from a pan-European perspective. It provides examples of the ecosystem services provided by different European biomes like forests, grasslands, wetlands, inland waters, and marine areas. These services include provisioning services like food, fiber, and fresh water, as well as regulating services like climate regulation, water purification, erosion control, and natural hazard regulation. The document also provides examples of the economic value of certain ecosystem services, such as revenue from tourism related to vultures or sea eagles, value of flood control from wetlands and river restoration, and value of forest ecosystem services. It notes that many ecosystem services in Europe are being degraded and some have already been lost, for example due

1. © 2008, Institute for European Environmental Policy.
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Ecosystem services
-
the Pan European perspective
Marianne Kettunen
www.ieep.eu
11 June 2008
Eurosite Seminar
Turku, Finland

2. Questions to be addressed
• Ecosystem services – what ES do we have
in Europe & what is their value?
• What have we already lost and why?
• What does the future look like?
• Ecosystem services & protected areas

3. Ecosystem services in Europe

4. Europe’s ecosystem services
• No comprehensive assessment of ecosystem services (ES)
in Europe yet available
• European level assessment of a selected set of ES by EEA
to be finalised by 2012 (European Ecosystem Assessment – EURECA, the
European follow-up to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment)
• This presentation tries to provide Pan European insights
through a collection of relevant recent studies / initiatives,
e.g.
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
• Economics of ecosystems and biodiversity (TEEB) initiative (Germany & European
Commission with partners, 2008-2009)
• Cost of Policy Inaction (COPI) for Biodiversity (Alterra, IEEP & partners, EC study, 2008)
• Assessment of IAS impacts in Europe (IEEP & partners 2008-2009)
• Value of biodiversity (IEEP & partners, 2006)
[ See end of the presentation for reference & links]

5. Europe’s ecosystem services – general overview
Type of European ecosystem / biome Examples of services provided by ecosystem / biome
Provisioning services: Food & fibre, Water, Fuel (biofuel)…
Regulating services
Forests Air quality maintenance
Boreal forest Climate regulation (local, regional, global)
Temperate forests Water regulation (e.g. flood prevention, runoff …)
Mountain forests Erosion control
Etc. Natural hazards control (e.g. Fire resistance, storm & avalanche protection) …
Cultural & Supporting services – ALL
Grasslands & scrublands Provisioning services: Food & fibre, Water, Natural medicines, Fuel (biofuel) …
Natural & semi-natural grasslands
Regulating services
Agricultural land
Water regulation (e.g. flood prevention, runoff …)
Steppe
Erosion control
Mediterranean scrubland
Natural hazards control (e.g fire resistance) …
Mountain grasslands
Etc. Cultural & Supporting services – ALL
Provisioning services: Food & fibre, Water, Fuel …
Regulating services
Wetlands
Climate regulation (local, regional, global)
Coastal wetlands
Water regulation (e.g. flood prevention, runoff …)
Floodplains
Water purification and waste management
Swaps, bogs, moors …
Erosion control
Etc.
Natural hazards control …
Cultural & Supporting services – ALL
Provisioning services: Food & Water
Regulating services
Inland waters
Water regulation (e.g. flood prevention, runoff …)
River ecosystems
Water purification and waste management
Lakes
Erosion control
Etc.
Natural hazards control …
Cultural & Supporting services – ALL
Provisioning services: Food & Water
Regulating services
Marine areas Climate regulation (local, regional, global)
Water purification and waste management …
Cultural & Supporting services – ALL By MK based on MA 2005 classification

6. Europe’s ES - examples of value 1/2
TOURISM
Example Estimated value and/or potential/occurred loss Reference
Reintroduction of vultures, Revenue from vulture related tourism 0.7 million Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux. 1995. Socio
FR EUR / year economic value of vultures in the Grands Causses
Dickie I, Hughes, J., Esteban, A. 2006. Watched like
Reintroduction of sea Revenue from sea eagles related tourism 2.13 -2.48
never before – the local economic benefits of
eagles, UK million EUR / year
spectacular bird species
Tourism in Muritz National Revenue from the tourism 12 million EUR / year, Job et al. 2005. Ökonomische Effekte von
Park, DE supporting ~ 628 jobs Großschutzgebieten
Revenue from whale watching tourism ~ 11.7 million
Whale watching, Scotland Warburton et al. 2001. Whale watching in West Scotland
EUR / year; ~12% of total tourism income
P. Mayol, P. Beaubrun, F. Dhermain, J.-M. Bompar.
Whale watching, FR– IT Revenue for 23 whale watching tourism companies ~
Souffleurs d’Ecume. EPHE et Océanides. Groupe
Mediterranean coast 1.73 million EUR / year (2005)
d’Etude des Cétacés de Méditerranée.
RIVER / FLOODPLAIN ECOSYSTEMS
Example Estimated value and/or potential/occurred loss Reference
Seffer, J. & Stanová, V. eds. 1999. Morava River
Morava floodplain Value of the removal of nitrogen 0.7 million EUR /
Floodplain Meadows - Importance, Restoration and
grassland, SK & CZ year
Management.
Value of nitrates pollution reduction by restoring
floodplains 585 EUR / hectare; Potential total value Meyerhoff, J., Dehnhardt, A. 2004. The restoration of
Elbe river, DE
of restoration (water quality & species conservation) floodplains along the river Elbe.
162 – 278 million EUR / year
River Bassee Value of flood control services 91.47 – 304.9 million Agence de L’eau Seine Normandie, Ministry of Ecology
floodplain, FR EUR / year and Sustainable Development.
Coclough et al. 2003. The potential for fisheries
Input of salt marsh to the shellfish industry a marginal
Salt marshes in Scotland enhancement associated with management
value of 1087 EUR / hectare / year
realignment.
http://www.skjernaa.info/upl/samfundsokonomiskanalyse
River Skjern, DK Value of river restoration 32.1 million EUR / year
.pdf
Total value of inland fisheries in England and Wales Murray, M. and Simcox, H. 2003. Use of wild living
Inland fisheries, UK
4,854 million EUR resources in the United Kingdom: a review.

7. Europe’s ES - examples of value 2/2
FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Estimated value and/or
Example Reference
potential/occurred loss
Natural forests in Value of provisioning good quality water Natur ist Mehr-Wert, Ökonomische Argumente zum
Bavaria, DE 500 million EUR / year Schutz der Natur. BfN Skripten 154 (2005)
Total value of environmental and social Willis et al. 2003. The Social and Environmental
Woodlands, UK
services 42,924 million EUR Benefits of Forests in Great Britain
Matero & Saastamoinen. 2007. In search of marginal
Value of forest ecosystem services
Forest environmental valuations — ecosystem services in
2,690 million EUR / year (period 1995 –
ecosystems, FI Finnish forest accounting. Ecological
2000)
Economics.

8. ES role in European economy?
• Modern myth: current European societies are not
dependent on biodiversity
• Common perception: one or two economic sectors are
dependent, but most not.
• Often thought: biodiversity inputs are useful input but
substitutable and not essential or unique.
• But is this the truth?

9. Potential importance of bd related ES contribution to the economy
Biodiversity Biodiversity
No Name of industry sector & No Name of industry sector &
ES contribution ES contribution
1 Organic Agriculture >50% 27 Non-renewable electricity <5%
Other Agriculture
2 >50% 28 Gas Supply <1%
(in broad definition)
3 Sustainable Forestry >50% 29 Water Supply >50%
4 Other Forestry >50% 30 Construction <5%
5 Fishing >50% 31 Distribution <1%
6 Coal <1% or >50% 32 Retailing <5%
7 Oil & Gas etc <1% or >50% 33 Hotels & Catering <25%
8 Other Mining <1% 34 Land Transport etc <1%
9 Food, Drink & Tobacco >50% 35 Water Transport <5%
10 Textiles, Clothing & Leather <25% 36 Air Transport <1%
11 Wood & Paper >50% 37 Communications <1%
12 Printing & Publishing <1% 38 Banking & Finance <1%
13 Manufactured Fuels <25% growing 39 Insurance <25%
14 Pharmaceuticals <25% growing 40 Computing Services <1%
15 Chemicals nes <25% growing 41 Professional Services* <5%
Other Business Services
16 Rubber & Plastics <5% growing 42 <1%
(inc. environment related services)
17 Non-Metallic Mineral Products <5% 43 Public Administration & Defence <5% growing
Basic Metals &
18 -25 <1% 44 Education <5%
related industries
26 Renewable electricity >50% 45 Health & Social Work <5%
By ten Brink & Kettunen in EC report ”Links between the environment, economy and jobs” 2007
Note: % based on expert opinion, no extensive quantification carried out 46 Miscellaneous Services <25%

10. Potential importance of bd related ES contribution to the economy
Biodiversity Biodiversity
No Name of industry sector & No Name of industry sector &
ES contribution ES contribution
FOR EXAMPLE
1 Organic Agriculture >50% 27 Non-renewable electricity <5%
Other Agriculture
2
(in broad definition)
Provisioning services
>50% 28 Gas Supply <1%
3 Sustainable Forestry
• Genetic resources and stock availability (fish, seeds, resources for
>50% 29 Water Supply >50%
horticulture)
4 Other Forestry >50% 30 Construction <5%
• Fresh water (eg for irrigation and sustaining livestock)
5 Fishing >50% 31 Distribution <1%
6 Coal <1% or services 32 Retailing <5%
Regulating >50%
7 Oil & Gas etc • Climateor >50%
<1% regulation: temperature Catering
33 Hotels & and precipitation, carbon storage
<25%
8 Other Mining • Water regulation: water retention, aquifer recharge
<1% 34 Land Transport etc <1%
9 Food, Drink & Tobacco • Water purification and waste control
>50% 35 Water Transport <5%
10 Textiles, Clothing & Leather • Erosion regulation 36
<25% Air Transport <1%
11 Wood & Paper • Natural pest and disease Communications
>50% 37 regulation <1%
12 Printing & Publishing • Alien species invasion resistance Finance
<1% 38 Banking & <1%
13 Manufactured Fuels • Pollination
<25% growing 39 Insurance <25%
14 Pharmaceuticals • Seed dispersal
<25% growing 40 Computing Services <1%
15 Chemicals (e.g. biochemicals • Herbivory
<25% growing 41 Professional Services* <5%
• Natural hazards regulation: flood, avalanche and storm
Other Business Services
16 Rubber & Plastics <5% growing 42 <1%
protection/mitigation, fire resistance related services)
(inc. environment
17 Non-Metallic Mineral Products <5% 43 Public Administration & Defence <5% growing
18 -25
Basic Metals &
<1% :
Supporting services 44 soilEducation
formation, primary production – <5%
related industries
photosynthesis nutrient cycling, water cycling
26 Renewable electricity >50% 45 Health & Social Work <5%
By ten Brink & Kettunen in EC report ”Links between the environment, economy and jobs” 2007 46 Miscellaneous Services <25%

11. What have we lost and why?

12. The logic behind current status & trends
-
ES use, enhancement & trade offs
Enhancement / investment
Use
Trade offs
From COPI study by Braat, ten Brink et al. 2008

13. Example:
Consequences of maximising food production

14. The logic behind current status & trends
-
ES supply & land use intensity
P = provisioning services
R = regulating services
Cr = Cultural recreation
Ci = Cultural information
MSA = mean species
abundance, indicator of
ecosystem quality
Land use intensity
From COPI study by Braat, ten Brink et al. 2008

15. Global / indicative European trends in ES use & supply
Ecosystem service Human use Status of / trend in
service
Provisioning service
Food - crops & livestock ▲ ▲
Food – capture fisheries ▼ ▼
Food – aquaculture ▲ ▲
Food – wild plant & animal products not assessed ▼
Fibre – timber ▲ ▼
Fibre – cotton, hemp, silk, food fuel +/- +/-
Genetic resources ▲ ▼
Biochemicals, natural medicines, pharmaceuticals ▲ ▼
Ornamental resources not assessed not assessed
! Only a few ES improved – several degraded !
Fresh water ▲ ▼
Regulating services
Air quality ▲ ▼
Climate regulation – global ▲ ▲
! Human use of ES increased !
Climate regulation – local and regional ▲ ▼
Water regulation ▲ +/-
Water purification & treatment ▲ ▼
Erosion regulation ▲ ▼
Disease regulation ▲ +/-
Pest regulation ▲ ▼
Pollination ▲ ▼
Natural hazards regulation ▲ ▼
Cultural services
Spiritual & religious values ▲ ▼
Aesthetic values ▲ ▼
Recreation & ecotourism ▲ +/-
According to MA 2005 Others not assessed not assessed

16. What have we already lost in Europe?
Examples of ES lost due to / accompanied by the loss of biodiversity in EU Member & Accession States
(based on a survey of 37 case examples from 18 European countries) (Kettunen & ten Brink 2006)
EC study on the Value of Biodiversity, Kettunen & ten Brink 06

17. Example: loss of ES in Europe due IAS
Examples of IAS with negative effects on IAS in Europe (analysis included in total 125 IAS with known impacts in Europe)
Number of species per impact type
Type of ecosystem service (ES) affected by IAS
Negative Positive Both + & -
Provisioning Services
Food and fibre 54 6 16
Fuel - (1) -
Fresh water 3 1 -
Total 57 7 16
Regulating services
Air quality maintenance - 2 -
Water regulation (eg flood prevention, timing and magnitude of runoff, aquifer recharge) 13 - -
Erosion control 8 3 2
Water purification / quality maintenance and waste management 4 2 (1) -
Regulation of human / animal / plant diseases (i.e. IAS is a vector for disease) 13 - -
Fire resistance (change of vegetation cover leading to increased fire susceptibility) 2 - -
Other: human health other than diseases (e.g. allergies and injuries) 16 - -
Other: destruction of infrastructure 4 - -
Total 60 7 2
Cultural services
Cultural / natural heritage values 9 - -
Aesthetic / cultural value, recreation and ecotourism 40 9 14
Total 49 9 14
EC study impacts of IAS in Europe, Kettunen & et al (to be published)

18. What have we already lost – summary
Ecosystem services lost
• Generally: almost all ecosystem services identified by MA
• Most commonly
• Food and fresh water
• Water purification and waste management
• Nutrient cycling
• A range of cultural services
Services lost due to loss in biodiversity
• Loss / degradation of natural ecosystems / habitats - both drastic
and gradual
• Declined species population levels
• Loss / decline of keystone species
• Change of dominant species / dominant species characteristics
• Loss due to introduction of alien species
[ Note: mainly based on existing EU evidence documented in Kettunen & ten Brink 2006, EC
value of biodiversity study]

19. What does the future look like?

20. What does the future look like?
General trend
Biodiversity
Ecosystem services
e.g. in particular provisioning of marine resources, majority of regulating services …

21. Projected EUR loss due to loss of ES (in land-based ecosystems)
Europe
• Loss of ES provided by natural areas
• Also some loss of ES due to loss of extensive
agriculture areas
• Result: in particular, loss of regulating
services & several cultural services
According to the EC Cost of Policy Inaction study by Braatm ten Brink et al. 2008. Calculations based on projected changes in land use patterns / biomes / regions with no
changes in current policies.

22. How to reverse the negative trend?
• Need for more & improved policies supporting
sustainable use of natural resources (e.g. implementation
of existing measures)
• Need to understand / base decisions on the trade
offs between ES:
• What is the net change?
• What are the net benefits of changes?
• Increasing information base & awareness
• e.g. TEEB & EURECA initiatives

23. Difficulties / challenges
• Existing evidence on the value of ES is increasing
• But still scattered & a lack of info especially from
Eastern Europe
• Often very difficult / impossible to form a complete picture
of the real losses and benefits
• Losses are not often directly apparent
• ‘Long run’ effects of tradeoffs
• Cost and benefits occur in different ecosystem and / or
socio-economic sector
• Distribution of costs and benefits is biased between
different stakeholders
• benefits obtained on a private level VS. the associated
costs often of more social nature

24. Ecosystem services & protected areas

25. Ecosystem services & PAs
Protected areas provide / support ES, e.g.
• Preserve habitat types that provide important services,
such as water purification/retention (wetlands), carbon
storage (peat bogs) and erosion protection (forested mountain
areas);
• Function as ‘refuges’ and breeding places for local
biodiversity, e.g. pollinating insects, game animals and fish => maintain
population levels
• Provide opportunities for recreation, education and
tourism
• Form an important part of local cultural heritage and
identity

26. Ecosystem services & PAs
• Protected area ES have not yet gained widespread
acknowledgement and acceptance
• PAs are still often perceived as mainly imposing costs or
restrictions on communities and economies
• Further efforts needed to increase awareness and
knowledge of the full socio-economic importance PAs
→ e.g. EC study on cost estimate & benefits of
Natura 2000 by IEEP, WWF & RSPB

27. Study on the benefits of N2K
Aim
• Develop a methodological toolkit for N2K practitioners to
assess the full range of ES provided by N2K site
• Based on MA classification & other recent studies
• Qualitative, quantitative & monetary evaluation methods
included
• In addition to valuating ES benefits, also overall broader
economic impacts of N2K sites addressed (e.g. secondary
/induced effects of visitor and employee spending)
• Toolkit to be tested in 5 case study sites:
• Saltholm, UK
• River Eden, UK
• Bialowieza forest, Poland
• Guadiana Natural Park, Portugal
• Oas-Gutai Plateau, Romania
[NOTE: preliminary section only]
! PLEASE ASK MORE INFO IF INTERESTED !

28. Reference studies & links
• Economics of ecosystems and biodiversity (TEEB) initiative (Germany & European Commission with
partners, 2008-2009, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
• Cost of Policy Inaction (COPI): The case of not meeting the 2010 biodiversity target (Alterra, IEEP &
partners, EC study, 2008), http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
• Review on the Economics of Biodiversity Loss: Scoping the science (University of Cambridge, IEEP,
UNEP-WCMC & Alterra, EC study, 2008,
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/economics/
• Links between the environment, economy and jobs (EC study by GHK, IEEP et al. 2007,
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/industry_employment/pdf/ghk_study_wider_links_report.pdf)
• Value of Biodiversity - Documenting EU examples where biodiversity loss has led to the loss of
ecosystem services (IEEP & partners, EC study, 2006,
http://ieep.org.uk/publications/pdfs//2006_%20IAS%20analysis_final.pdf
• Assessment of IAS impacts in Europe (IEEP & partners, EC Study, 2008) (ongoing)
• Promoting the Socio-Economic Benefits of Natura 2000 (IEEP & WWF, 2002,
http://www.ieep.org.uk/publications/pdfs/natura2000/naturaproceedings.pdf)
• Financing Natura 2000: Cost estimate and benefits of Natura 2000 (IEEP, WWF & RSPB, EC study,
2008-2009) (ongoing)

29. Thank you!
(c) Seppo Heikkinen