Bridging the gap between ecosystem service assessments and land-use planning through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)

Land-use planning is an important determinant for green space policy in cities. It defines land covers and hence the structure and function of urban ecosystems and the benefits these provide to humans, such as air purification, urban cooling, runoff mitigation, and recreation. The ecosystem service approach has helped to attract policy attention to these benefits but the concept remains poorly implemented in urban policy and governance. To address this gap, we advance a framework to bridge ecosystem services into policy processes through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) as decision support tool. The paper is organized in three main parts. First, we conduct a systematic literature review to assess state-of-the-art knowledge on ecosystem service assessments through MCDA. Next, we build on insights from the literature review to develop the ‘ecosystem services policy-cycle’, a conceptual framework that merges the ‘ecosystem service cascade’ and ‘policy cycle’ models to reinforce the link between ecosystem service assessments and practical applications in urban policy and governance. Next, we illustrate the applicability of the proposed framework along an example about conflicting interests on land use and green space planning following the closure of the Airport Tempelhof in Berlin, Germany. Our results highlight the scope of MCDA as a decision support tool for integrating ecosystem service assessments in green space governance. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of different methodological choices in the use of MCDA in ecosystem service assessments and note that a key strength of this tool in informing green space policies lies in its capacity to accommodate conflicting stakeholder perspectives and to address trade-offs between ecological, social and economic values.     

Relevance for decision making of spatially explicit,participatory scenarios for ecosystem services in an area of a high current demand

Participatory ecosystem services scenarios can be used to inform decision making on the sustainable or wise use of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). To establish the plausibility and coherency of the recently constructed Biscay participatory scenarios, and to analyze policy options for improving sustainability of land use and the supply of ecosystem services, a spatially explicit analysis of land cover change was carried out. The modelling used an innovative methodology which included feedback from key stakeholders. Our study showed that scenario mapping can be a way of testing the credibility and internal consistency of scenarios, and a methodology for making them more coherent; it was also useful for highlighting land use trade-offs. The sustainability analysis for the ES supply side showed the benefits of promoting two land use/cover trends in the Biscay region: (i) an increase of sustainable arable land in the valley zones to reinforce biocapacity and self-provisioning while preserving agroecosystems’ ES flow; and (ii) natural forest regeneration in mountainous and other zones to increase carbon storage and sequestration while enhancing biodiversity and other ES flows. We argue that even if already protected public agro-forest lands may be the best places to start promoting these changes, additional measures are needed to involve private landowners and guarantee changes at a landscape level. Finally, we reflect on the need to make complementary analyses of ES supply and demand as a way of contributing to a broad sustainability agenda.     

Review of water-energy-food Nexus tools to improve the Nexus modelling approach for integrated policy making

The synergies and trade-offs between the water, energy, and food sectors are represented by the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. The Nexus Approach is an integrated decision making practice that can be used by policy makers to optimize these synergies and manage trade-offs. In this paper, the direction of the Nexus Approach regarding the development of modelling tools is explored. The objective of this paper is to review the existing Nexus modelling tools used for integrated policy making to determine and to help policy makers, practitioners, and agencies trying to implement the Nexus Approach to identify a tool that is most suited to their modelling needs. The predominant capabilities of the current tools lie in the understanding of Nexus complexity, consideration of financial elements in the tools, recognition of the importance of multiple Nexus Approach directions, incorporation of different time scales, and enhanced tool accessibility. The main limitations are the extensive data requirements of current tools, and the poor synergy between tools assessing individual Nexus areas. This enhanced overview of the existing tools allows policy makers to maximize the synergies between the Nexus areas, to avoid consumption dilemmas, and to facilitate sustainable development.     

景观规划导向的绿色基础设施研究进展——基于“格局—过程—服务—可持续性”研究范式

中国目前处于新型城镇化与生态文明建设的重要时期,引入绿色基础设施（Green Infrastructure,GI）规划框架对协调城市发展与生态保护具有重要意义。基于景观生态学中“格局—过程—服务—可持续性”研究范式,对近年来中国内外GI规划进行针对性综述,利用该范式对相关研究的理论来源与进展进行梳理。研究表明：GI格局研究中,景观格局指数是应用最为广泛的方法。针对于景观连接度,形态学空间格局分析等结构连接度评价方法具有计算简单、适用性广的优势,但缺乏明确的生态学含义;图论等功能连接度则针对特定的生态过程,是GI格局与生态过程的重要联系,将是下一步研究重点。GI生态过程研究借鉴生态网络的理论与方法,其规划步骤可分为核心区选取、阻力面构建、潜在廊道识别三部分。GI生态系统服务研究中,生物物理量模型与经济计量模型广泛应用于调节、供给与支持服务评价中,而文化服务评价则将问卷调查作为基础数据获取的重要途径。另外,生态系统服务需求研究涉及到生态系统服务的实际需求与使用偏好,相关定量评价方法以及成果的实际应用有待进一步探索。GI景观可持续性研究中,在明晰GI提供的生态系统服务总量的基础上,服务间权衡与协同效应已成为GI规划中的重要考量,而情景规划可以有效模拟GI生态系统服务的动态变化。最后,GI规划应将提升景观可持续性作为规划目标,据此研究提出了重视格局与过程相互影响机制的基础研究、加深GI生态系统服务需求端研究、明晰生态系统服务间协同与权衡效应、将GI与实际规划结合四项研究展望。     

The value of urban ecosystem services in New York City: A spatially explicit multicriteria analysis of landscape scale valuation scenarios

Mapping, modeling, and valuing urban ecosystem services are important for integrating the ecosystem services concept in urban planning and decision-making. However, decision-support tools able to consider multiple ecosystem services in the urban setting using complex and heterogeneous data are still in early development. Here, we use New York City (NYC) as a case study to evaluate and analyze how the value of multiple ecosystem services of urban green infrastructure shifts with shifting governance priorities. We first examined the spatial distribution of five ecosystem services – storm water absorption, carbon storage, air pollution removal, local climate regulation, and recreation – to create the first multiple ecosystem services evaluation of all green infrastructure in NYC. Then, combining an urban ecosystem services landscape approach with spatial multicriteria analysis weighting scenarios, we examine the distribution of these ecosystem services in the city. We contrast the current NYC policy preference – which is focused on heavy investment in stormwater absorption – with a valuation approach that also accounts for other ecosystem services. We find substantial differences in the spatial distribution of priority areas for green infrastructure for the valuation scenarios. Among the scenarios we examined for NYC, we find that a scenario in which only stormwater absorption is prioritized leads to the most unevenly distributed ES values. By contrast, we find least variation in ES values where stormwater absorption, local climate regulation, carbon storage, air pollution removal, and recreational potential are all weighted equally.We suggest that green infrastructure planning strategies should include all landscape components that contribute to the production of ecosystem services and consider how planning priority alternatives generate different ecosystem services values.     

Assessing high impacts of climate change: spatial characteristics and relationships of hydrological ecosystem services in northern Japan (Teshio River watershed)

Ecosystem services (ESs) provide information on the tendency of ecosystems to reach and form a state of equilibrium. The process of ES changes is important in order to identify the climate change-related causes that occur regionally to globally. ES-based management plays an important role in mitigation strategies for the negative impact of global climate change on ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate spatial characteristics and relationships among these multiple services from different spatial scales which could aid in multiple ES sustainable development from local to global scales. In this study, we developed a framework for analyzing the spatial characteristics and interactive relationships of multiple ESs. We analyzed the spatial distributions of six hydrological ESs that are important in the northernmost part of Japan (Teshio River watershed) by using hydrology and nutrient model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) under baseline climate conditions and climate change derived from the global circulation model (GCM). We then explored the spatial characteristic scales of ESs by multiscale analysis (lacunarity estimation) to reveal provision flow and spatial distribution characteristics for hydrological ESs. We observed a strong relationship between the spatial characteristics of land uses and ES provision. The spatial characteristics of individual hydrological ESs were totally different and had different spatial homogeneity and cluster (indicated by initial lacunarity index and lacunarity dimension). The results also showed trade-offs between inorganic nutrient retention (provision ESs) and organic nutrient and sediment retentions (regulating ESs), and synergies between organic nutrient retention and sediment retention under all climate change scenarios. The different stakeholders will take different mitigation programs (e.g., establishing riparian vegetation, planning nutrient management practices, and integrating climate change model into systematic conservation planning of ESs) to avoid negative impacts of climate change on ESs. Application of this proposed framework to study the spatial characteristics and relationships of hydrological ESs under climate change could provide understanding on the impact of climate change on ES changes and solutions to mitigate strategies to cope with those changes in the future.     

生态系统服务供需关系研究进展与趋势展望

厘清生态系统服务供需关系,对于实现自然资本永续利用与生态系统服务供需协调具有重要意义。结合国内外生态系统服务研究情况,提出了生态系统服务供需关系研究框架,阐释了生态系统服务供需关系形成机制与表现形式,概括了生态系统服务供需关系基本特征,总结了生态系统服务供需关系研究方法,并梳理了未来可能研究方向,以期能够为生态系统服务研究与管理提供参考。总体来看,生态系统服务供需关系产生于两种非排他性机制,主要有簇、权衡、协同与兼容四种表现形式,并具有空间异质性、时间变异性与尺度效应特征;生态系统服务供需关系主要有指数构建与评估、指标统计与分析、情景制定与模拟及空间制图与分析四种研究方法。     

生态系统服务价值与人类活动强度关联性分析及权衡——以淇河流域为例

以淇河流域为研究对象，利用2000~2015年土地利用/覆被数据，结合当量因子法修正中国陆地不同生态系统服务价值当量表，采用双变量相关分析法和生态系统服务权衡模型分析生态系统服务权衡协同关系，引入人类活动强度指数评估模型分析人类活动影响空间特征，运用空间自相关探讨人类活动影响与生态系统服务价值的空间关联性及LISA聚类分析.结果表明：（1）2000~2015年淇河流域生态系统服务价值呈下降趋势，2010年生态系统服务最低（19.29亿元），废物处理平均价值最大（3.68亿元），娱乐文化平均价值最小（0.81亿元）；（2）从生态系统权衡协同关系来看，两种相关性分析均表明研究区生态系统服务以协同关系为主，由线性关系发现供给服务、调节服务与支持服务呈现为互为增益的协同关系，文化服务与支持服务、供给服务、调节服务分别表现为此消彼长的权衡关系，生态系统服务权衡协同度表明土壤保持和原材料及土壤保持和生物多样性协同度最高（4.4），权衡度最高（-5.2）为水源涵养和原材料、水源涵养和生物多样性；（3）淇河流域人类活动强度空间分异显著，流域下游人类活动影响强度明显高于上游地区，人类活动强度与生态系统服务价值空间相关性由正相关转向负相关.     

自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估研究进展

自然保护地具有重大的生态效益和经济效益,近年来自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估已成为当前生态学和环境经济学的研究热点.通过系统地回顾自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估的历史沿革,从空间尺度、研究对象、评估方法、评估指标等方面综述了相关的研究进展.总体来看,国内外相关案例已基本覆盖了国家、行政区域、自然地理单元和单个自然保护地等不同空间尺度;分别以森林、湿地、草地和荒漠等代表性生态系统类型自然保护地开展了研究;多采用价值系数与物质量评估两种方法;同时,不同自然保护地在供给、支持、调节、文化等四大类服务的指标选择上各有不同.自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估工作仍存在标准体系不完善、时空动态研究不足、未充分考虑利益相关方等问题,建议未来我国自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估从以下几个方面加强研究:①加强基础性研究,探索自然保护地生态系统服务的生态学机制;②开展各指标的长期动态监测,建立健全不同类型自然保护地生态系统服务价值评估指标体系和技术方法;③加强时空动态分析及影响因素分析,运用动态模拟模型预测价值的变化;④充分考虑不同利益相关方之间的权衡,使其在生态补偿研究中发挥重要作用;⑤加强评估结果在自然保护地规划、建设、管理、保护等各方面的应用研究.      

Evaluating the impact of ecosystem service assessments on decision-makers

Ecosystem services support human livelihoods and economies but are declining in many places. Ecosystem service assessments estimate the benefits that nature provides to people and can be used to evaluate trade-offs in impacts and changes resulting from land use decisions. Such assessments can affect the capacity of decision-makers to make sustainable land use decisions, but the actual impact of such projects on decision-maker attitudes is almost entirely unstudied. We addressed this knowledge gap by evaluating the impact of an ecosystem service assessment on decision-makers in California. We asked how decision-makers’ understanding of and attitudes about ecosystem services changed “pre-” and “post-” assessments and between treatment groups where ecosystem services were assessed and a comparison group where ecosystem services were not assessed. Mixed methods included regression models to estimate the treatment effect of the assessment (using a difference-in-differences approach), as well as interviews and direct observations to further understand how decision-makers responded to the assessment. Regression results showed small increases relative to the comparison group in decision-maker understanding of ecosystem services and perceived relevance of ecosystem services to their work. Interviews confirmed that decision-makers learned specific ways that they could use ecosystem services in conservation and development decisions and believed that doing so would improve outcomes. These results demonstrate how ecosystem services assessments can facilitate a conceptual shift in the minds of decision-makers, which is a necessary ingredient for subsequent policy impact. Impact evaluation studies of this type − that estimate a counterfactual and explore rival explanations for observed outcomes − are needed to truly understand whether ecosystem service projects impact decision-makers and, ultimately, produce outcomes for environmental and human well-being.     

Spatial assessment of ecosystem functions and services for air purification of forests in South Korea

Ecosystem functions can be understood as the quantified amount of an ecosystem’s role in a natural process, while ecosystem services are the requantification of the ecosystem functions by factoring in environmental conditions and human needs based on social perspectives. In this study, differences between ecosystem functions and services were presented in terms of air purification of a forest ecosystem. Forest volume growth was employed to quantify the pollutant absorption capacity of a forest and was indicated by the natural functions (NF) for air purification by a forest ecosystem. Forest ecosystem services can be requantified from the forest functions by adding the air pollutant and population densities. Air pollutant density was applied to the assessment of the environmental services (ES) of forest ecosystems. Furthermore, the environmental social services (ESS) of forest ecosystems were assessed by including population density considerations. We simulated differences in NF, ES, and ESS in relation to pollutant and population density; while NF was spatially quantified without a close relationship to air pollutant and population density, ES and ESS reacted to environmental and social condition more sensitively. These results imply that the ecosystem services of forest resources for air purification are high where the pollutant and population densities are high, while the ecosystem functions of forest resources for air purification depend solely on forest conditions and not on the density changes of air pollutants and population. This study suggests that the differences in NF, ES, and ESS are important factors to be understood and considered in the decision-making process for ecosystem services. When considering human needs and surrounding environmental conditions, the results suggest that decision makers should utilize the ES and ESS concepts, which reflect both population and pollutant density along with additional human-related factors.     

基于生产可能性边界的黄河三角洲湿地生态系统服务权衡强度

提出了一种基于生产可能性边界（PPF）的湿地生态系统服务权衡强度计算方法,包括湿地生态系统服务定量评估、权衡关系判定、PPF曲线绘制和权衡强度计算四个步骤。以黄河三角洲湿地为研究对象,对保护情景、现状发展情景及开发情景三种土地利用发展模式下的主导生态系统服务进行了定量化权衡分析。结果表明：各生态系统服务间呈现显著相关关系（R²≥0.9,P<0.01）,各发展情景下,栖息地质量与碳储量之间均为协同关系;物质生产与栖息地质量间均为权衡关系,排序为保护情景<基期<现状发展情景<开发情景;而对于物质生产与碳储量之间,在保护及现状发展情景下存在协同关系;而开发情景下转变为权衡关系。该模型通过灵活比较不同生态服务间权衡关系分析进行系列管理规划的方案优选,为实现区域可持续发展提供科学依据。     

Toward livable and healthy urban streets: Roadside vegetation provides ecosystem services where people live and move

Fostering ecosystem services in urban road corridors is an important challenge for urban planning and governance because residents are often exposed to environmental pressures in these ubiquitous open spaces. We here aim at illustrating multiple ecosystem services that may be underpinned by roadside vegetation. Previous work is broadly scattered in papers from the natural and social sciences and biased by a focus both on regulating services (temperature regulation, air filtration, carbon sequestration) and also on trees. We provide a first synthesis that illustrates (i) the multi-functional capacity of green elements in streetscapes to deliver various ecosystem services; (ii) the relevance of planted and wild-grown herbaceous vegetation as well as trees; and (iii) trade-offs between certain ecosystem services as well as risks related to disservices. Trees and herbaceous road vegetation can mitigate adverse environmental conditions in road corridors, which is particularly important in vulnerable neighborhoods that are undersupplied with green spaces. Enhancing the amenity value of streetscapes might also positively influence public health by promoting physical activity. However, significant knowledge gaps exist, e.g. on the contribution of biodiversity to ecosystem services and on the valuation of green street components by different sociocultural groups. Our synthesis illustrates management options that can support planning and governance approaches toward more livable streetscapes by fostering ecosystem services and counteracting disservices.     

Pursuing an integrated development and climate policy framework in Africa: options for mainstreaming

Climate change presents a major threat to the prospects for sustained economic development in Africa. In spite of this, climate change concerns do not feature prominently in the implementation of national and regional development programmes. The present paper identifies the likely trade-offs and synergies that may emerge from an integrated ‘development-climate’ approach to policy making. Also, the paper presents the case for the formulation and evaluation of an integrated policy approach based on four principle criteria, including; long-term environmental effectiveness, equity considerations, cost-effectiveness and the institutional compatibility of the policy combinations. What is more? The paper suggests specific options for mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation in various sectoral development agenda such as; agricultural intensification, poverty eradication, rural development, urban renewal, energy security of supply and trade. Given the wide divergence of socio-economic systems and the peculiar challenges faced by individual countries in the continent, further research is required on robust country-specific strategies for pursuing an integrated development-climate policy framework.     

Adaptation policies to increase terrestrial ecosystem resilience: potential utility of a multicriteria approach

Climate change is rapidly undermining terrestrial ecosystem resilience and capacity to continue providing their services to the benefit of humanity and nature. Because of the importance of terrestrial ecosystems to human well-being and supporting services, decision makers throughout the world are busy creating policy responses that secure multiple development and conservation objectives— including that of supporting terrestrial ecosystem resilience in the context of climate change. This article aims to advance analyses on climate policy evaluation and planning in the area of terrestrial ecosystem resilience by discussing adaptation policy options within the ecology-economy-social nexus. The paper evaluates these decisions in the realm of terrestrial ecosystem resilience and evaluates the utility of a set of criteria, indicators, and assessment methods, proposed by a new conceptual multi-criteria framework for pro-development climate policy and planning developed by the United Nations Environment Programme. Potential applications of a multicriteria approach to climate policy vis-à-vis terrestrial ecosystems are then explored through two hypothetical case study examples. The paper closes with a brief discussion of the utility of the multi-criteria approach in the context of other climate policy evaluation approaches, considers lessons learned as a result efforts to evaluate climate policy in the realm of terrestrial ecosystems, and reiterates the role of ecosystem resilience in creating sound policies and actions that support the integration of climate change and development goals.     

Decline of ‘biodiversity’ in conservation policy discourse in Australia

Market-based instruments along with conceptualizing the environment as a collection of ‘ecosystem services’ has become increasingly common within environmental and conservation policy. This kind of thinking is also increasingly prominent in the public discourse surrounding environment and conservation policy, particularly in the context of communicating the importance of policy measures. Language used in public discourse can have a powerful influence on how people engage with policy issues, and changes within the biodiversity and conservation discourse may have consequences for public engagement in conservation. We explored how these factors are changing with time by documenting the use of the terms ‘bio’ and the prevalence of economic language in the text of 3553 media releases between 2003 and 2014 from the Australian Government environment portfolio, and 1064 media releases from the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). Results show that in the last decade, the term ‘biodiversity’ has become less prevalent whilst economic language has increased in both Australian Government and ACF communication. A further content analysis in a subsample of 745 media releases explored the prevalence of ecosystem services framing, results indicating that it has become a mainstream concept. While this may reflect a strategic response by these agencies to better engage with both the general public and decision makers within what is an increasingly dominant neoliberal paradigm, we argue it may also have unintended (possibly adverse) impacts on how people think about and engage with biodiversity conservation.     

生态系统服务冲突及权衡的研究进展

生态系统提供了人类生活所需的各种产品,支撑和维护人们赖以生存的生态环境。由于人类对自然生态系统认识不足和使用不当,各种生态系统服务之间出现了冲突矛盾,限制着彼此的发挥,因此,权衡不同生态系统服务之间的关系具有重要意义。文章首先分析了冲突权衡(trade-off)产生的原因、类型差异和研究意义,接下来总结了冲突权衡分析方法进展、应用情况、有待解决的问题和未来重点研究方向。尽管对于生态系统服务的认识,尤其是价值评估已经得到了充分研究,但是生态系统服务的冲突与权衡还处于起步阶段,文章总结了当前生态系统服务权衡的热点问题,包括主要的权衡分析方法以及应用领域,提出展望和建议。未来的研究重点在以下2个方面:第一,深入研究各服务相互关联的作用因子和作用机制;第二,如何综合运用已知条件和方法,构建一个科学合理的权衡模式。     

Environmental decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts: applicability of life cycle thinking in development planning and implementation

According to the targets set for sustainability, integrating the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs is one of the main goals for development projects. A major challenge in the development field is cross-sectoral integrated planning and achieving multi-stakeholder consensus for collaborative joint projects, especially when sustainability is a goal. This increases the complexity of the multi-stakeholder interaction in decision making and requires enhanced mechanisms for stakeholder participation, coordination, and commitment beyond narrow self-interest. A critical aspect in the decision making process is to enable stakeholders to not only interpret and make decisions based on expert judgments, but also to appropriately involve the relevant parties in the research and decision making process. Therefore, scientific analyses in multi-stakeholder contexts have to be more transparent, participatory, and stakeholder-based in order to provide useful information to assist responsible decision making.This paper presents an outline of a stakeholder-based life cycle assessment approach that can be used to support sustainable decision making in multi-stakeholder contexts. The framework is discussed and compared to other common methods used to support environmental decision making in development projects. We argue that the fundamental concept of life cycle thinking can be effectively used to incorporate stakeholders in the research and decision making process, which can lead to more comprehensive, yet achievable assessments in collaboration with stakeholders. Life cycle thinking is not just a way to examine environmental impacts of activities, but also a way to comprehend and visualize a broader set of upstream and downstream consequences of decisions in development planning and implementation. A life cycle framework including the mapping of stakeholder involvement at each activity in upstream and downstream stages would give stakeholders a holistic view that they otherwise may not have.     

国家公园游憩功能的实现——武夷山国家公园试点区游客生态系统服务需求和支付意愿

引入生态系统服务概念,考察游客作为生态系统服务关键受益人对武夷山国家公园试点区可以提供的生态系统服务作何选择,并对其投资自然资本保障生态系统服务的支付意愿进行初步分析,探讨国家公园试点建设中如何优化旅游,促进保护和公益性功能实现。研究结果显示：（1）游客以文化服务为首选,主要体现在实践性强的生态旅游、较为抽象的文化体验以及较为单纯的美景欣赏三方面,在生态旅游具体需求上会出现选择间的相互竞争;（2）除了净化空气,对供给服务和其他调节服务则需求不大;（3）在免门票假设下,具有支付意愿的游客达到90%以上,然而平均支付意愿没有达到现有门票价格;（4）教育水平和职业对支付意愿的影响最为显著,并与年龄和收入等因子一起形成具有不同支付意愿上的特征人群。因此,武夷山国家公园体制试点建设中,需要积极探索协同多种文化服务供给,大力推动社会参与理念,从根本上提高受益者对生态系统的认知,从受益者需求入手推进国家公园公益性功能的实现。