Resource

Valuing ecosystem services in urban areas - URBES Factsheet #3

Author/Contact:

Thomas Elmqvist
Theme leader, Urban social-ecological systems and globalization
Stockholm Resilience Centre

thomas.elmqvist@su.se

Publication date:

Resource description:

While there is increased recognition that biodiversity and ecosystem services can contribute greatly to improve quality of life in cities, their multiple values are usually not fully taken into account in urban policy-making. The values of biodiversity and ecosystem services need to be integrated into urban decision making in order to enhance urban resilience, health and quality of life while reducing the ecological footprint of cities and saving costs. This URBES factsheet explains what the values of ecosystem services are and provides examples of their benefits for cities.

Requirements:

  • None

Advantages:

  • Address significant scientific knowledge gaps on the role of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services for human well-being
  • Contribute to building capacity of European cities to adapt to climate change and reduce ecological footprints
  • Create innovative ways of integrating monetary and non-monetary valuation techniques in urban landscapes by pioneering the development of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)-approach

Constraints:

  • None

Licence:

  • Free, no licence

Development stage:

  • Full, working product
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