The Effectiveness of Ecosystem Services Science in Decision-Making

Ecosystem services approaches use scientific evidence to inform policies that account for and monetize the benefits provided by nature. These approaches have progressed over the past decade from largely academic frameworks to best practices that can be operationalized. A White House policy memorandum in October 2015 called on U.S. federal agencies to begin incorporating an ecosystem services approach within current planning, investment, and regulatory frameworks. The memo accelerated the demand for ecosystem services science in the U.S., while the work of the Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services group at the World Bank and the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services are rapidly increasing uptake in other countries. This session explores the latest science underpinning an ecosystem services approach, and the observed and potential impact of scientific information about ecosystem services on policy decisions. Group discussion will examine the evidence behind the broadly articulated perception that an ecosystem services approach leads to “better decisions.” The session will also share outcomes and case studies from science-policy roundtables convened by COMPASS and partners in 2016.