TY - JOUR

T1 - Marine and coastal ecosystem services on the science–policy–practice nexus: challenges and opportunities from 11 European case studies.

AU - Drakou, Evangelia

AU - Kermagoret, Charlène

AU - Liquete, Camino

AU - Ruiz-Frau, Ana

AU - Burkhard, Kremena

AU - Lillebø, Ana I.

AU - Van Oudenhoven, Alexander P.E.

AU - Ballé-Béganton, Johanna

AU - Rodrigues Garcia, João

AU - Nieminen, Emmi

AU - Oinonen, Soile

AU - Ziemba, Alex

AU - Gissi, Elena

AU - Depellegrin, Daniel

AU - Veidemane, Kristina

AU - Ruskule, Anda

AU - Delangue, Justine

AU - Böhnke-Henrichs, Anne

AU - Boon, Arjen

AU - Wenning, Richard

AU - Martino, Simone

AU - Hasler, Berit

AU - Termansen, Mette

AU - Rockel, Mark

AU - Hummel, Herman

AU - El Serafy, Ghada

AU - Peev, Plamen

N1 - Funding information: This work was supported by the EEA Grants (BG03 ‘Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’); H2020 Science with and for Society [grant number 641762-2]; Horizon 2020 Framework Programme [grant number 642317]; DG MARE [grant number MARE/2012/25 [SI2.666717]]; European cross-border cooperation program INTERREG VI [INTERREG IV A France]; Seventh Framework Programme [grant number 283157], [grant number 308393] and Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen [grant number 12691]; EFESE project funded by the French Ministry of Environment, Energy and Sea; SPECIES project by the Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the financial support to CESAM (national (UID/AMB/ 50017/2013) and FEDER funds, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020).

PY - 2017/11/29

Y1 - 2017/11/29

N2 - We compared and contrasted 11 European case studies to identify challenges and opportunities toward the operationalization of marine and coastal ecosystem service (MCES) assessments in Europe. This work is the output of a panel convened by the Marine Working Group of the Ecosystem Services Partnership in September 2016. The MCES assessments were used to (1) address multiple policy objectives simultaneously, (2) interpret EU-wide policies to smaller scales and (3) inform local decision-making. Most of the studies did inform decision makers, but only in a few cases, the outputs were applied or informed decision-making. Significant limitations among the 11 assessments were the absence of shared understanding of the ES concept, data and knowledge gaps, difficulties in accounting for marine social-ecological systems complexity and partial stakeholder involvement. The findings of the expert panel call for continuous involvement of MCES ‘end users’, integrated knowledge on marine social-ecological systems, defining thresholds to MCES use and raising awareness to the general public. Such improvements at the intersection of science, policy and practice are essential starting points toward building a stronger science foundation supporting management of European marine ecosystems.

AB - We compared and contrasted 11 European case studies to identify challenges and opportunities toward the operationalization of marine and coastal ecosystem service (MCES) assessments in Europe. This work is the output of a panel convened by the Marine Working Group of the Ecosystem Services Partnership in September 2016. The MCES assessments were used to (1) address multiple policy objectives simultaneously, (2) interpret EU-wide policies to smaller scales and (3) inform local decision-making. Most of the studies did inform decision makers, but only in a few cases, the outputs were applied or informed decision-making. Significant limitations among the 11 assessments were the absence of shared understanding of the ES concept, data and knowledge gaps, difficulties in accounting for marine social-ecological systems complexity and partial stakeholder involvement. The findings of the expert panel call for continuous involvement of MCES ‘end users’, integrated knowledge on marine social-ecological systems, defining thresholds to MCES use and raising awareness to the general public. Such improvements at the intersection of science, policy and practice are essential starting points toward building a stronger science foundation supporting management of European marine ecosystems.

KW - Bottom-up approach

KW - Data gaps

KW - Ocean literacy

KW - Pan-European approach

KW - Policy relevance

KW - Uncertainty

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045853442&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/21513732.2017.1417330

DO - 10.1080/21513732.2017.1417330

M3 - Article

VL - 13

SP - 51

EP - 67

JO - International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management

JF - International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management

SN - 2151-3732

IS - 3

ER -