1. Embedding the Ecosystem Approach
in Policy and Decision making.
Personal Reflections
Alister Scott

2. Big questions tough decisions
• Demographic change
•Economic growth
•Planning new
developments where
•Climate change
•Species decline
•Reduced diversity of
natural and built assets
•Uncertainty
•Conflicting values
•Trade offs

3. Aim of NEAFO
• “To further develop and communicate the
evidence base of the UK NEA and make it
relevant to decision and policy making at
different spatial scales across the UK”
http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/NEWFollowonPhase/Aimoffollowupphase/tabid/128/Default.aspx

4. Aim
• The principal aim of work package 9/10 is to
mainstream the principles of the ecosystem
approach by adapting public policy and
decision-support tools within an ecosystem
services framework to improve policy- and
decision-making processes and outcomes

5. Delivery and Tools

6. Why should we use the
ecosystem approach?
Outcome 1C. By 2020, at least 17% of land and inland water, especially areas of
particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, conserved through
effective, integrated and joined up approaches to safeguard biodiversity and
ecosystem services including through management of our existing systems of protected
areas and the establishment of nature improvement areas;

7. Interdisciplinary solutions reqd
• Need integrative
frameworks
• Need to understand
interrelationships and
interfaces
• Need to work across built
and natural professions
•
• BUT...........................
Should have gone to
Specosystem Savers

8. Typology of tools
Stages with
guidance Suite of tools with
guidance using
ecosystem service
framework
Video
extracts
SUDS
Ecosystem mapping

9. But key problems

10. 1. hands are tied ……..
• Work silos
• Work targets
• Lack of time
• Lack of resources
• Culture change required

11. 2. no complete buy in of
ecosystem services
• Decision making
processes
• Built environment
• Business
• Other ‘lenses’
• Identity sector
Champions

12. 3. language of ecosystem
services
• Complex theory
• Environmental label
hinders integration
• Alienates business,
developers and
statutory decision
makers
• Where is additionality
beyond good practice.

13. 4. tools are abused
• Policy based evidence
• Maps based on poor
quality data
• Assumptions not made
explicit
• Limitations not made
explicit

14. 5 Ecosystem Approach does demand
behaviour change.

15. EATME Ingredients
• Ecosystem Approach
• Hooks to capture key audiences and stakeholders
(NPPF, NEWP, DTC, Benefits, Risk)
• Coproduction: Talk to exemplar projects about
tool experiences
• Classify, Use and review existing tools rather than
creating something new
• Use decision making process rather than new
jargon.
• Ecosystem proof linked suite of favoured tools

16. Tool Type Decision-Making
Strategic Environmental Assessment Regulatory ALL stages
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulatory ALL stages
Natural Capital Asset Check Incentive Survey
Payments for Ecosystem Services Incentive Survey - Act
Cost-Benefit Analysis and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Valuation Survey - Evaluate
Corporate Ecosystem Valuation Valuation Survey – Evaluate
Ecosystem Assessment Ecosystem Services Ideas - Evaluate
GIS tools Ecosystem Services Ideas - Evaluate
Futures/Scenarios Futures Ideas - Assess
TABLE 7: Final tools for ecosystem proofing

17. Not Fit for Purpose
• Communication focus to
highlight tree of
ecosystem knowledge.
• Entry routes for different
professionals
• Entry routes based on
commonly identified
problems
• Pathways to bundles of
tools that might be used
• Open source format?

18. Identify key
problem areas
Draft guidance
Signpost tools

19. Key lessons learned
• Process is key in translating theory into policy
and decisions.
• Language and communication is key to unlock
engagement
• Tools do not exist in isolation from setting
• Tools are only as good as the user.
• Inclusion of different publics and knowledges
is vital

20. Dangers
• Policy-based evidence
• Neglecting existing frameworks and practices that
currently deliver good policy and decisions
• Ecosystem Services Messiahs
• Cherry picking ecosystem services in isolation
• Bolting on ecosystem services to existing
practices, decisions and plans
• Not embedding ‘true’ value of nature into built
environment professions and practices.

21. Summary
• We sometimes forget the biggest tool is the
person standing here talking to you.