The Ecosystem Services Valuation Tool and its Future Developments Environmental Impact Assessment Review

Inge Liekens*, Steven Broekx, Nele Smeets, Jan Staes, Katrien Van der Biest, Marije Schaafsma, Leo De Nocker, Patrick Meire, Tanya Cerulus

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Although methodologies for classification, quantification, and valuation of ecosystem services are improving drastically, applications of the ecosystem services concept in day-to-day decision-making processes remain limited, especially at the planning level. Nevertheless, spatial planning decisions would benefit from systematic considerations of their effects on ecosystem services. Assessing the impacts of policy on a wide range of ecosystem services contributes to more cost-effective policy implementation, establishing win-win situations across different environmental domains. The "nature value explorer" (. natuurwaardeverkenner in Dutch) is a web application developed to explore the quantity and value of ecosystem services in Flanders, Belgium, as part of environmental impact assessments. The tool estimates the impact of land-use and land-cover change on regulating and cultural ecosystem services. The web application is successful in drawing the interest of policy makers and is used in several cases to support decisions in infrastructural projects as well as nature restoration projects.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEcosystem Services
Subtitle of host publicationGlobal Issues, Local Practices
PublisherElsevier Inc.
Pages249-262
Number of pages14
ISBN (Print)9780124199644
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2013

Keywords

  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Ecosystem services
  • Monetary valuation
  • Scenario analysis
  • Web application

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