Mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services - An analytical framework for ecosystem assessments under action 5 of the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020

Abstract

Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls Member States to map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory with the assistance of the European Commission. The objective of this discussion paper is to support the development of a coherent analytical framework to be applied by the EU and its Member States in order to ensure consistent approaches are used.\nIn line with the Millennium Ecosystem assessment, the objective of the EU assessment is to provide a critical evaluation of the best available information for guiding decisions on complex public issues. It is therefore framed by a broad set of key policy questions. It is structured around a conceptual framework that links human societies and their well-being with the environment. More specifically, the paper proposes a typology of ecosystems to be assessed and mapped and the use of the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) developed for environmental accounting purposes.