Michael Johansson
Forskare
Perceptions of the ecosystem services concept: Opportunities and challenges in the Swedish municipal context
Författare
Summary, in English
A current focus of ecosystem services (ES) implementation is on the municipal level of government where international and national legislation and policies have to be translated into practice. Given this focus, an understanding of perceptions within municipalities of the ES concept is crucial to support the implementation process. Against this background, this paper examines the perceptions of Swedish municipal stakeholders for the ES concept. A 2013 Swedish federal mandate that states that the values of ecosystem services should be considered in relevant decision-making processes, provides a timely context. Current perceptions, preconditions and awareness are explored via interviews and analyses. The results show that the views on the ecosystem services concept and its usefulness are generally very positive. Conceptual knowledge use is perceived as important as is the recognition of monetary valuation of ES. However, clarification of the distinction between implicit and explicit use of the concept by stakeholders is needed. Finally, results indicate that a deeper understanding of monetary valuation of ecosystem services by municipal staff members is connected with a more critical view on monetary valuation. It is concluded that detailed and clear definitions and guidelines are needed in order to support the process of implementing ES in municipalities.
Avdelning/ar
- LUCSUS
- Institutionen för tjänstevetenskap
- Trafik och väg
- Institutionen för naturgeografi och ekosystemvetenskap
- BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
Publiceringsår
2016
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
123-130
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Ecosystem Services
Volym
17
Fulltext
- Available as PDF - 295 kB
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Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Elsevier
Ämne
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Nyckelord
- Anthropocentrism
- ecosystem services
- Ecosystem services concept
- Knowledge use
- Monetary valuation
- Municipal decision-making
- Values of nature
Status
Published
Projekt
- Urban ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 2212-0416