Delivering eco-system services in England

Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive

• 492 native species lost• 24% of amphibians and 22% of

butterflies extinct

Further 942 species of concern

• All regular dolphin and whale species

• All reptile species• 60% of

amphibians• 40% of freshwater

fish• 40% of terrestrial

mammals • 33% of our

butterflies and bumblebees

Large copper butterfly: extinct in England

The current system – 2009 designationsand urban areas

Economics and ethics

GO for GrowthGO for Growth

SUCCEED through Science

SUCCEED through Science

Continuing as we are: present trends extended

Initial focus on ICT to improve

productivity, little attention to the capabilities of

social networking

Initial focus on consumption, little attention paid to

resource and environmental

limits

Policy emphases and areas

underplayed

Possible future

outcomes

Response

Focus on short-term global productivity, little attention paid

to long-term consequences for

society or the environment

CONNECT for Life

CONNECT for Life

Through extensive social

networks, traditional ways of doing things

become outdated

KEEP it Local

KEEP it Local

Environmental and financial crises drive

protectionism, reducing

globalisation

New market entrants gain competitive

advantage through innovation to

safeguard long-term social and

environmental capital

Evolution of the scenarios

Current trends continue,

economic growth is a priority

Lifestyles remain focused

on consumption, driven by

accelerating innovation

Mapping eco-system services

Carbon storage

Water supplies

Rare wildlife habitats

Tourist destinations

Food production

Game management

Tranquillity

Peat soils

Peat soils in northern uplands

Peat soils in south west uplands

No charge? – The Value of the

Natural Environment

• Potential benefits of UK Marine Conservation Zones £7 billion - £19 billion

• Restoration of floodplains in Netherlands benefit-cost ratios >4:1

• People who live within 500m of accessible green space are 24% more likely to meet recommended activity levels. Reducing the sedentary population by 1 per cent valued at £1.44 billion for the UK

• Environmental Stewardship estimated to deliver savings of 3.46 million tonnes of CO2e per year; value c.£1.25 billion

Managed realignmentAlkborough Flats inundated following a breach in the flood defence bank

Green infrastructure in a new development

Upton, Northamptonshire

Market distortion

Braat et al. 2009

Agri-environment scheme expenditure

Delivering Nature’s ServicesThe Ecosystem Service Pilots

How will we approach this?

There are three pilot areas:

• South Pennines NCA, Yorkshire

• Bassenthwaite Lake catchment, Cumbria

• Dartmoor and Exmoor, South West.

Each is being run regionally with stakeholder groups

The way ahead

• A step change in conservation with a focus on landscape-scale and ecosystems

• Shift in values and behaviours• New funding mechanisms