1. Introduction & Objectives

ESP is dedicated to strengthening the ecosystem service approach with the final aim to avoid, or at least to slow down, environmental and ecological degradation and biodiversity loss by improving decision making and action in politics, society and economy. It is therefore important to integrate scientific knowledge on ecosystems and biodiversity in general as well as knowledge on their properties, importance, value and meaning into decision-making (politics, business, administration) and measurements.

The Thematic Working Group “Governance and Institutional Aspects” focuses on questions of governance, policy, instrument design, implementation and the science-policy interface with the objective to:

1. Contribute to a working process by establishing a permanent thematic working group on governance and policy-related issues. This includes for example questions of instrument design, policy processes; stakeholder analysis, and communication with decision-makers.
2. Help raising the capacity and profile of policy and governance issues within the ESP community (‘inward perspective’) and influence policy and governance relevant research, thereby strengthening the science-policy interface.
3. Help raising awareness among public and private decision makers for the potential of the ecosystem service concept (including but going far beyond narrowly valuation) and the interrelation of coupled socio-ecological systems for improving nature conservation, social well-being, public health, and sustainable development (‘outward perspective’).
4. Facilitate the integration of the ecosystem service concept into mainstream of decision making and tangible actions at all levels of society, business and polity.

Here you can read full version of the Founding Document.

2. Lead Team & Members

• Bernd Hansjuergens (Chair), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
• Leon Braat, Alterra Wageningen UR, The Netherlands
• Lasse Loft, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research
• Roelof Plant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia
• Carsten Mann, University of Copenhagen
• Beria Leimona

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Lead team, please contact the current lead team members.

If you are interested in becoming a member of this Working group, please click here.

3. Activities and Outputs

Special issue on

“Governance of Ecosystem Services: Challenges for Sustainable Development”

The recent workshop and the special issue contribute to the work of the Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) Thematic Working Group on ‘Governance and Institutional Aspects’, and will focus on the changes, challenges and opportunities the concept of Ecosystem Services has brought about in environmental governance.