Applying ecosystem services paper written by Grantham supervisor Lorraine Maltby.
Investigating the environment through an ecosystem services (ES) framework has gained acceptance in the international scientific community. And it is applied by policymakers to protect biodiversity and safeguard the sustainability of ecosystems.
An ES framework approach can enhance the relevance of environmental risk assessments (ERAs) and brings about a number of advantages. For example, enhancing the transparency of risk assessment results and the decisions based upon them.
However, there are challenges that impede progress with ES. Particularly the concern that if biodiversity only matters to the extent that it benefits humans, the intrinsic value of nature is ignored.
In order to overcome these challenges, this conference paper offers way that the application of ecosystem services can be better done. For example, further research to establish biodiversity–ES relationships.
Read: Applying ecosystem services for pre-market environmental risk assessments of regulated stressors https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170705.
Lorraine supervises Daniel Casey whose project looked at what makes a good partnership approach between food production and the environment. And she supervises Lowenna Jones who researches regulatory approaches to environmental risk in the UK post-Brexit.