EU initiative on integrating ecosystems and their services into decision-making Draft outline CGBN, Brussels, 1 March 2018

Main features Non-binding guidance (Staff Working Document) Generally applicable principles + recommendations, case studies and references Dissemination and training in late 2018- 2019

Increase awareness of the benefits for people from working with nature Objectives Increase awareness of the benefits for people from working with nature Prioritise working with nature: enhancing ecosystems and their services and synergies with socio-economic objectives Enable working with nature: available tools and policy instruments Encourage learning by doing (follow-up)

Target audiences Environment and sector authorities at national, regional and local level Planners at regional and local level Developers and corporate decision-makers

Biologically diverse, multifunctional ecosystems Fairness Main lines Biologically diverse, multifunctional ecosystems Fairness A long-term perspective Appropriate levels and processes Mitigation hierarchy

EU guidance: structure Main principles Integrating ecosystem services into key planning steps (intervention logic) Knowledge and information tools Decision-making frameworks Policy incentives Governance aspects Entry points in policy and planning processes Implementation of EU environmental and sector policies Spatial planning Business sustainability Note to intervention logic: separate sub-sections under each of the key planning steps will elaborate and provide cross-references to the knowledge and information tools + case studies/examples; Note to continuous stakeholder participation: early stakeholder engagement starting with the definition of the issue; managing expectations, sharing best available evidence in accessible form, considering a range of values and fair distribution of costs/burdens and benefits; facilitating dialogue, providing feedback and transparent decisions.

Linked to EU level initiatives: MAES: Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services KIP-INCA: ecosystem condition and ecosystem services accounts Synergies with EU Green Infrastructure Strategy implementation, EU Pollinators Initiative

Some comments from GIR WG (31/01) Realism about what can be achieved (non-mandatory) (Too) wide range of target audiences and processes Enhancing ecosystems and their services Contribution to environmental policies, but also… Integration into other sector policies Caution regarding valuation (esp. monetary) Acknowledging the contribution of stakeholders How to balance costs and benefits (for various actors) Be ambitious (go beyond generic intervention logic) Multi-disciplinary approach: needs a range of experts.

Next steps 13 March 2018: discussion at MAES May 2018: Electronic circulation of draft for written comments: May 2018 Summer 2018: adoption Late 2018-2019: follow-up actions