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

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

3. 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)

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

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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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.

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