ValuES is a global project that aids decision-makers in our partner countries in recognizing and integrating ecosystem services into policy making, planning and implementation of specific projects. We do this by developing instruments and training courses, providing technical advice and facilitating planning and decision-making processes. We also promote knowledge-sharing via regional workshops and participation in global discussion forums.
Nature is the source of life. Our well-being depends on the benefits we derive from it. Ecosystem services, such as clean water, soil fertility, pollination and protection against erosion or floods are essential for the protection of infrastructure, adaptation to climate change, the production of food and other benefits. Yet in politics and society the value of these services is often not recognized and is therefore frequently neglected. As a result, ecosystems and their services are being degraded worldwide. Their restoration or replacement is expensive or, in many cases, impossible. The concept of ecosystem services, or the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, illustrates both our dependence on nature and the impact of human activities on the environment. The concept thus promotes the implementation of ecosystem-friendly measures and policies. It also aids in systematically including the importance of ecosystems and biodiversity across all sectors of policy and society.
Oftentimes, it is unclear to practitioners how ecosystem service analyses should be designed and how the results should be integrated into political decision-making. For example, how could ecosystem services be included in development planning and how could the zoning of protected areas be adjusted so as to ensure service provision? An array of methods and tools exists for identifying, measuring, valuing and portraying ecosystem services. However, there is insufficient know-how regarding the specific application of findings from ecosystem analyses, their impact and their integration into policies. In addition, it is difficult to access non-technical information regarding methods and tools. Flow of clear information from practitioners to policy makers is very limited.
ValuES supports practitioners, advisors and decision makers in government and civil society organizations in the integration of ecosystem services into decision-making and planning processes via five key action fields:
Analyse existing approaches to ecosystem service assessment and valuation. Identify best practice case studies and generate lessons learned.
Develop an inventory of methods, tools, and indicators to guide practitioners and decision makers in the selection of approaches to integrating ecosystem services into different sectoral and other policies
Provide country-specific advisory services to practitioners and decision makers to identify and include the value of ecosystem services in specific policies and projects.
Develop and facilitate trainings regarding the selection and application of methods and tools for the as-sessment and valuation of ecosystem services and how to integrate them into decision-making processes.
Support exchange via international networks and existing South-South and North-South platforms. Develop and disseminate recommendations related to the design, use and integration into policy making of assessment and valuation methods and tools at international forums.
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On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the ValuES project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in close collaboration with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF).
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ is a German federal enterprise that operates in more than 130 countries worldwide to support the German Government and other donors in achieving their objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for human well-being is one of the priority areas of German development policy. GIZ implements projects around the globe that support partners in implementing the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity.
Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany, study the complex interactions between humans and the environment in all its facets. They develop concepts and processes to help secure the natural foundations of human life for future generations. For further information on the UFZ's role in the ValuES project see: here
The Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF) sustains natural ecosystems and human communities through strategies powered by conservation economics. Our trainings, analyses and timely expertise make development smarter, quantify the benefits of nature, and create enduring incentives for conservation. CSF has offices in the US, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil and additional staff in Costa Rica, Colombia and Uganda. Our training faculty includes instructors from Harvard, Duke, University of Brasilia, University of the Andes (Colombia), University of Concepción (Chile), Oregon State University, University of Cape Town and Makerere University (Uganda), among others.
