The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative aims to highlight the economic values of biodiversity and the increasing costs associated with its loss. TEEB focuses on ecosystem services, especially wetlands, advocating for informed decision-making that recognizes their economic, social, and cultural worth. It emphasizes the need for effective measurement, assessment, and communication strategies to manage wetland ecosystems sustainably.

3. "We use it because it's
valuable,
we lose it because it's free.“
Pavan Sukhdev.
TEEB Study Leader
Chair of the Advisory Board

5. 1. What´s TEEB?
1. What´s TEEB?
The Economics of Ecosystems
and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a
global initiative focused on:
• Drawing attention to the economic benefits
of biodiversity
• Growing cost of biodiversity loss and
ecosystem degradation.
Beginning: March 2007 Postdam
G8+5.
TEEB presents an approach that can help decision-makers
recognize, demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem
services & biodiversity. In order to size the global problem of
biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation

6. 1. What´s TEEB?
TEEB FOR WETLANDS
The importance of wetlands:
• In Water cycle
• Adressing water objetives (Rio+20, MDG and 2015
SDG)
Main goals:
Recognizing, demonstrating, and capturing the values of
ecosystem services
In order to…
• better informed,
• more efficient,
• fairer decision making

7. 1. What´s TEEB?
What does TEEB try to answer?
• Benefits and risks of loss
Role of wetlands and their values
• Measuring to manage
Measure helps to manage
• Integrating the values into decision making
improve the consideration of the values and
benefits
• Transforming TEEB approach
Scales

9. 2. Ecosystem services
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Function
Ecosystem
Services
(1)
• Goal:
Understanding and comunicating:
- Economic value
- Social value
- Cultural value
In order to foster:
- Restoration, conservation and
management and “wise use” of wetlands
(1) Adaptado de Martínez Anguita et al. 2010

10. 2. Ecosystem services
What is the value of wetlands?
1. Provisioning
services
2. Regulating services
genetic resources,
biochemical, natural
medicines and
pharmaceuticals
erosion regulation, water
purification, waste regulation,
climate regulation
and natural hazard regulation
(e.g. droughts,
floods, storms).
3. Cultural services
4. Supporting services
cognitive development,
reflection,
recreation, and aesthetic
experiences
those that are necessary for
the production of all other
ecosystem services
MA (2005)

11. 2. Ecosystem services
Data:
Surface
Inland wetlands cover at least 9.5 million km2 (6.5% of
the Earth’s)
Carbon storage
Organic carbon stored per unit area of seagrass
meadows is similar to that of forests
Peatlands
3% sup  30% C of the land  75% CO2 atmospheric 
twice carbon stock in the global forest biomass.
Inactive floodplains in Germany
€267 billion (nitrogen retention, carbon sequestration…
(2)
(2) Scholz et al., 2012)

12. 2. Ecosystem services
1. Inland wetlands: services and value
Inland wetlands other than rivers and lakes (floodplains,
swamps/ marshes and peatlands)
provisioning services
34
2
9,709
regulating services
30
321
23,018
habitat services
9
10
3,471
cultural services
13
648
8,399
Total
86
981
44,597
(Int.$/ha/year – 2007 values)
TEEB (2010); de Groot et al. (2010); See also Brander et al. (2006, 2011), Ghermandi et al. (2011), Barbier 2011 and TEEB (2010)

13. 2. Ecosystem services
…but:
-
Relation between wetlands landscape
Ecosystem services not synergistic
Interconnectivity
People
Value ≠ Price

15. 3. Measurement & Assesment
Measurement & Assesment:
Adapted from Braat and ten Brink et al (2008)

16. 3. Measurement & Assessment
The values of nature:
• Qualitative analysis based on non-numerical
information.
• Quantitative data represent state, changes in
the ecosystems and the services they provide
using numerical units of measurement
• Geospatial mapping allows the quantitative
data to be linked with geographical information
• Monetary valuation can build on biophysical
information on the services provided by
ecosystems to derive values

17. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Indicators:
• Natural capital information
• Ecosystem services flows
i.e. Cultural & social services
Landscape & amenity values:
amenity of the ecosystem, cultural
diversity and identity, spiritual
values, cultural heritage values etc.
Ecotourism & recreation: hiking,
camping, nature walks, jogging,
skiing, recreational fishing, diving,
animal watching etc.
Cultural values: e.g. education, art
and research
Changes in the number of residents and real
estate values
Nº of visitors to sites per year
Amount of nature tourism
Total number of educational excursions at a
site
Nº of TV programmes, studies, books etc.
featuring sites and the surrounding area
Number of scientific publications and patents
(TEEB Wetlands 2013)

18. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Indicators
(SCBD 2011, MRC 2003)

19. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Monetary valuation:
•
•
•
•
•
Indication of the society preferences
Easily understandable
Easily communicable
Help to reflect hidden cost (externalities)
Provisioning services vs. other less visible
ecosystem services
CONTRIBUTE TO CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH
SOCIETY MANAGE WETLANDS
(Zavestoski, 2004)

20. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Monetary valuation:
• Choice of valuation methods: Sociocultural context
• Methods (categories)
• Based on markets. Market prices, avoided
cost, mitigation o restoration options
• Based on revealed preferences. Travel cost
method, Hedonic Pricing method…
• Based on stated preferences: Contingence
Valuation
(Zavestoski, 2004)

21. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Monetary valuation: Limitations
• A range of methodologies are needed
• Both biophysical and monetary
approaches
• Ethical values, cultural needs, ancestral
rights?
• Anthropocentric focus (ignores ecosystem
that do not provide directs benefits to people or
economy Based )
IGNORE ECONOMIC VALUE IS REDUCE THE ABILITY
TO MAKE ROBUST ARGUMENTS FOR THE CHANGE

22. 3. Measurement & Assessment
TEEB 6-step approach (I)
Step 1: Problem with stakeholders
Step 2: Most relevant ecosystem services
most relevant
Step 3: Identify information needs:
• Methods
• Information

23. 3. Measurement & Assessment
TEEB 6-step approach (II)
Step 4: Assess expected changes in
ecosystem services:
• availability
• Distribution
Step 5: Identify and appraise policy options
Step 6: Assess social and environmental
impacts of policy options

24. 3. Measurement & Assessment
Summary
• Complexity of the processes
Information helps to manage. Indicators for
wetlands management
• Interactions not well known enough. Transparent
assessment
What cover and what dos not cover.
Appreciate hydrological function to understand
benefit for people and economy
• Economic value of ecosystem services when
possible.
Single not enough, combine
• Contribution to social and economic
development
Identify opportunities on wetland degradation.

26. 4. Tools
Choice among a lot of tools that:
- Let understand the value of wetlands
- Multi-objetive management
(ecosystem services)
- Synergies (policy making)
- Combination of tools
- Property rights
- Local people
- Communication

27. Tools (I):
- Site management
- Land planning & Regulation
4. Tools
-
Regulation of water discharges
Regulation of products
Spatial planning
Liability
- Property rights

28. Tools (II): Market Based Instruments (MBI)
- Price influencing in people
- Externalities (price not always takes account
4. Tools
all costs)
- MBI as a way for integrating loss of
value into cost
- Taxes, subsidies…
- Tradable permits (markets)
- PES (Payment for Ecosystem Services)

29. Tools (III): Market Based Instruments (MBI)
- Flexibility (choice)
- Effective when cause degradation is
mainly economic
4. Tools
- Questioned (right to pollute)
- Lack of genuine incentives (ethics,
culture…)

31. 5. “Need for Action”
Which are the main goals of the TEEB
approach? (I)
- Knowledge of the critical role of
ecosystem services (in this case wetland
ecosystem)
- Multi-objetive management (do not
focus in biodiversity or single ecosystem
services (ES))
- Involve and engage local communities
- Value of restored ES more than
restoration cost

32. 5. “Need for Action”
Which are the main goals of the TEEB
approach? (II)
- Sustainability (all sustainability vectors:
social, economical and natural)
- Traditional knowledge and practices
- Manage transition (evaluate the way for
the transition among winner and losers)
- Education, communication,
(communication and more communication)

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Ecoacsa Reserva de Biodiversidad, S.L.
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