Objective
Human use and exploitation of the biosphere is increasing at such a pace and scale that the sustainability of major ecosystems is threatened, and may not be able to continue to function in ways that are vital to the existence of humanity. Re-framing environmental resource use has led to the emergence of the concepts of ecosystem services (ES) and natural capital (NC). This discourse indicates not only a change in our understanding of planetary functions at the ecosystem scale, but also a fundamental shift in how we perceive the relationship between people and the ecosystems on which they depend. OPERAs (OPERATIONAL POTENTIAL OF ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH APPLICATIONS) aims to improve understanding of how ES/NC contribute to human well-being in different social-ecological systems in inland and coastal zones, in rural and urban areas, related to different ecosystems including forests and fresh water resources. The OPERAs research will establish whether, how and under what conditions the ES/NC concepts can move beyond the academic domain towards practical implementation in support of sustainable ecosystem management. OPERAs will use a meta-analysis (systematic review) of existing ES/NC practice to identify knowledge gaps and requirements for new policy options and instruments. New insights, and improved or novel tools and instruments, will be tested in practice in exemplar case studies in a range of socio-ecological systems across locales, sectors, scales and time. Throughout this iterative process, available resources and tools will be brought together in a ‘Resource Hub’, a web-based portal that will be co-developed by scientists and practitioners representing different interests and perspectives on the development, communication and implementation of the ES/NC concepts. The Resource Hub will provide the main interface between OPERAs and a ‘Community of Excellence’ (CoE) for continued practice that will benefit from OPERAs outcomes.
Programme(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-ENV-2012-two-stage
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
CP - Collaborative project (generic)Coordinator
EH8 9YL Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Participants (28)
1081 HV Amsterdam
76131 Karlsruhe
04318 Leipzig
22100 Lund
80100 Joensuu
3140 Keerbergen
CB3 0DL Cambridge
010966 Bucharest
SW1W 9NF London
4 Dublin
75794 Paris
14469 Potsdam
8092 Zuerich
1000 Sofia
050881 Bucuresti
08037 Barcelona
1749 016 Lisboa
EH4 2HS Edinburgh
34140 Meze
1170 Bruxelles
1415 Sofia
16680 Bogor Barat
28006 Madrid
Participation ended
NR4 7TJ Norwich
79098 Freiburg
53113 Bonn
EX4 4QJ Exeter
5071 BH Udenhout