Objective Freshwater ecosystems are essential to people´s economic, cultural and social wellbeing, yet are still one of the most seriously threatened ecosystems on the planet. This conflict is reflected in political regulations that ask to halt the loss of, restore and safeguard freshwaters, their biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM), a holistic approach advocated to help doing so, involves an overarching regulatory framework and local solutions with trade-offs and compromises - factors that make decision processes complex and easily co-opted. In SABER CULTURAL, we use a well-known participatory decision support framework (MCA) to tackle two major challenges in freshwater EBM: 1) including cultural values that build a conceptual link between natural resources/biodiversity and local knowledge, besides traditionally considered ecological and socio-economic ones, and 2) accounting for uncertainty. MCA is selected because it is i) transparent, ii) allows for the whole range of stakeholder values to be quantified and accounted for, iii) can be used to robustly test outcomes of different management scenarios, and iv) can ultimately be used to prioritise cost-effective management actions with collective buy in. To forecast ecosystem services flow under different management alternatives, MCA is coupled with a novel modelling approach (ARIES). We test the MCA-ARIES framework in New Zealand, where cultural Māori-values play a prominent role in freshwater management, and transfer the flow models to the river basin scale to inform existing management plans and policies in Europe. With SABER CULTURAL we establish new standards for freshwater management in New Zealand, create knowledge that helps reaching EU biodiversity and environment targets and add value to the dialogue among EU policy sectors. Additionally, SABER CULTURAL provides a unique opportunity to gain the skills I need to become an established, independent researcher in Europe. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabasesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsfreshwater ecosystemsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologydrainage basinsnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-GF - Global Fellowships Coordinator ASOCIACION BC3 BASQUE CENTRE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE - KLIMA ALDAKETA IKERGAI Net EU contribution € 233 276,40 Address Edificio 1 planta 1 parque cientifico de upv/ehu barrio sarriena 48940 Leioa Spain See on map Region Noreste País Vasco Bizkaia Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Partners (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all Partner Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement. UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO New Zealand Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Saint david street 9054 Dunedin See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 154 215,60
