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Local management is decisive for sustainable use
of natural capital. However, national legislation and
administrative culture sets the framework for local
governance, including the scope for action at different
levels, fiscal federalism and planning procedures.
TEEB D2 (forthcoming) illustrates opportunities
for action at the local level.
Building partnerships
More political will, planning and additional resources
are all essential but long-lasting change can only
come by working with and through people. Addressing
and engaging the right actors, means identifying
the very diverse range of stakeholders affected
directly or indirectly by resource use decisions (see
Chapter 2).
This starts with the public and communities – as biodiversity
and ecosystem services are often public
goods. Citizens and NGOs need to be actively
engaged because the most vital issues are at stake
(e.g. food security) and because individual patterns
of behaviour and consumption ultimately determine
the global ecological footprint. This link will be further
explored in TEEB D4 for citizens and consumers.
Equally important are businesses, irrespective of
size: for some, their very survival is linked to healthy
ecosystems (think of agriculture and ecotourism).
The TEEB D3 report will identify opportunities to
work with and through business to deliver a more
resource efficient economy.
International organisations have a key role to play e.g.
in terms of capacity building and funding. A culture of
assessment, transparency and appreciation of nature’s
value can help to improve governance and the delivery
of policies. Several countries could require practical
support to address the challenges ahead. International
institutions – the Convention of Biological Diversity, The
United Nations Environment Programme, the World
Bank, many donor organisations and NGOs – are
already actively involved in relevant programmes and
training. REDD and similar initiatives will open up new
opportunities for the international community to help
policy development in key areas, especially where ecosystems
provide local as well as global benefits.
RESPONDING TO THE VALUE OF NATURE
10.5.4 BUILDING A MORE RESOURCE
EFFICIENT ECONOMY
Faced with the growing threat from climate change,
governments have started focusing on the need to
move towards a low-carbon economy, an economy
that minimises greenhouse gas emissions. There is
a need and an opportunity to take this concept a
step further towards a truly resource efficient economy.
An economy that sends out signals that reflect
the many values of nature, from the provision of
food, raw materials, access to clean water, all the
way up to recreation, inspiration and a sense of
cultural and spiritual identity; an economy that
makes the best use of the biodiversity, ecosystems
and resources available without compromising their
sustainability; an economy supported by societies
that value their natural capital.
It is hard to think of any other asset where we would
tolerate its loss without asking ourselves what we
risk losing and why. The more that we ask these
questions, the more uncomfortable we become with
the current situation where nature is being lost at an
alarming rate. We realise that we often fail to ask
the big questions about what ecosystem services
and biodiversity provide and their value or worth to
different groups of people, including the poorest,
across the globe and over time.
These questions are not easy to answer. This report
is a contribution to the call by an increasing number
of policy makers for ways to approach this multifaceted
challenge. It shows that the accumulated
policy experience is plentiful and provides a broad
range of solutions. At present these are mainly
carried out in isolation, creating pockets but also
important starting points. The creativity and vision of
international and national policy makers is now in
demand to design coherent policy frameworks that
systematically respond to the value of nature. These
can open up new opportunities to address poverty,
development and growth. At the same time, the act
of making values visible through well-designed
policies will empower consumers and business,
communities and citizens to make much more
informed choices and thus to contribute to this
transition in their daily decisions.
TEEB FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLICY MAKERS - CHAPTER 10: PAGE 30