Depend on nature: ecosystem services supporting human livelihoods

Investments in biodiversity conservation will result in benefits to human well-being

As the foundation of this document, the IUCN argues that investments in biodiversity conservation will help maintain the flow of ecosystem services and, in turn, will yield both immediate and long-term dividends to human wellbeing.

This paper argues that to deliver internationally-agreed development goals (such as the MDGs), three key challenges need to be addressed, and for each of these three challenges, IUCN proposes actions for implementation:

Improving governance of natural resources:
- integrate ecosystem management for human wellbeing into development planning and implementation
- decentralise natural resource management
- mainstream the multilateral environmental agreements in development planning and implementation
- promote equity, especially gender equity, in natural resource management.
Increasing investment in sustainable management of those resources:
- mainstream biodiversity concerns into business planning and operations
- adapt to deal with the expected impacts of climate change
- explore and support payments for ecosystem services.
Employing relevant technologies, specifically landscape-scale management:
- ensure at least minimum environmental flows in all water management schemes
- incorporate representative networks of protected areas into landscape management
- restore landscapes and seascapes to benefit people and nature.

In addition, IUCN proposes some "First Steps" that should be initiated now. Paramount among those first steps is making use of the many tools and efforts that are already in place. [adapted from author]

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Depend on nature: ecosystem services supporting human livelihoods