National Ecosystem Assessment

The UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UK NEA) is the first analysis of the UK’s natural environment in terms of the benefits it provides to society and future economic prosperity. The UK NEA co-chaired by Professors Bob Watson (Defra Chief Scientific Advisor & UEA) and Steve Albon (Macaulay Institute) is a c. £1M initiative, based on the principles developed during the 2005 global Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). 

Covering terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the assessment will create a compelling and easily understood explanation of the state and value of the UK’s changing natural environment and ecosystem services. The reports will be useful to institutions and individuals to raise awareness of the importance of ecosystems and the services they provide to society. The UK NEA will assist in strengthening policy-making and ensure effective management in the future, by providing the evidence foundation of the ecosystems approach to policy that Defra are leading on across Whitehall. The assessment will provide new information on plausible futures (scenarios) of the UK’s ecosystems and the services we obtain from them and outline societal response options to secure continued delivery of the UK’s ecosystem services, for all of society. Coordinated by United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the UK NEA will be an inclusive process involving many government, academic, NGO and private sector institutions including many Living With Environment Change partners.

For more information please visit: http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/ 

In February 2010 the UK NEA released ‘Progress and Steps Towards Delivery’. This brochure summarises the achievements of the UK NEA in its first nine months, including the development of the methodology, and outlines the next stages in the assessment process in preparation for the release of the final report in February 2011. The brochure can be downloaded from here.