Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation: Marine and Coastal Situational Analysis. Synthesis Report.
Abstract
This Situational Analysis assesses the dynamics of change in ecosystem services associated with marine and coastal systems, and identifies how they support the livelihoods and well-being of human societies and particularly the rural and urban poor in developing countries. It focuses specifically on the current and potential role of ecosystem services to alleviate poverty in developing countries. It identifies the key challenges for research, current gaps in knowledge and capacity, in order to inform the development of a research strategy to support the maintenance of ecosystem services explicitly for poverty alleviation.
This synthesis report summarises and synthesises findings from three assessments: a global analysis of the state of knowledge and available data linking ecosystem services and poverty alleviation; two regional reports – one from Western Indian Ocean and one from South East Asia presenting reviews of scientific knowledge, views from key stakeholders and focus groups to inform these issues. The report is organised in twelve sections. The opening section explains the approach taken, the conceptual framework applied and methods employed. Sections 3-6 present the evidence and scientific knowledge explicitly on the linkages between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. The sections are organised according to the linkages outlined in our conceptual framework. The following four sections, numbered 7-9, then examine cross cutting issues, including who is particularly vulnerable to changes in ecosystem services, trends in ecosystem services and poverty, governance of trade-offs between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation, and the assessment of knowledge and capacity. Recommendations for further research and capacity building follow, and then the report finishes with a short conclusions section.
Much additional and detailed information is contained in electronic supplements to this report. These include the global and regional assessments themselves; the reports of stakeholder engagement activities; and a consolidated bibliography of all referenced literature. The text refers to specific points from these Appendices and cites them where appropriate. All of these Appendices have been added to the R4D website as separate outputs to the ESPA project.
Citation
Brown, K.; Daw, T.; Rosendo, S.; Bunce, M.; Cherrett, N. Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation: Marine and Coastal Situational Analysis. Synthesis Report. (2008) 74 pp.
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