The green infrastructure of the future
2000 areas. The innovative approach of the ECO-SMART project is based on creating synergies between the various aspects of evaluating ecosystem services and between the various stakeholders, while also promoting adjustment approaches that are based on ecosystems. Based on the performed analyses of ecosystem services and their vulnerabilities, the project partners intend to propose harmonised border plans of adapting to climate changes for two pilot areas of Natura 2000 in Italy and one in Slovenia, namely on the basis of the ecosystem adaptability approach. On the global level, the ecosystem-based adaptation approach (EbA; [41.]) was defined as an adaptation concept that is based on the assumption that measures for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services lead to higher socioecological resilience of the local communities to climate changes. By using the described approach, the long-term goal of the ECO-SMART project partners is to contribute to the increased resilience of Natura 2000 areas and local communities on the borders of Italy and Slovenia. To maximise the effect, all project phases also include activities for strengthening the capability of the local communities. The innovative aspect of the project is mainly the introduction of payment schemes for ecosystem services (PES), whereby the recipients of benefits of certain quantifiable ecosystem services in the economic sense, contribute to those who provide the services, i.e. maintainers or operators of these ecosystems (Figure 21). The described financial mechanisms are usable as an innovative way of co-financing renewals and maintenance works of Natura 2000 areas and beyond, and other natural areas of the green infrastructure.
The benefits of biodiversity for ecosystem services include: quicker restoration of habitats, improved self-cleaning abilities, quicker restoration following the excessive usage of fishery resources, higher resilience to the consequences of climate changes and the emergence of invasive foreign species, improved cultural services (e.g. recreation and tourism).
BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity is the cornerstone for the correct functioning of sea ecosystems and for guaranteeing ecosystem services.
THE BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY FOR ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES THE BENEFITS OF BIODIVERSITY FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
The benefits of biodiversity for ecosystem processes include: a higher taxon diversity, an increased resilience to disturbances or stress factors, stability, productivity, the ability of the ecosystem’s recovery.
Payment (€/unit ES) Recipient of ecosystem service benefits
Intermediary Direct agreement/contract
Provider of ecosystem services
ES (unit)
Figure 21: The importance of biodiversity and ecosystem processes for guaranteeing ecosystem services has been described in the case of sea ecosystems (made as per [42.]) and the schematic overview of the financial mechanism of PES for maintaining and preserving the benefits brought forward by the ecosystem services and biodiversity (made as per [43.]). 52
