Ecosystem Services for Oceans and Coasts

Abstract

This chapter introduces the ecosystem services (ES) approach as it pertains to marine and coastal environments. It starts with a description of the approach’s development, relates the approach to coastal and marine environments and ends on a somewhat critical note. Despite a great amount of attention to the ES approach in conservation literature and its pivotal position in the field of ecology, it struggles to achieve universal and transdisciplinary appeal. This chapter discusses some of the challenges of using ES in planning decisions and of building consensus around ES, and explores the application of this approach across different land and seascape units. ES assessment still requires much research and practical work; finding ways to incorporate ES values into the work of planners in the marine and coastal environment is perhaps as important as it is challenging.