Ecosystem services in urban land use planning: Integration challenges in complex urban settings—Case of Stockholm

Abstract

The concept of urban ecosystem services (ES) is currently promoted in Sweden in the planning for more compact and sustainable cities. This study looks into how the implementation of the urban ES concept in Stockholm is understood by different urban professionals, based on semi-structured interviews and a stakeholder workshop. Although recognizing the usefulness of the ES concept, the professionals identified many remaining challenges linked to integrating the concept into land use planning. These are analyzed in relation to the gap between ES science and ES policy and structured according to the different types of planning uncertainties they represent. One issue that was persistently highlighted by stakeholders was that the promotion of urban ES – regardless of how beneficial it may be – will add further complexity to already strained workloads among planners, policy-makers and urban managers. Also, the political demand for increasing density in the urban areas of Stockholm seems to create a growing need for urban ES. Urban densification can thus potentially promote the interest in planning with ES as a vital parameter for urban qualities. They expressed a need for long term perspectives in planning with new tools and methods for valuing ES, supported through “high profile” projects.