14.07.2023 - Seminar Lecture Series: How can ecosystem service assessment inform transboundary catchment decision-making?

Abstract

Dr. Correa will present the results of a study on the multidimensional assessment of ecosystem services in the Mira-Mataje catchment, a transboundary region that is rich in natural resources and hosts an important cultural heritage of Indigenous and Afro-descendant ethnic groups. The study highlights the impact of global change on ecosystem services and the threat it poses to the livelihoods of local communities worldwide. Assessing these services is essential for integrating them into regional planning and policy design.

The study focuses on three dimensions: the monetary dimension, the biophysical relevance, and the social dimension. It combines globally available economic and remotely sensed datasets with the spatial ecosystem services modeling and mapping tool, Co$tingNature, and local knowledge and worldviews from community leaders.

Dr. Correa will also discuss the management of specific areas, as the study identifies areas that may require different types of management due to their specificities. For instance, the Awá territories host the largest total potential services and will face greater threats in the future, demonstrating the community's capacity to maintain natural resources but also the need for more efficient control of illegal and unsustainable external activities. Meanwhile, Afro-descendant territories on the highlands show a stark contrast between low total potential ecosystem services and high current pressures, indicating overexploitation of natural resources. Recognition of territories and land ownership is essential to promote the transition to sustainable production.

The study provides advances in the multidimensional spatial assessment of ecosystem services and has the potential to be replicated in other transboundary regions with limited access to data to support sustainable policy decision-making.

The research is a collaborative and multidisciplinary effort of the members of the SDGnexus Network: Alicia Correa (Justus Liebig University), Jorge Forero (Simón Bolivar Andean University), Jorge Marco Renau (University of Los Andes), Ivan Lizarazo (Nacional University of Colombia), Mark Mulligan (King’s College London), and Daniele Codato (Simón Bolivar Andean University).

Date: 14.07.2023 14:30-15:30 hr CET - virtual

About the SDGnexus Network Seminar Series

The SDGnexus Network Seminar Series cover topics related to research and teaching along the Sustainable Development Goals. Seminar Series are created for everybody interested in the SDG topic, the network offers a fantastic opportunity to union knowledge and experience from researchers across a variety of disciplines and regions.