Does the ecosystem approach offer anything new for environmental decision-making? Report on the Royal Geographical Society Annual Meeting held 29 August 2013

• The ecosystem approach (implemented via its twelve principles for management, as per the Convention on Biological Diversity) is a way of implementing sustainable development, rather than an end in itself. • Although slow, there has been progress in implementing the ecosystem approach over the past decade. • Benefits of this approach to environmental decision-making include: o Recognition of the existence of a socio-ecological system (nature and society being inter-twined). o Highlighting the relationships between environment and human wellbeing that are not simply utilitarian. o Provision of the impetus for making decision-making processes relating to land and nature being more inclusive, equitable and transparent. • Challenges include: o Confusion about what constitutes the ecosystem approach, including conflation of this term with ecosystem service assessment. o The compartmentalised nature of government. o Constraints due to property rights. o Lack of existing evaluation of case studies and tools. • Opportunities include: o Improving the way the natural environment forms part of decision-making o Improving environmental impact assessment processes. o Better targeting of funding for inter-disciplinary research. • Options for addressing challenges and opportunities include: o Application and review of tools and guidance to case studies at multiple levels including major national infrastructure project. o More guidance on implementation and checklist for planning projects. o Ensuring the label ‘the ecosystem approach’ is only used when all twelve principles are considered.