PROGRESS

PROmoting the Governance of Regional Ecosystem ServiceS

Creaf leader

To initiate a process of policy change in the partners' regions improving the implementation of the policy instruments under Structural Funds programmes and other regional strategies dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and the maintaining nature’s capacity to deliver the goods and services that we all need.

The policy instruments tackled by the project are the ERDF OPs at regional or national level and other regional strategies dealing with the protection and valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services. The approach proposed by the project is firmly based on policy learning and capacity building of the partner organizations and relevant stakeholders of the concerned policy subsystems, as it stimulates a collective multidimensional and dynamic exchange of experience. The project brings together local authorities and their associations, local development agencies, universities and research centres with a balanced mix between more and less developed regions and thought to asssure geographical balance. Exchange of experience is built on the partners' competences and experience in the design and implementation of policies protecting and valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Conclusions

The different actions of the project are thought to:
- promote the measurement of the costs and benefits of ecosystem services derived from land use.
- support the horizontal integration of the ecosystem concerns into the sectoral policies and plans at regional and/or national level.
- explore innovative financial and marketing mechanisms for payment for ecosystem services.
- improve landscape governance for economic and environmental sustainability.

Official project website

www.interregeurope.eu/progress/