70
ecosystems while meeting the requirements of planning applications are needed,
such as the model presented in Chap. 4. The steps that were followed to analyse and
synthesize the scientific literature from multiple disciplines, and the type of results
proposed could serve as an inspiration to develop other ES methods usable by
planners.
However, biophysical indicators are not sufficient to communicate ES values in
a meaningful way, especially in decision-making processes mostly driven by social
and economic objectives, as is often the case in urban planning. On the contrary,
beneficiary-based indicators that explicitly link the provision of ES with changes in
human wellbeing are a promising way to communicate ecological knowledge to
planners and decision-makers. As demonstrated by the application described in
Chap. 5, indicators describing ES values by accounting for their beneficiaries and
the different levels of demand that they express have the capacity to reflect different
planning objectives and stakeholders’ perspectives, hence to inform and support
planning decisions. In order to better assess the demand for ES, future applications
can take advantage of approaches commonly adopted by urban planning (e.g., spatial analysis of population, identification of specific target groups, elicitation of citizens’ preferences and opinions), and further develop their use.
Combining values associated to different ES is also a challenge. Scientific
advancements produced by transdisciplinary efforts are needed to define appropriate and effective methods that allow combining the results of biophysical, sociocultural, and economic methods, thus accounting for the multiple values of ES. As
shown in Chap. 5, a methodological support is provided by multi-criteria analysis
techniques, which offer a platform for combining multiple value dimensions, integrating stakeholders’ opinions along with technical inputs. Multi-criteria analysis
allows exploring different perspectives and balancing competing interests to find an
agreed-upon solution. Urban planning would benefit from adopting such methodologies, which enhance participation and transparency, ultimately strengthening the
ownership of the results. However, a pre-requisite is the identification of clear
ES-related objectives. Increasing ES supply is not equal to increasing the number of
ES beneficiaries, which again is not the equal to maximising ES benefits produced
by planning decisions. Consequently, only a clear definition of planning objectives
can set the basis for the design of effective planning actions.
A better integration of ES in the strategic component of urban plans and the definition of objectives and targets for ES enhancement require further efforts by planners and decision-makers. While the high number of actions based on ES in the
reviewed plans indicates that planners have the capacity to enhance the future provision of urban ES, strengthening the consideration of ES as a strategic issue is fundamental to ensure long-term commitment in the implementation and monitoring of
planning action. A strategic approach to ES also guarantees that all relevant ES for
the context are taken into account. Urban green infrastructure components act as
providing units of multiple ES, hence planning actions can be expected to produce
effects on a bundle of ES. This is not only the case of planning actions specifically
aimed at enhancing ES provision or directly affecting urban green infrastructure,
but it is equally true for planning actions affecting the distribution of beneficiaries,
7 Conclusions
ecosystems while meeting the requirements of planning applications are needed,
such as the model presented in Chap. 4. The steps that were followed to analyse and
synthesize the scientific literature from multiple disciplines, and the type of results
proposed could serve as an inspiration to develop other ES methods usable by
planners.
However, biophysical indicators are not sufficient to communicate ES values in
a meaningful way, especially in decision-making processes mostly driven by social
and economic objectives, as is often the case in urban planning. On the contrary,
beneficiary-based indicators that explicitly link the provision of ES with changes in
human wellbeing are a promising way to communicate ecological knowledge to
planners and decision-makers. As demonstrated by the application described in
Chap. 5, indicators describing ES values by accounting for their beneficiaries and
the different levels of demand that they express have the capacity to reflect different
planning objectives and stakeholders’ perspectives, hence to inform and support
planning decisions. In order to better assess the demand for ES, future applications
can take advantage of approaches commonly adopted by urban planning (e.g., spatial analysis of population, identification of specific target groups, elicitation of citizens’ preferences and opinions), and further develop their use.
Combining values associated to different ES is also a challenge. Scientific
advancements produced by transdisciplinary efforts are needed to define appropriate and effective methods that allow combining the results of biophysical, sociocultural, and economic methods, thus accounting for the multiple values of ES. As
shown in Chap. 5, a methodological support is provided by multi-criteria analysis
techniques, which offer a platform for combining multiple value dimensions, integrating stakeholders’ opinions along with technical inputs. Multi-criteria analysis
allows exploring different perspectives and balancing competing interests to find an
agreed-upon solution. Urban planning would benefit from adopting such methodologies, which enhance participation and transparency, ultimately strengthening the
ownership of the results. However, a pre-requisite is the identification of clear
ES-related objectives. Increasing ES supply is not equal to increasing the number of
ES beneficiaries, which again is not the equal to maximising ES benefits produced
by planning decisions. Consequently, only a clear definition of planning objectives
can set the basis for the design of effective planning actions.
A better integration of ES in the strategic component of urban plans and the definition of objectives and targets for ES enhancement require further efforts by planners and decision-makers. While the high number of actions based on ES in the
reviewed plans indicates that planners have the capacity to enhance the future provision of urban ES, strengthening the consideration of ES as a strategic issue is fundamental to ensure long-term commitment in the implementation and monitoring of
planning action. A strategic approach to ES also guarantees that all relevant ES for
the context are taken into account. Urban green infrastructure components act as
providing units of multiple ES, hence planning actions can be expected to produce
effects on a bundle of ES. This is not only the case of planning actions specifically
aimed at enhancing ES provision or directly affecting urban green infrastructure,
but it is equally true for planning actions affecting the distribution of beneficiaries,
7 Conclusions