What is the ecosystem approach?
The ecosystem approach is a way of making decisions in order to manage our activities sustainably. It recognises that humans are part of the ecosystem and that our activities both affect the ecosystem and depend on it (see Box 2). The ecosystem approach requires:
- An integrated approach that considers all ecosystem components (e.g. human activities, habitats and species, and physical processes).
- Consideration of ecosystem functions and resulting ecosystem services (see Box 3).
- Strong participation of stakeholders (see Box 4).
Previous work on the ecosystem approach has tended to focus on the first two elements; this guide focuses on stakeholder participation.
Traditional management approaches have tended to be sectoral, considering individual ecosystem components in isolation. This has often led to poor decisions, conflict over space and resources, environmental degradation and economic losses. In contrast, the ecosystem approach considers our activities as part of a single system where all sectors are integrated, allowing the wider consequences of decisions to be determined and managed.
In the past, important ecosystem services have been undervalued: they may be hard to measure, or fall outside conventional economic markets. However, there is growing recognition that we need to factor the multiple services natural systems provide into our decision-making – to get the most economic and social benefit and avoid the costly consequences of damaging them.
The ecosystem approach calls for strong stakeholder participation – involving all those who have an interest in, or could be affected by, decision-making. This is crucial, not least because the ecosystem approach is about managing human activities. People are much more likely to act upon a decision and change their behaviour if they understand and accept the basis on which it was made. This is far more likely with full and active participation.