3.1 Maintaining Ecosystem Sustainability
Water demand, mis-management and climate change inducing short- to long-term variations in
water availability (including extreme events) have increased the stress on water bodies and as-
sociated ecosystems. Europe faces a water landscape often characterised by water scarcity in
certain regions and flooding in others, over-exploitation of water for agriculture, forestry, aqua-
culture, cities, pollution, sea-water intrusion, severe hydromorphological changes, and intense
structural works on rivers and lakes. In this context, integrated and interdisciplinary research
and development aimed at understanding and maintaining the essential functions and processes
of ecosystems (i.e. ‘ecosystem sustainability’) is needed.
Expected Theme Impacts
Impact
Descr ipt ion
Social
Contribute to safeguarding natural resources for future generations.
Aquatic and riparian ecosystem sustainability research will contribute
to identifying, proposing and prioritising measures to help societies
adapt and react to current and future pressures. Better protection
of public health and the environment from effects of extreme
weather events.
Economic
Address market failures (integration of externalities in policy-mak-
ing), considering that preservation costs are lower than restoration
costs. Monetary and non-monetary valuation methods will contribute
to better decision - and policy-making process as well as economic
impacts.
Technological
Increased availability and usefulness of data- and decision-making
products for extreme weather events. Development of new tools in
ecological engineering and early warning systems (EWS), including
sensors, web services, numerical codes and ecological restoration
technology.
Environmental
Better assessment and evaluation of ecosystem service approaches.
Better understanding of hydromorphological processes. Achieving
sustainable resource use. Improved water management and availabil-
ity of good water quality in case of extreme weather events.
Policy
Research on ecosystem sustainability will support a relatively wide
range of national, European and international policy initiatives includ-
ing the EU Biodiversity Strategy
([COM(2011) 244])
, particularly
Target 2: ‘By 2020, ecosystems and their services are maintained
and enhanced by establishing green infrastructure and restoring at
least 15% of degraded ecosystems’. Set up to monitor and predict
adverse effects, an EWS gives reasonable time to allow policy-makers
to take appropriate measures.
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