Printed from Desalination & Water Reuse - http://www.desalination.biz
26 February 2010
European thoughts on economics of coastal management
Prof Raimonds Ernsteins
of the University of Latvia, Riga, says in a preface, "We need to better
understand the ongoing processes in this complex and sensitive system of nature-human
interactions and to reduce the negative impacts of coastal change. To achieve this we must draw
on research expertise, not only from natural sciences and engineering, but also increasingly and
pressingly from social sciences and economics, with clear and effective stakeholder engagement
to develop participatory and integrated policies."
Two studies in particular seem worth looking up, as both are concerned with
economic values for environmental factors:
Putting a price on the Catalan coastal ecosystems
The study estimated the monetary value of 14 services provided by natural and semi-
natural coastal ecosystems in Catalonia, Spain (the site of a number of desalination plants) for
which no economic markets exist. Services with an existing market value, such as fisheries and
agriculture, were not included. Some examples of services evaluated are the regulation of
freshwater, erosion control, soil formation and atmospheric gas and climate regulation.
The monetary values of the services provided by the different types of environment
present along the Catalan coast were derived from previous studies and a total value was
calculated.
Dest: Brenner, J, Jiménez, JA, Sardá, R & Garola, A (2010). An
assessment of the non-market value of the ecosystem services provided by the Catalan coastal
zone, Spain. Ocean & Coastal Management. 53: 27-38.
Contact: Jorge.brenner@tamucc.edu
Time to take stock of marine and coastal assets
This study highlights the economic importance of coastal and marine areas and the urgent
need to develop concrete methods for assessing their value. Strong methods for valuing marine
and coastal environments can help decision makers measure what economies could stand to lose
under climate change, and minimise loss.
The authors of the new study claim that there is still no appropriate valuation data for
decision making in ocean management and an international effort is needed to include ocean
valuations in political and planning processes. Using the contribution of the ocean to national
economies does not consider values that cannot be accounted for in monetary terms.
Economists do have ways of estimating the value of environmental assets, such as
estuaries, wetlands and mangroves, but these values are often ignored in the decision-making
process. The researchers say that it is time to prioritise the development of a framework which
allows decision makers to account for these values, given the potential impacts of climate change
on marine and coastal environments.
Dest: Kildow, J.T. and McIlgorm, A. (2010). The importance of
estimating the contribution of the oceans to national economies. Marine Policy. DOI:
10.1016/j.marpol.2009.08.006.
Contact: judy@oceaneconomics.org and amcilgorm@nmsc.edu.au
Source:
Desalination & Water Reuse