Ecosystem Services: a Framework for Environmental Management of the Deep Sea
Abstract:
With policy in early stages of development, an ecosystem services approach has the potential to serve as an overarching framework that takes protection of natural capital provided by the environment into account during the decision-making process. We show how an ecosystem services approach combined with economic tools, such as benefit transfer techniques, should help illuminate issues where there are direct conflicts among different industries, and between industry and conservation. We argue for baseline and monitoring measurements and metrics that inform about deep-sea ecosystem services that would be impaired by mining, and discuss ways to incorporate the value of those losses into decision making, mitigation measures, and ultimately product costs. This proposal is considered relative to current International Seabed Authority recommendations and contractor practices, and new actions are proposed. An ecosystem services-based understanding of how these systems work and their value to society can improve sustainability and stewardship of the deep ocean.