Millennium ecosystem assessment

ContentsWhat is MA?Ecosystem servicesBrief history of MAWho governs MAOrganizational structureHow was the work of MA done?How much did the MA cost and who

funded it?Millennium development goals of 2015Main findings of MAConclusionReference

What is MA?The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is a major

assessment of the effects of human activity on the environment. It

popularized the term ecosystem services, the benefits gained by

humans from ecosystems.

Ecosystem services

Brief history of MA During the 1990s, a need was identified by a number of international environmental organisations for a global ecosystem assessment. There had been advances in fields such as resource economics but the new findings had little effect on environmental policy. This led to the launch of the MA in 2001 with the work done over a period of four years.

 Over 1300 contributors from 95 countries were involved as authors.

Who governs MA?Conventions

• CBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC, Ramsar, CMS

UN Agencies• UNEP, UNDP, FAO, WHO, UNESCO

Donors • GEF, UN Foundation

International science organizations• CGIAR, ICSU, IUCN

At large representation• Private sector• NGOs• Scientists• indigenous people

Organizational structure

Global assessment working groups

Sub-Global AssessmentWorking Group

Condition

Scenarios

Response

MA Board

Assessment PanelWorking Group Chairs

Support FunctionsDirector, Administration,

Logistics, Data Management

Outreach & Engagement

Review Board Chairs

Chapter Review Editors

Committees:ExecutiveBudget

Communications

How was the work of MA done?

How much di the MA cost and who funded it?

• Over 1360 scientists of 94 country

• Organized into 4 working groups to make the assessments

• Exploratory phase

• 2 rounds of review

• Boards approval to publish

1. Global Environment Facility (GEF)2. UN Foundation3. David and Lucile Packard

Foundation4. World Bank5. Consultative Group on International

Agricultural Research (CGIAR)6. Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO)7. Government of Norway8. Rockefeller Foundation9. UNDP10. UNEP11. US National Aeronautic and Space

Administration (NASA)12. Avina Group13. Swedish International Development

Authority (SIDA)14. Summit Foundation15. Wallace Global Fund

Overall budget approximately $24 million.

Millennium development goals of 2015To

eradicate extreme

poverty and hunger

To achieve universal

primary education

To promote gender

equality

To reduce child mortality

To improve maternal

health

To combat HIV/AIDS

,  malaria, and other diseases

To ensure environmental sustainability

To develop a global

partnership for development

Main findings of MAOver the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history.

The changes that have been made to ecosystems have contributed to substantial net gains in human well-being and economic development, but these gains have been achieved at growing costs in the form of the degradation of many ecosystem services.

The degradation of ecosystem services could grow significantly worse during the first half of this century and is a barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

The challenge of reversing the degradation of ecosystem while meeting increasing demands for services can be partially met under some scenarios considered by the MA, but will involve significant changes in policies, institutions and practices that are not currently under way.

Conclusion The MA was designed as an integrated assessment to cut across sectors, involving natural science and social science perspectives. The MA was also a multi-scale assessment, which included component assessments undertaken at multiple spatial scales – global, sub-global, regional, national, basin and local levels. Another important feature of the MA was the emphasis on including different knowledge systems, apart from “scientific knowledge”. The MA also had an innovative governance structure that was representative of not only scientists and experts, but also UN conventions, civil society groups, and indigenous peoples. The MA Board, the Assessment Panel, and Working Groups were co-chaired by representatives of both developed and developing worlds. The MA it is the first assessment to focus on the impacts of ecosystem changes for human well-being. The bottom line of the MA findings is that human actions are depleting Earth’s natural capital, putting such strain on the environment that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted. At the same time, the assessment shows that with appropriate actions it is possible to reverse the degradation of many ecosystem services over the next 50 years, but the changes in policy and practice required are substantial and not currently underway.

Reference•Hall Mooney “The Millennium Ecosystem

Assessment—A work in progress”•Living Beyond Our Means: Natural Assets

and Human Well-being (Statement of the MA Board)

•Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: A Framework for Assessment

•http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/SGA.AltaiSayan.html