Complementary use of the Ecosystem Service Concept and Multi-criteria Decision Analysis in Water Management.

The ecosystem service (ES) concept has increasingly been applied in environmental planning, while there are several decades of experience in applying multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) in complex planning situations. The aim of this article is to assess how the ES concept has been used in water management projects together with MCDA and to examine the experiences gained and make recommendations to overcome any identified challenges. Our conclusions are based on a systematic analysis of 23 articles that were selected among 206 articles focused on water-related studies using, for example, the terms multi-criteria and ecosystem services in the title, abstract or keywords. Here, we explore (i) at what level of detail ESs are included in the decision hierarchy, (ii) the pros and cons of the complementary use of the two approaches, and (iii) how the potential challenges related to the use of MCDA, such as the large number of criteria, double-counting, or assigning criteria weights, are addressed in the selected cases. The results reveal large differences between the case studies. It is shown that only a few case studies used ES categories to classify criteria in the decision hierarchy, that these cases included different numbers of ES criteria and non-ES criteria, and that most case studies elicited stakeholder preferences in MCDA. Although the paper focuses on water management projects, the conclusions regarding the advantages and pitfalls of the complementary use of the methods, as well as our recommendations, are also applicable to other environmental management contexts.

A portfolio decision analysis approach for selecting a subset of interdependent actions: The case of a regional climate roadmap in Finland.

In this paper, we present a structured approach based on portfolio decision analysis to support the consideration of interdependencies between actions (i.e. interactions) in the selection of an efficient portfolio. One of the main challenges in modelling interactions is that the possible number of them between the pairs of actions increases exponentially with the number of actions. In environmental management, the problems can include tens of possible actions potentially leading to hundreds of pairwise interactions between them. For example, a strategy for mitigating climate change can consist of various actions in different sectors for improving technology, reducing emissions and the sequestration of carbon. Our approach aims to reduce the burden of assessing interactions by initially selecting a shortlist of actions based on specific heuristics and focusing on modelling interactions exclusively within this chosen set of actions. Another feature of the approach is the use of holistic evaluation of interactions to further reduce the cognitive load of stakeholders making the assessment. As a possible disadvantage, these features may increase the imprecision related to the results of the model. To analyse the impacts of this imprecision, we propose a way to carry out sensitivity analysis on the basis of how intensively the interactions would be taken into account in the modelling. The applicability of the approach was tested in a case related to the roadmap to a carbon neutral North Savo region in Finland by the year 2035. The approach helped to better understand synergies and trade-offs when putting the actions of the roadmap into practice, which is expected to lead to better results in terms of preparedness and adaptation to climate change.

Assuming accuracy, pretending influence? Risks of measuring, monitoring and reporting sustainable development goals.

From the local to global level, indicators and reports are produced and published to support the transition towards sustainable development. Building from two European-level science-policy workshops, this perspective essay discusses the types of risks involved with such sustainability reporting. The analysis is rooted in the framework of the UN 2030 Agenda and sustainable development goals (SDG). As a globally adopted framework, it provides an example of how risks are either recognised and framed, or non-recognised. Well recognised risks include data availability for SDGs and siloed preparation of indicators, while risks receiving less attention are ritualistic reporting lacking a critical evaluation of the limitations of the SDG framework itself. These different risks are likely to reinforce each other. A specific risk is a too narrow focus on one-way communication aiming to inform individual policy decisions. Risks related to SDGs are best managed with iterative, integrative and interactive knowledge production fostering holistic understanding.

After-use of peat extraction sites - A systematic review of biodiversity, climate, hydrological and social impacts.

After drainage for forestry and agriculture, peat extraction is one of the most important causes of peatland degradation. When peat extraction is ceased, multiple after-use options exist, including abandonment, restoration, and replacement (e.g., forestry and agricultural use). However, there is a lack of a global synthesis of after-use research. Through a systematic review of 356 peer-reviewed scientific articles, we address this research gap and examine (1) what after-use options have been studied, (2) what the studied and recognized impacts of the after-use options are, and (3) what one can learn in terms of best practices and research gaps. The research has concentrated on the impacts of restoration (N = 162), abandonment (N = 72), and replacement (N = 94), the latter of which consists of afforestation (N = 46), cultivation (N = 34) and creation of water bodies (N = 14). The studies on abandonment, restoration, and creation of water bodies have focused mostly on analyzing vegetation and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, while the studies assessing afforestation and cultivation sites mostly evaluate the provisioning ecosystem services. The studies show that active restoration measures speed-up vegetation recolonization on bare peat areas, reduce GHG emissions and decrease negative impacts on water systems. The most notable research gap is the lack of studies comparing the environmental and social impacts of the after-use options. Additionally, there is a lack of studies focusing on social impacts and downstream hydrology, as well as long-term monitoring of GHG fluxes. Based on the reviewed studies, a comparison of the impacts of the after-use options is not straightforward. We emphasize a need for comparative empirical research in the extracted sites with a broad socio-ecological and geographical context.

Sustainable Development Goals and risks: The Yin and the Yang of the paths towards sustainability.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define a path towards a sustainable future, but given that uncertainty characterises the outcomes of any SDG-related actions, risks in the implementation of the Agenda need to be addressed. At the same time, most risk assessments are narrowed to sectoral approaches and do not refer to SDGs. Here, on the basis of a literature review and workshops, it is analysed how SDGs and risks relate to each other's in different communities. Then, it is formally demonstrated that, as soon as the mathematical definition of risks is broadened to embrace a more systemic perspective, acting to maintain socio-environmental systems within their sustainability domain can be done by risk minimisation. This makes Sustainable Development Goals and risks "the Yin and the Yang of the paths towards sustainability". Eventually, the usefulness of the SDG-risk nexus for both sustainability and risk management is emphasized.

Use of decision analysis interviews to support the sustainable use of the forests in Finnish Upper Lapland.

Controversy between alternative uses of forests in Finnish Upper Lapland has been going on for decades, and in recent years it has been escalated to a serious conflict. The core of the conflict is the adverse impacts of forestry on old forests which are important grazing areas for reindeer and which are regarded as intact nature and wilderness areas. This paper describes the experiences of applying multi-criteria decision analysis interview approach on this conflict. The approach provides tools for structuring the problem and preferences of the stakeholders as well as for analyzing the effects of different alternatives in a common framework. We focus on the practical experiences gained from the application of this approach in this context. Multi-criteria decision analysis was found to be a useful approach to evaluate the economic, ecological and cultural aspects of this intense conflict. The obtained experiences also support the view that the approach works best when tightly integrated into the planning process.