For a better user experience please update your browser or use Chrome or Firefox browser.
Utilities
Publication detail
HomeThe health and social benefits of nature and biodiversity protection
Final report
Publication metadata
Over the past decade, numerous studies have shown the multiple benefits of protected areas, such as the Natura 2000 network, and green infrastructure to the economy and to human well-being. Examples include carbon storage benefits, water supply and purification, flood management, soil retention, recreation and tourism, and the provision of fish and timber. These assessments have helped communicate the importance of biodiversity protection for the wider public, attract funding for management and restoration and also encourage due engagement with protected areas, green infrastructure and their management to deliver wider benefits for stakeholders, from local authorities, to business (e.g. water companies, tourism & recreation related industries), the public (e.g. schools) and NGOs and clubs (e.g. nature associations, sports). The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), for example, has already done important work to explore the links between biodiversity and health, drawing on studies and cases from across the globe (CBD, 2012; CBD, 2015). Yet while many of the existing studies on protected areas and green infrastructure refer to health benefits and social benefits, including rural viability, none offers a comprehensive assessment of public health benefits from improved air quality, climate, exercise and healthier lifestyles and/or of social benefits from access to nature and working with nature. This study aims at filling this gap and exploring the potential health and social benefits associated with the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in the EU – and in particular with the Natura 2000 network and wider green infrastructure. It identifies opportunities for further developing and increasing health and social benefits, it identifies possible tools for mapping of social values and health benefits that could be linked to nature environment and also make recommendations on how actions at the EU level could serve to promote the linkages between biodiversity policy and socio-economic policies more effectively. The more general objective is to evaluate the social benefits (potential and actual) associated with EU biodiversity policy.
- Published:
- Corporate author(s): Directorate-General for Environment (European Commission) , Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP)
- Personal author(s): Twigger-Ross, Clare ; Kuipers, Yoline ; Schweitzer, Jean-Pierre ; Ojala, Ann ; Hujala, Teppo ; Kettunen, Marianne ; Emonts, Manon ; Ten Brink, Patrick ; Tyrväinen, Liisa ; Mutafoglu, Konar ; Baker, Jonathan
- Themes: Environment policy and protection of the environment , Public health
- Subject: biodiversity , environmental economics , environmental protection , EU environmental policy , health risk , protected area , public health , quality of life , quality of the environment , social impact
|
PDF
|
|||
| ISSN | ISBN 978-92-79-58421-3 | DOI 10.2779/294232 | Catalogue number KH-01-16-503-EN-N |
- Released on EU publications website:
Document viewer
Note:
The publication cannot be displayed in the document viewer. Open web version
You may access it from: Download and languages