Filling the Gap between Ecosystem Services Concept and River Basin Management Plans: The Case of Greece in WFD 20+

Ifigenia Kagalou and Dionissis Latinopoulos
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Ifigenia Kagalou: Department of Civil Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi 67100, Greece
Dionissis Latinopoulos: Department of Civil Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi 67100, Greece

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: The ecosystem services (ES) concept is embedded in all new European directives but its integration in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is absent, despite the latter being the major legislative tool. The research aims to assess the knowledge of ES that lies within the River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in Greece so as to further depict their representation in the relevant planning tools, to support policy making and express the implementation experience to Member States for assisting EU reloading processes. The information on the ES’ status was extracted by the official RBMPs, processed and grouped following Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) classification. The prioritization of ES included in the programs of measures (PoMs) further showed the targeting for each River Basin District (RBD). The results were not homogenous for the RBDs, revealing different needs in measures and indicating there is a lack in “communication” between the relevant EU and national regulations. Moreover, a wide suite of water-related ES is hindered in addressing multiple benefits coming from provisioning, regulating and cultural ES. For a proper WFD reload and continuation, the infusion of the ES concept and prerequisites in its objective, and the reviewing of the RBMPs’ target and the suggestion of integrated PoMs are necessary steps that could deliver added value in such legislation.

Keywords: Greece; River Basin Districts; River Basin Management Plans; program of measures; ecosystem services; Water Framework Directive reload (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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