Ecosystem services linked to policies and applications
Our group provide key expertise for the mapping and assessing ecosystems and their services in Hungary, environmental foresight, sustainable development based on ecosystem services, and to the monitoring of mosquitoes being vectors of diseases. Group members are also active in key science-policy interface bodies, like IPBES (former MEP member, CLA, LA, etc), EU’s MAES working group, and EASAC (European Academies Science Advisory Council).
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ASSESSMENTS
Knowledge on the state of ecosystems and their services is a prerequisite to meet the sustainable development goals. We assess and map ecosystem services, mainly by integrating existing datasets and knowledge, including stakeholders’ participatory involvement, and integrating local expert knowledge into our assessments. Our work is local (e.g. Kiskunság/Hungary, Niraj-Tarnava Mica region/Romania), national (MAES-HU, see below) regional (IPBES Europe and Central Asia Assessment) and global (IPBES Global Assessment, IPBES Pollination Assessment).
IPBES
IPBES stands for the Intergovernmental Science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and is a key organisation in our field. The group members have taken part actively in the work of IPBES from the beginning, being member of the MEP (Multidisciplinary Expert Panel, András Báldi), coordinating lead author in the Pollination Assessment (Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki), lead author in the Europe and Central Asia Assessment (András Báldi), Global Assessment (Bálint Czúcz), and member of the Knowledge and data task force (András Báldi). Brigitta Palotás is coordinating the participation of Hungarians in the IPBES work.
More info in Hungarian: https://ipbes.ecolres.hu/
EASAC
The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council is providing independent science advice to European policy-makers. We are participating in its Environmental Steering Panel from 2015 (András Báldi), and had a member in the working group „Ecosystem Services, Agriculture, Pollinators and Predators” (ESAPP, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki) and co-authored the report about the effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators, natural pest control and other relevant ecosystem services (2014-2015).
INVASIVE MOSQUITOES AS DISEASE VECTORS
More info in Hungarian: szunyog.okologia.mta.hu