Land use management is driven by the political goals of various competing sectors. In the face of current challenges such as food security, energy supply and economic growth there is an ever growing need to be aware of ecosystem services and to develop concepts for a use of resources that will not impact future well-being. Integration of land use in the formulation and implementation of national and regional policy and decision making is key to enhance public awareness and understanding of trade-offs.
On the part of decision makers there is a growing demand for integrating research on ecosystem services and their impact on social and environmental well-being into policy and practice. It is therefore our aim to identify and bridge the existing operational gaps between researchers and practitioners in order to improve the application of knowledge in sustainability and ecosystem services research resulting in enhanced effectiveness in decision making.
The event brings together scientists from projects and organizations that work at the science policy interface. Based on an analysis of current policy needs, the activities of the workshop focus on innovative and useful ways to link expertise and knowledge.