Julia Martin-Ortega

Spatial Preference Heterogeneity: A Choice Experiment

The main objective is to assess preference heterogeneity related to the spatial distribution of water quality improvements throughout a river basin. In a choice experiment, the river basin’s hydrogeographical units and the levels of water quality improvement are included as attributes in the experimental design. Changes in water quality throughout the river basin are visualized with maps and modeled simultaneously in relation to where respondents live, in a random utility model. Not accounting for spatial preference heterogeneity results, in this case study, in an underestimation of welfare when aggregating willingness-to-pay values from subbasins to the river basin as a whole. (JEL Q25, Q51)

Participatory scenario planning in place-based social-ecological research: insights and experiences from 23 case studies

Participatory scenario planning (PSP) is an increasingly popular tool in place-based environmental research for evaluating alternative futures of social-ecological systems. Although a range of guidelines on PSP methods are available in the scientific and grey literature, there is a need to reflect on existing practices and their appropriate application for different objectives and contexts at the local scale, as well as on their potential perceived outcomes. We contribute to theoretical and empirical frameworks by analyzing how and why researchers assess social-ecological systems using place-based PSP, hence facilitating the appropriate uptake of such scenario tools in the future. We analyzed 23 PSP case studies conducted by the authors in a wide range of social-ecological settings by exploring seven aspects: (1) the context; (2) the original motivations and objectives; (3) the methodological approach; (4) the process; (5) the content of the scenarios; (6) the outputs of the research; and (7) the monitoring and evaluation of the PSP process. This was complemented by a reflection on strengths and weaknesses of using PSP for the place-based social-ecological research. We conclude that the application of PSP, particularly when tailored to shared objectives between local people and researchers, has enriched environmental management and scientific research through building common understanding and fostering learning about future planning of social-ecological systems. However, PSP still requires greater systematic monitoring and evaluation to assess its impact on the promotion of collective action for transitions to sustainability and the adaptation to global environmental change and its challenges.

Assessment of the Draft Hydrological Basin Plan of the Guadalquivir River Basin (Spain)

This paper evaluates and discusses the draft Hydrological Basin Plan (HBP) for the Guadalquivir river basin and its related Programme of Measures (PoM). The HBP focuses on demand management using technical and economic measures, particularly through investment in water efficiency measures. In addition, it seeks to eliminate urban point source pollution. By 2015, a sustainable water resource demand is projected if the current area of irrigated land is not expanded and if the urban waste water treatment work is completed according to Directive 91/271/CEE. It is expected that costs of implementation will be high. The total investment of the PoM is estimated to be €978 per capita per year; this investment has an annual equivalent cost of €143 per capita per year. However, it is estimated that 67% of the total investment can be recovered with special impact in increase in the cost of irrigation water by 160% and the cost of urban water by 60%. Finally, this paper ends with a discussion on the most critical points likely to hinder the HBP being used effectively as a tool for sustainable water management.

Benefit transfer and spatial heterogeneity of preferences for water quality improvements

The improvement in the water quality resulting from the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive is expected to generate substantial non-market benefits. A wide spread estimation of these benefits across Europe will require the application of benefit transfer. We use a spatially explicit valuation design to account for the spatial heterogeneity of preferences to help generate lower transfer errors. A map-based choice experiment is applied in the Guadalquivir River Basin (Spain), accounting simultaneously for the spatial distribution of water quality improvements and beneficiaries. Our results show that accounting for the spatial heterogeneity of preferences generally produces lower transfer errors.

Water ecosystem services : a global perspective

Preface 1. Introduction Iain J. Gordon, Julia Martin-Ortega and Robert C. Ferrier 2. What defines ecosystem services-based approaches? Julia Martin-Ortega, Didac Jord... Capdevila, Klaus Glenk and Kirsty L. Holstead Part I. Addressing Global Challenges: 3. Assessing climate change risks and prioritising adaptation options using a water ecosystem services-based approach Samantha J. Capon and Stuart E. Bunn 4. Operationalizing an ecosystem services-based approach for managing river biodiversity Catherine M. Febria, Benjamin J. Koch and Margaret A. Palmer 5. Water for agriculture and energy: the African quest under the lenses of an ecosystem services-based approach Maher Salman and Alba Martinez Part II. Applying Frameworks for Water Management and Conservation under an Ecosystem Services-Based Approach: 6. Using ecosystem services-based approaches in integrated water resources management: perspectives from the developing world Madiodio Niasse and Jan Cherlet 7. Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive: what does taking an ecosystem services-based approach add? Kirsty L. Blackstock, Julia Martin-Ortega and Chris J. Spray 8. How useful to biodiversity conservation are ecosystem services-based approaches? Craig Leisher Part III. Assessing Ecosystem Services: 9. The first United Kingdoms National Ecosystem Assessment and beyond Marije Schaafsma, Silvia Ferrini, Amii R. Harwood and Ian J. Bateman 10. Using an ecosystem services-based approach to measure the benefits of reducing diversions of freshwater: a case study in the Murray-Darling basin, Australia Neville D. Crossman, Rosalind H. Bark, Matthew J. Colloff, Darla Hatton MacDonald and Carmel A. Pollino 11. An ecosystem services-based approach to integrated regional catchment management: the South East Queensland experience Simone Maynard, David James, Stuart Hoverman, Andrew Davidson and Shannon Mooney 12. Policy support systems for the development of benefit sharing mechanisms for water related ecosystem services Mark Mulligan, Silvia Benitez, Juan Sebastian Lozano and Jorge Leon 13. Assessing biophysical and economic dimensions of societal value: an example for water ecosystem services in Madagascar Ferdinando Villa, Rosimeiry Portela, Laura Onofri, Paulo A. L. D. Nunes and Glenn-Marie Lange 14. Rapid land use change impacts on coastal ecosystem services: a South Korean case study Hojeong Kang, Heejun Chang and Min Gon Chung Part IV. Broadening the Perspective: 15. Ecosystem services-based approaches to water management: what opportunities and challenges for business? Joel Houdet, Andrew Johnstone and Charles Germaneau 16. Key factors for successful application of ecosystem services-based approaches to water resources management: the role of stakeholder participation Jos Brils, Albert F. Appleton, Nicolaas van Everdingen and Dylan Bright 17. Cultural ecosystem services, water and aquatic environments Andrew Church, Rob Fish, Neil Ravenscroft and Lee Stapleton 18. The psychological dimension of water ecosystem services Victor Corral-Verdugo, Martha Frias-Armenta, Cesar Tapia-Fonllem and Blanca Fraijo-Sing 19. The interface between human rights and ecosystem services Stephen J. Turner 20. Water ecosystem services: moving forward Julia Martin-Ortega, Robert C. Ferrier and Iain J. Gordon.

Improving value transfer through socio-economic adjustments in a multicountry choice experiment of water conservation alternatives

This study tests the transferability of the nonmarket values of water conservation for domestic and environmental purposes across three south European countries and Australia applying a common choice experiment design. Different approaches are followed to test the transferability of the estimated values, aiming to minimise transfer errors for use in policy analysis, comparing both single- and multicountry transfers, with and without socio-economic adjustments. Within Europe, significant differences are found between implicit prices for environmental water use, but not for domestic water use. In the Australian case study, alleviating restrictions on domestic water use has no significant value. Pooling the three European samples improves the transferability of the environmental flow values between Europe and Australia. Results show that a reduction in transfer error is achieved when controlling for unobserved and observed preference heterogeneity in the single- and multicountry transfers, providing additional support for the superiority of socio-economic adjustment procedures in value transfer.

The economic analysis in the implementation of the Water-Framework Directive in Spain

One of the most innovative elements of the Water-Framework Directive (WFD) is the important role that economic analysis is assigned in achieving its environmental objectives. In Spain, a great effort has been put forth by river basin agencies to diagnose the current state of water bodies and to implement the economic tools and principles required by the Directive. However, there have been a number of shortcomings in the way the economic analysis was designed and applied (as well as a significant delay in meeting the WFDs deadlines). The objective of this paper is to critically review the implementation of the economics of the WFD in Spain and to make suggestions on how to deal with the problems that have been encountered. Some of the more important shortcomings are that the characterization of water uses is mostly descriptive and lacks prospective analysis; that analysis of the potential for costs recovery of water services has incorrectly assumed that the financial costs of water provision are completely covered by the payment of the current legal tariffs; and that environmental and resource costs have not been included in the analysis for the selection of mitigation measures. The main reason for these problems is that water policy-makers and managers were unprepared for, and inexperienced with economic analysis. The most important recommendation of this paper to improve future revisions of the River Basin Management Plans is to strengthen the links between water planners and academics, moving towards evidence-based policy-making.

Prospects for Payments for Ecosystem Services in the Brazilian Pantanal: A Scenario Analysis

The present study investigates the prospects for a large-scale implementation of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland. Despite increasing environmental threats associated with development pressures and the growing interest of public and private organizations, no PES schemes are currently in place in the Pantanal. Through an exploratory scenario analysis, this article determines the prospects for PES in the area. The findings suggest that a large-scale implementation is unlikely, as this would require much higher levels of environmental awareness among local decision makers and low substitution rates of ecosystem services by technology. Furthermore, strong socioeconomic inequality between inhabitants of the Pantanal lowlands and wealthy farmers of the neighboring uplands means that potential suppliers of ecosystem services would face very high opportunity costs to participate in PES schemes. The research findings are also relevant to other environmentally sensitive regions experiencing rapid economic growth and weak environmental regulation.

Incorporating Non-market Benefits of Reclaimed Water into Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Case Study of Irrigated Mandarin Crops in southern Spain

Maintaining a river system’s minimum water flow is a pre-condition for achieving the “good ecological status” prescribed by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). In areas of water scarcity the reuse of treated water for agricultural irrigation is seen as a promising option to reduce the quantitative pressure on the resource. As part of assessing the viability of reclaimed water use in agriculture, and in accordance with the economic principles underpinning the WFD, a comprehensive economic analysis of this irrigation option is needed. This paper contributes to fill this knowledge gap by producing a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of the use of reclaimed water in agriculture. The costs and benefits of reclaimed water use on an experimental mandarin farm in the south-east of Spain are compared with those of using surface water and a mixture of water sources. The novelty of this study is that non-market benefits are incorporated in the CBA. We thereby account for the increase in welfare that the environmental services of this supply option provide to society at large. These kind of “intangible” benefits are often ignored, but only the combination of market and non-market costs and benefits can produce a balanced assessment of water management options and lead to an efficient and sustainable allocation of the resource. Our results suggest that at the private and social level, when environmental benefits are included, the use of a mixture of water sources, including reclaimed water, seems the best option. However, at low mandarin prices (lower than 0.23 €/kg) the exclusive use of reclaimed water seems the most beneficial option.

Participatory scenario planning for developing innovation in community adaptation responses: three contrasting examples from Latin America

Environmental change requires adaptive responses that are innovative, forward-looking and anticipatory, in order to meet goals for sustainability in socio-ecological systems. This implies transformative shifts in understanding as conceptualised by the idea of ‘double’- or ‘triple-loop learning’. Achieving this can be difficult as communities often rely on shorter-term coping mechanisms that purport to maintain the status quo. The use of participatory scenario planning to stimulate forward-looking social learning for adaptation was investigated through three contrasting community case studies on natural resource management in Latin America (in Mexico, Argentina and Colombia). Exploratory scenario narratives that synthesised local knowledge and future perceptions were used iteratively to define response options considered robust across multiple futures. Despite its intensive format, participants in each case agreed that scenario planning enabled a more systematic appraisal of the future. Scenarios facilitated innovation by providing scope to propose new types of responses and associated actions. Differences in local context meant that learning about future change developed in diverse ways, showing a need for a reflexive process. Reframing of key issues characteristic of double-loop learning did occur, albeit through different forms of interaction in each location. However, a shift towards transformative actions characteristic of triple-loop learning was less evident. Achieving this would appear to require ongoing use of scenarios to challenge social norms in light of changing drivers. Use of learning loops as a diagnostic to evaluate adaptive responses provided a useful reference framework although in practice both innovation and consolidative approaches can develop concurrently for responses to different issues.