Engage in a public dialog on goals, policies, and trade-offs. Dramatic improvements in ecosystem condition and capacity are possible when governments and non-governmental organizations create opportunities to air diverse ideas about ecosystem management. Recognize the value of ecosystem services. Removing subsidies and explicitly pricing ecosystem services can be politically difficult but can promote more efficient resource use. Involve local communities in managing ecosystems.
Local communities are often the most prudent ecosystem managers.
Involving local communities can also yield a more equitable distribution of the benefits and costs of ecosystem use. The report was released at the start of the Informal Ministerial Meeting on the Environment, being held Sept. 15-17 in Bergen, Norway. Links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.