Project: Multi-method Assessment for Resilient Ecosystem Services and human-nature system integration

Acronym MARES (Reference Number: call2017-15)
Duration 01/10/2018 - 31/03/2020
Project Topic To review and assess the sustainability of Baltic Sea's ecosystem services, synergies, interactions and linkages with human lifestyles, health and well-being, MARES builds a meta-evaluation of existing research in ecological, biological, socio-economic and health sciences and related monetary and non-monetary evaluations. This is done by a multi-dimensional, innovative and participatory future assessment tool-kit for scenario building, that can critically evaluate existing gaps and identify future research needs. It compares and consequentially observes, monitors and evaluates ecosystem services in relation to use and non-use values, including monetary evaluations of non-market benefits, often not accounted or understimated in decision-making. The meta-evaluation also provides indicators and narratives on ecological and socio-economic drivers and constraints as well as on their uncertainty. Dependencies and interactions are in this way analysed by participatory social learning. A user-friendly platform represents the geo-spatial heterogeneity of the performed assessment, interfacing strategic evaluations for human lifestyles and well-being with decision-making. This includes strategic management practices (e.g. industrial or fisheries) and allocation of rights and responsibilities. MARES publishes the results in scientific and non-scientific papers for the use of different stakeholder groups.
Network BONUS
Call BONUS call 2017: Synthesis

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Pellervo taloustutkimus PTT ry Coordinator Finland
2 University of Tartu Partner Estonia
3 GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel Partner Germany
4 Edistysmielisen tutkimuksen yhdistys ry Partner Finland