Monetary indicators for pollinator services – the first meeting with the advisory group

What is the value of the services provided by animal pollinators? Clearly, this is not a simple question. As part of a research project on monetary indicators for pollinator services commissioned by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), corsus investigates and evaluates diverse methodological approaches for monetary indicators. Within the scope of this project, a discussion with the scientific advisory group, took place. The advisory group is made up of renowned expert scientists in biodiversity, economic assessments of biodiversity including in the development of biodiversity-related indicators.

Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, beetles, birds, and bats play a key role in ecosystems: By transferring pollen from one bloom to another, these pollinators ensure the successful reproduction of plants. A lack of transferral would lead to the inability of wild and cultivated plants to bear fruits and seeds. Importantly, the value of pollination services to society manifests itself in several ways. This includes greater and higher-quality yields from cultivated crops, the recreational value and leisure quality of flourishing landscapes, as well as the existence of wild plants, whose reproduction largely depends on pollination

However, how can this value be systematically recorded and evaluated? On behalf of the BfN, corsus conducts a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the various methodological approaches for monetary indicators of pollinator services. The project’s foundation is a systematic literature review, which includes the analysis of methodological approaches evaluated through defined criteria. During the advisory expert meeting, these were discussed, critically examined and reflected upon, especially considering the group’s interdisciplinary expertise. The evaluation method’s advantages and limitations can be determined due to the interdisciplinary analysis.

Felix Lücking presented the concept of the “Total Economic Value (TEV) derived from environmental economics. The concept came into existence in order to assess the economic value of ecosystem services from an economic perspective. The advisory group discussed whether the concept provides a sound basis for evaluating and classifying monetary indicators, with specific regards to the quantification of the economic value of the Total Economic Value.

The advisory group’s discussion was fruitful and constructive! We are very grateful and we are looking forward to the next advisory group meeting.