Humans have always needed nature to live, whereas nature does not need humans to exist. Humans interact strongly with their environment. They depend on it for access to food, water and habitat. All our societies have developed around what nature provides. But resources are not unlimited and the environment is deteriorating, threatening our common heritage. It is urgent to become aware of the role and benefits that humans obtain from ecosystems, in order to ensure their protection and subsequent management.

What are ecosystem services ?

The concept of ecosystem services emerged in the 1980s, with the aim of bringing conservation issues back to the forefront of human concerns. They are defined as all the goods and services provided by the ecosystem, which are necessary for human development and well-being. In this way, the concept gives value to ecosystems.

The different services provided by ecosystems

These services fall into 4 categories : provisioning services, regulating services, cultural services and supporting services. 

• Firstly, provisioning services include all goods obtained directly from ecosystems and nature, such as food, water, fossil fuels, pharmaceutical products, etc.
• Then there are regulating services, which are the benefits obtained by controlling natural phenomena. These are very useful in reducing certain natural risks. Examples include climate change mitigation through carbon storage, pollination, and flood control through wetlands.
• Cultural services are more abstract, but just as useful. These are the intangible benefits that people can derive from ecosystems. They include tourism, most leisure activities, religion and education.
• Finally, there are the supporting services, which enable the production of other ecosystem services. They create the fundamental conditions for life on Earth and enable ecosystems to function properly. These services include soil formation and fertility, the water cycle and photosynthesis.

Nevertheless, this categorization of ecosystem services can sometimes be complex, as some of them may belong to several groups simultaneously. A good example is freshwater, which can fall into all four categories. Indeed, it is essential to the drinking water supply service, it plays a major role in regulation through the filtration of water by forests and wetlands, it is part of the water cycle and therefore includes supporting services, and finally, it offers cultural benefits when used for entertainment purposes.

Why is this so important ?

The planet is constantly evolving, and ecosystems are subject to many pressures and changes. Numerous human interventions, such as pollution, deforestation, invasive alien species and climate change, are severely degrading ecosystems. Yet the quantity and quality of the services they provide depend on their proper functioning. As these services are “free”, they are generally not considered at their fair value and are often poorly protected. Yet they are the foundation of our societies and our well-being. If these services are not valued, our quality of life could deteriorate.

There is therefore an urgent need to realize the importance of what the environment brings us. A good understanding of these services and their consequences is essential for effectively managing and conserving ecosystems and the benefits we derive from them, as well as for influencing environmental decisions and policies.