How Should Damages to Natural Resources and Ecosystems Be Assessed in the European Union?
New book presents technical methods and illustrative case studies to assessing and restoring natural resource damages in the European Union
How can countries in the European Union (EU) assess damages to natural resources and plan remediation following the EU’s Environmental Liability Directive (ELD)? Passed in 2004, the ELD provides a broad regulatory framework under which damages to habitats and ecosystems must be remediated. The Directive also outlines an overarching policy goal of compensating the public for losses through environmental restoration.
A new book from Abt Global’s Joshua Lipton, Ph.D. and Jennifer Peers is the first technical book to describe how to design and implement the types of equivalency analysis broadly prescribed by the ELD. In addition to presenting technical methodologies, the book uses case studies to illustrate real-world application of the methods. Lipton and Peers’ book is based on their experience in both the US and in the European Union, as well as several years of training programs they conducted for EU member states. Academically rigorous and technically comprehensive, the book is intended for technical experts wanting to assess damage and remediation options as well as for decision-makers wishing to commission such assessments and judge their quality.
“We wrote this book because we found that European Member States and stakeholders need technical and methodological support implementing the goals of the ELD and related national legislation. Understanding how to rigorously assess and remedy damaged natural resources can lead to improved ecosystem restoration and environmental health,” said Lipton, Abt vice president for research and innovation. In addition to editing the volume, Lipton, Peers and other Abt staff, including Jamie Holmes and Diana Lane, authored nine chapters in the book.
Over the past decade, Lipton and Peers have developed technical guidance for assessing and quantifying natural resource damages in the EU, and designed, directed, and implemented assessment case studies in multiple Member States. In addition, Lipton and Peers have provided technical training to the European Commission and to relevant regulatory and technical authorities in numerous Member States. Both have worked extensively on natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) projects worldwide.
