Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services concept of nature’s contributions to people (NCP) offers an inclusive framework for assessing how nature supports life and livelihoods in ecosystems. This study assessed trends of 18 NCPs, identified key drivers of change, and highlighted critical trade-offs and transformative actions required across critical agricultural catchments. We conducted a standardized expert questionnaire on eight catchments across the Mediterranean region, where water issues represent a key common driver of change, to gather qualitative assessments of NCP trends over the past decade. Our analysis revealed a widespread decline, particularly in regulating NCPs. This decline was mainly driven by agricultural intensification, urbanization, and climate change, resulting in important trade-offs where stable food production is threatening other NCPs. These findings show the Mediterranean’s acute vulnerability of agricultural areas that rely on threatened water resources and demonstrate the urgent need for transformative adaptation pathways to secure the region’s nature and human well-being.
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,050
Funder: European Commission
OpenAlex ID: W7213870907