The prospects for ecosystem services provision in fragile states’ urban areas

Abstract

In fragile states context of climate change vulnerability, poverty and lack of infrastructure, the ability of ecosystem services to provide for numerous human needs is indispensable. The focus of this paper is describing the prospects for ecosystem services provision in fragile states’ urban areas. This paper presents a distinct approach by analyzing actors with capacity to provide ecosystem services in urban areas: government, international partners and citizens. Using infrastructure investments data from Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank and World Bank, obstacles for ES provision are related to weak and fragmented governments, non-transparency and low access to international funds and insufficient involvement of citizens. The work presented here argues for ecosystem services implementation as a valid part of solution for fragile states’ difficulties and has implications for future studies of governance measures for providing ecosystem services in urban areas.