Guest Editor: Davide Geneletti (University of Trento)
Deadline for abstract submission: 10 February 2012
Deadline for full paper submission: 30 April 2012

Ecosystem services, the benefits that people derive directly or indirectly from nature, are the object of a growing policy and management interest. The publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment fuelled a number of studies aimed at addressing the relationship between the conservation of ecosystem services and human well-being. However, the use of ecosystem service concepts to support real-life decision-making processes is still limited. As Daily et al. (2009) put it: ‘now it is time to deliver.’

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) are obvious tools to mainstream information of ecosystem services into the formulation and implementation of policies, plans, programmes, and projects (PPPP). Experiences and guidance in this field have begun to emerge in the last few years, but they are still very limited and scattered. This special issue aims at constructing a first body of literature to support the comprehensive integration of ecosystem services into EIA and SEA.

Papers are sought that critically examine the advantages and disadvantages of ecosystem service inclusive EIA/SEA, by presenting pilot applications, desk-top reviews of case studies, proposal of theoretical frameworks, methods and tools. Papers can address and discuss a variety of aspects, but they must be explicitly targeted at contributing to EIA and/or SEA, rather than generally addressing ecosystem services-related issues. Examples of topics of interests include (but are not limited to):

• Selection of ecosystem services in EIA and SEA studies;
• Issues of scale and tiering;
• Impact analysis;
• Use of the increasingly available information on biophysical and economic valuation of ecosystem services in EIA and SEA;
• Stakeholder consultation;
• Links between biophysical and socio-economic assessments (e.g., health, culture, livelihoods).

For further information, or to discuss ideas for contributions, please contact Dr. Davide Geneletti (davide.geneletti@ing.unitn.it).

Abstract submission
An abstract of about 300 words, specifying title, author(s), affiliation and e-mail, should be sent to Dr. Davide Geneletti (davide.geneletti@ing.unitn.it) by Friday 10 February 2012.

Manuscript submission
Manuscripts must be English and not more than 8,000 words in length. To prepare their manuscripts, authors are asked to closely follow the “Instructions to Authors” which can be found on the Environmental Impact Assessment Review home page: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-impact-assessment-review/

Authors are invited to access and build upon the insights of authors who have published in the EIAR. All papers will be refereed by peer-reviewers. To submit your article online, go to: http://ees.elsevier.com/eir/. When asked to indicate the “Article Type” in the submission process, please select “Special Issue: Ecosystem services”. All papers will be handled through Elsevier’s EES system. Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication in any other journal.

Tentative schedule

• 10 February 2012 – Deadline for abstract submission
• 30 April 2012 - Deadline for full paper submission
• 15 July 2012 – Selection of papers, based on referees’ comments
• 30 August 2012- Submission of revised papers
• 15 October 2012 - Final revisions and editing
• 15 November 2012 – Publication of the special issue