Co-production processes underpinning the ecosystem services of glaciers and adaptive management in the era of climate change

Abstract

Glaciers have been an increasingly studied topic in the ecosystem services (ES) literature, with 6 multiple scientific studies affirming a critical and diverse contribution to human well-being. 7 However, the literature to date on glacier ES has lacked a systematic analysis of their type and 8 the various stages in the formation of glacier ES, including the linkages between biophysical 9 structures and ecological processes to human values, benefits and well-being. This paper begins 10 to fill this gap by (1) detailing the first Common International Classification for Ecosystem 11 Services classification of ecosystem services specific to glaciers; and (2) constructing an ES 12 cascade model specific to the ES of glaciers, integrating four main stages of co-production: 13 value attribution, mobilisation of ES potential, value appropriation, and commercialisation. In 14 both stages, examples from the academic and grey literature are highlighted. Based on a 15 systematic literature review, a total of 15 ES are identified, categorised as follows: provisioning 16 (2), regulation and maintenance (6), and cultural (7). Apart from abiotic regulation and 17 maintenance ES, it is evident that human interventions are necessary in order to mobilise, 18 appropriate and commercialise several glacier ES, including freshwater for drinking, 19 hydropower generation, recreation and education. Rapidly intensifying climate change has led 20 to intense focus on the initial co-production process of value attribution and identification of 21 dynamic ecosystem services potential, with a view to maximising commercial benefits in the 22 coming decades where this is possible, especially linked to hydropower generation from glacial 23 rivers. However, this study also finds that adaptive ecosystem management is a necessary pre24 requisite of resilience but may be insufficient in this context to address potential ecosystem 25 disservices and potentially catastrophic impacts to human well-being, such as from dangerous 26 glacier outburst floods.