The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment showed that the loss of services from ecosystems (for example deforestation, soil degradation, water purification) is a significant barrier to reducing poverty, hunger and disease. Tackling this set of problems requires a combination of environmental science, ecological economics and political economy.

Three UK organisations, NERC, the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Department for International Development (DfID) join forces to explore the potential for a multi-disciplinary research programme that will address how to achieve sustainably managed ecosystems. This work aims to contribute to reducing poverty and improving well being in developing countries.

The overall purpose of the ESPA China project is to contribute to poverty reduction and wellbeing in China through sustainably managed ecosystems for multiple services. The project?s goal is to provide a situation analysis and research strategy  to inform the design of future multi-disciplinary research projects in China supported by the NERC-ESRC-DFID Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Programme.

The project?s goal is to provide a situation analysis and research strategy  to inform the design of future multi-disciplinary research projects in China supported by the NERC-ESRC-DFID Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) Programme.

The information, analysis and recommended research strategy produced by the project will address research needs in China to strengthen sustainable management of ecosystems for poverty alleviation, covering environmental science, development and policy support.

Central to achieving the project?s goal is the profiling and incorporation of the views of the poor and other stakeholders who use China?s ecosystems, with a description of the political, economic and research processes that affect the supply of ecosystem services