Competing Approaches to Pollination (E)valuation as an Ecosystem Service in an Urban Context

Author: Annamária Ferenczi

In: HUN-REN CERS, Institute of World Economics, Working Paper Nr. 282 (2025) April 2025

Abstract

Research on the interaction between human well-being and biodiversity is becoming increasingly important in the spotlight of climate change. Despite its complexity, it is being explored by many disciplines, ranging from biologists through psychologists to economists. This working paper focuses on the economic valuation of pollination as an ecosystem service, with a particular focus on urban environments. The aim of this paper is to examine the intersection of pollination and two economic subdisciplines (environmental and ecological economics) through two separate literature reviews using advanced research strings. The two research questions are: (1) How has pollination been assessed by environmental and ecological economics? (2) How has pollination been addressed in urban planning literature between 2014-2024? Findings on the (1) question indicate that while theoretical distinctions between (e)valuation approaches are clear in principle, they do not always appear so in practice. Many studies focus on ‘classical’ environmental economic monetary valuation, particularly in agricultural contexts. However, the mixed-method approach is also prevalent, blending elements from ecological and environmental economics. The (2) question revealed that research in urban contexts has primarily focused on pollinator support and habitat creation.

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