Introduction

Policy makers involved in local and regional policy and public management across the world face formidable challenges while making choices about how to provide a wide range of services and address diverse issues, often with very limited financial resources. The challenge of maintaining and improving the quality of life for citizens involves providing public infrastructure and services for water, energy, education and health, to name but a few. At the same time local conditions should enable economic growth and employment. In many of these policy fields nature is our biggest asset. If we risk taking nature for granted we might lose several important development opportunities.