Releasing the Pressure - Water Resource Efficiencies and Gains for Ecosystem Services

The document provides a summary of concepts around the nexus of water productivity, water flows in landscapes and ecosystem services. It gives examples (through case studies) on the trade-offs and opportunities between water productivity improvements and the water-related services provided by other ecosystems. The document connects to broader UNEP themes such as the Green Economy and Resource Efficiency with an explicit emphasis on improving livelihoods through recognition of the importance of landscape ESS beyond agriculture. Case studies are used to substantiate the key messages and to discuss additional dimensions, such as gender, scaling and potential policy opportunities.