An introduction to ecosystem services for radiological protection

It is important that the system of radiological protection provides for an appropriate level of human and environmental protection without unduly limiting desirable human actions, adversely affecting sustainable development, or resulting in unintended consequences. As such, there has been increasing interest in incorporating monitoring and assessment of ecosystem services in many contexts related to environmental protection and policy making. Ecosystem services are the benefits humankind derives from the workings of the natural world, i.e., from ecosystems, and are crucial to human well-being by, for example, providing nutritious food and clean water; regulating air quality; supporting crop pollination and soil formation; and offering recreational, cultural, and spiritual benefits. The mandate of the recently formed Task Group 125 is to explore and share knowledge on ecosystem services by providing background and recommendations on if and how ecosystem services can support a more holistic approach to environmental radiological protection (ERP) and, as specifically relevant to ERP, explore how the system of radiological protection contributes to the delivery of sustainable development. This paper provides an overview of ecosystem services and an introduction to the ongoing work of Task Group 125.