Releasing the pressure : water resource efficiencies and gains for ecosystem services

This document discusses the need to balance short-term water productivity gains – in particular in agriculture - with the long-term role that water flows provide for maintaining sustainable landscape ecosystem services (ESS), and serving multiple benefits to human well-being. 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.