Bringing Europe's freshwaters back to life: The MERLIN H2020 project

Part of EU Open Research Repository
Published September 30, 2025 | Version v1
Publication Open

Guidance Document – Cost-Benefit-Analysis in freshwater ecosystem restoration

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Deltares
  • 2. ROR icon Wageningen University & Research
  • 3. Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG)
  • 4. ROR icon Catalan Institute for Water Research
  • 5. University of Duisburg-Essen

Description

1. Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) is essential for evidence-based freshwater restoration planning. CBA can support both public and private investment.

2. Freshwater ecosystem restoration delivers multipleco-benefits (or ecosystem services).

3. Valuing ecosystem services in a freshwater context requires tailored approaches.

4. This guidance complements existing CBA frameworks, focusing on how to assess the costs and benefits of freshwater ecosystem restoration.

5. Seven ecosystem services are included: biomass provision; flood risk mitigation; carbon sequestration; nutrient retention; drought mitigation; recreation and habitat provision.

6. A coupled biophysical – economic modelling tool developed by MERLIN enables users to assess the effects of restoration on flood risk mitigation and nutrient retention using EU-wide datasets

7. Real-world case studies - including the use of CBA on 5 MERLIN Case Studies - are presented to show how the methods work in practice. 

Files

MERLIN_D3.4_Sept2025_revised_Oct2025.pdf

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Additional details

Funding

European Commission
MERLIN - Mainstreaming Ecological Restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation 101036337