Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) was called for by the United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2000. Initiated in 2001, the objective of the
MA was to assess the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and
the scientific basis for action needed to enhance the conservation and sustainable
use of those systems and their contribution to human well-being. The MA has
involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings, contained
in five technical volumes and six synthesis reports, provide a state-of-the-art
scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the worlds ecosystems
and the services they provide (such as clean water, food, forest products, flood
control, and natural resources) and the options to restore, conserve or enhance
the sustainable use of ecosystems.