Spatial Recognition Justice: Integrating Participatory Mapping and Discrete Choice Experiment to Elicit Ecosystem Service Values

Giulia Benati , Sara Miñarro, Johannes Langemeyer

Nature-based solutions (NBS) have become a central component of climate adaptation and sustainability agendas in many cities. Yet NBS implementation increasingly faces opposition from residents. As NBS fail to consider diverse needs, values, and priorities of different population segments, they fall short from a recognition justice perspective. This study provides a systematic assessment of residents’ preferences for six ecosystem services associated with NBS based on a demographically and spatially representative sample of 1,700 respondents in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Spain. We employ a mixed-method approach that integrates a Discrete Choice Experiment with a Public Participation GIS approach to estimate ecosystem service preferences and map their spatial distribution across the study area. Results indicate strong public support for ecosystem services related to heat mitigation, flood prevention, and water storage. However, preferences display clear geographic variation and significant differences across income and education groups. A critical finding is that both the least and the most affluent residents, as well as those with the lowest level of education, tend to be less supportive of expanding ecosystem service provision through NBS. These findings highlight the importance of systematically addressing the needs and perspectives of these groups to strengthen recognition justice in NBS planning. Doing so is essential not only for a fairer distribution of nature’s benefits but also for ensuring long-term public acceptance of NBS implementation and transformation strategies.