Ecosystem management is a process that integrates ecological, socio-economic and institutional factors into comprehensive analyses and action in order to sustain and enhance the quality of the ecosystem to meet current and future needs.

Today we are aware that success in our conservation efforts is linked to our capacity to address human security and livelihood issues. Understanding how different processes that are supported by ecosystems operate and relate to each other is a crucial step in gaining the capacity to manage ecosystems to sustain ecosystem services and goods on which we - and all other species - depend.

CEM is in the process of identifying its thematic groups following the mandate 2013-2016.  Each thematic group has a CEM member as a theme lead and a focal point from the CEM SC.