Land use change is estimated to have generated 17% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the 2000s, a large part coming from deforestation. The main driver of these emissions is expansion of agricultural activities, for the need of local development in tropical regions. However, they have also been caused by the dynamics of globalisation which has stimulated agricultural trade flows. Thus, today, there are new concerns with respect to how agricultural policies are influencing land use changes in other parts of the world through international market responses.

Over the past decade, sustainable development has become a pivotal element of innovation in various areas. Industrial biotechnology - through its potential to reform our energy resources - is of specific interest given its controversial reception. With the ongoing shift from a fossil-fuel-based to a bio-based economy, the demand for biomass production for biofuels and biomaterials has increased dramatically. Although countries such as the USA may have enough land-surface available, it is not likely that the necessary biomass to 'fuel' Europe can be grown domestically.

Assessment of ecosystem services has been set a strategically important role in the European Union countries, including it to the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. The EU Biodiversity Strategy determines that “Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, will map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014, assess the economic value of such services, and promote the integration of these values into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020”.

The land use changes of İzmir Çeşme Coasts are determined by using remote sensing techniques in the period of 38 years. Temporal and spatial changes of land use are analyzed based on 3 land use maps which show 8 land use categories using the topographical maps and aerial photos in 1957-1976-1995. The dominancy of land use categories are calculated depending on grid map (1km x 1km).

24 pp. OCR and bookmarks supplied by UO. Maps, figures, illus. Published August, 2002. Captured February 19, 2009.