Journal ArticleDOI
The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital
Robert Costanza,Rudolf de Groot,Stephen Farberk,Monica Grasso,Bruce Hannon,Karin E. Limburg,Shahid Naeem,José M. Paruelo,Robert Raskin,Paul Suttonkk,Marjan van den Belt +10 more
TLDR
In this paper, the authors have estimated the current economic value of 17 ecosystem services for 16 biomes, based on published studies and a few original calculations, for the entire biosphere, the value (most of which is outside the market) is estimated to be in the range of US$16-54 trillion (10^(12)) per year, with an average of US $33 trillion per year.Abstract:
The services of ecological systems and the natural capital stocks that produce them are critical to the functioning of the Earth's life-support system. They contribute to human welfare, both directly and indirectly, and therefore represent part of the total economic value of the planet. We have estimated the current economic value of 17 ecosystem services for 16 biomes, based on published studies and a few original calculations. For the entire biosphere, the value (most of which is outside the market) is estimated to be in the range of US$16-54 trillion (10^(12)) per year, with an average of US$33 trillion per year. Because of the nature of the uncertainties, this must be considered a minimum estimate. Global gross national product total is around US$18 trillion per year.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Eutrophication in shallow coastal bays and lagoons: the role of plants in the coastal filter
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on one type of biotic feedback that influences eu- trophication patterns in coastal bays, and discuss the 2 aspects of plant-mediated nutrient cycling as eutrophica- tion induces a shift in primary producer dominance.
Journal ArticleDOI
Applying the ecosystem services concept to poverty alleviation: the need to disaggregate human well-being
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify four issues with examples from coastal ES in developing countries and propose a disaggregated analysis that focuses on who derives which benefits from ecosystems, and how such benefits contribute to the well-being of the poor.
Journal ArticleDOI
Commodifying what nature
TL;DR: In this paper, contemporary Marxist writings on the commodification of nature in capitalist societies are reviewed systematically and a typology of commodification processes relating to specific natures with specific effects to which a variety of criticisms can be applied.
BookDOI
Integrating the ecological and economic dimensions in biodiversity and ecosystem service valuation
R. de Groot,Brendan Fisher,Michael Christie,James Aronson,Leon Braat,Roy Haines-Young,John M. Gowdy,E. Maltby,A. Neuville,Stephen Polasky,Rosimeiry Portela,Irene Ring +11 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that diversity in biological diversity relates to the operations of ecosystems in at least three ways: 1. increase in diversity often leads to an increase in productivity due to complementary traits among species for resource use, and productivity itself underpins many ecosystem services, 2. increased diversity leads to increased response diversity (range of traits related to how species within the same functional group respond to environmental drivers) resulting in less variability in functioning over time as environment changes, and 3. idiosyncratic effects due to keystone species properties and unique trait-combinations which may result
Journal ArticleDOI
Methods for mapping ecosystem service supply: a review
TL;DR: It was found that regulating services were the most commonly mapped, followed by provisioning, cultural, and supporting services, and secondary data were used more frequently than primary data to map ES.
References
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Book
Using surveys to value public goods : the contingent valuation method
TL;DR: Mitchell and Carson as discussed by the authors argue that at this time the contingent valuation (CV) method offers the most promising approach for determining public willingness to pay for many public goods, an approach likely to succeed, if used carefully, where other methods may fail.
Journal ArticleDOI
Nature's services: societal dependence on natural ecosystems.
TL;DR: Nature's Services brings together world-renowned scientists from a variety of disciplines to examine the character and value of ecosystem services, the damage that has been done to them, and the consequent implications for human society.
Book
For The Common Good: Redirecting The Economy Towards Community, The Environment And A Sustainable Future
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the scale of human activity in the biosphere has grown too large and that change is needed in the approach to economic activity: "correction and expansion a more empirical and historical attitude less pretense on being science and willingness to subordinate the market to purposes that it is not geared to determine."
Journal ArticleDOI
Primary production required to sustain global fisheries
Daniel Pauly,Villy Christensen +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the mean of reported annual world fisheries catches for 1988-1991 (94.3 million t) was split into 39 species groups, to which fractional trophic levels, ranging from 1.0 (edible algae) to 4.2 (tunas), were assigned, based on 48 published Trophic models, providing a global coverage of six major aquatic ecosystem types.
Journal ArticleDOI
Natural Capital and Sustainable Development
Robert Costanza,Herman E. Daly +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a minimum necessary condition for sustainability is the maintenance of the total natural capital stock at or above the current level, to be relaxed only when solid evidence can be offered that it is safe to do so.