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
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100.
Osvaldo E. Sala,F. S. Chapin,Juan J. Armesto,Eric L. Berlow,Janine Bloomfield,Rodolfo Dirzo,E Huber-Sanwald,Laura Foster Huenneke,Robert B. Jackson,Ann P. Kinzig,Rik Leemans,David M. Lodge,Harold A. Mooney,Martín Oesterheld,N L Poff,Martin T. Sykes,Brian Walker,Marilyn D. Walker,Diana H. Wall +18 more
TL;DR: This study identified a ranking of the importance of drivers of change, aranking of the biomes with respect to expected changes, and the major sources of uncertainties in projections of future biodiversity change.
Journal ArticleDOI
Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges
David Dudgeon,Angela Arthington,Mark O. Gessner,Zen'ichiro Kawabata,Duncan Knowler,Christian Lévêque,Robert J. Naiman,Anne-Hélène Prieur-Richard,Doris Soto,Melanie L. J. Stiassny,Caroline A Sullivan +10 more
TL;DR: This article explores the special features of freshwater habitats and the biodiversity they support that makes them especially vulnerable to human activities and advocates continuing attempts to check species loss but urges adoption of a compromise position of management for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem functioning and resilience, and human livelihoods.
Journal ArticleDOI
A typology for the classification, description and valuation of ecosystem functions, goods and services
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual framework and typology for describing, classifying and valuing ecosystem functions, goods and services in a clear and consistent manner is presented. And a classification is given for the fullest possible range of 23 ecosystem functions.
Journal ArticleDOI
Consequences of changing biodiversity
F. Stuart Chapin,Erika S. Zavaleta,Valerie T. Eviner,Rosamond L. Naylor,Peter M. Vitousek,Heather L. Reynolds,David U. Hooper,Sandra Lavorel,Osvaldo E. Sala,Sarah E. Hobbie,Michelle C. Mack,Sandra Díaz +11 more
TL;DR: The large ecological and societal consequences of changing biodiversity should be minimized to preserve options for future solutions to global environmental problems.
Journal ArticleDOI
Changes in the global value of ecosystem services
Robert Costanza,Rudolph de Groot,Paul C. Sutton,Paul C. Sutton,Sander van der Ploeg,Sharolyn Anderson,Ida Kubiszewski,Stephen Farber,R. Kerry Turner +8 more
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provided an updated estimate based on updated unit ecosystem service values and land use change estimates between 1997 and 2011, using the same methods as in the 1997 paper but with updated data, the estimate for the total global ecosystem services in 2011 is $125 trillion/yr (assuming updated unit values and changes to biome areas).
References
More filters
Book ChapterDOI
The Biosphere and Man
TL;DR: This volume deals with the characterization of the biosphere as a whole in terms of productivity and related properties, and consideration of man’s relationship to theBiosphere.
Book
Economic Values and the Natural World
TL;DR: In this paper, a comparative economics of environmental conservation valuation and global environmental problems is presented, where the authors compare valuation and discounting valuation in practice comparative economics for environmental conservation and environmental problems.
Journal ArticleDOI
Economic growth and quality of life: a threshold hypothesis
TL;DR: The inverted U-shaped curves that presumably result from the observation that "as income goes up there is an increasing environmental degradation up to a point, after which environmental quality improves" seem to be merely anecdotes that don't make history.
Journal ArticleDOI
Valuation and management of wetland ecosystems
TL;DR: In this article, a study of wetland values in coastal Louisiana was conducted, which employed both willingness-to-pay and energy analysis-based methodologies and were able to bracket a range of values within which they feel fairly confident the true value lies.
Journal ArticleDOI
Issues in ecosystem valuation: improving information for decision making
Gail Bingham,Richard C. Bishop,Michael Brody,Daniel W. Bromley,Edwin H. Clark,William E. Cooper,Robert Costanza,Thomas Hale,Gregory Hayden,Stephen R. Kellert,Richard B. Norgaard,Bryan G. Norton,John W. Payne,Clifford S. Russell,Glenn W. Suter +14 more
TL;DR: The Ecosystem Valuation Forum was organized as a dialogue because it has been clear from the outset that agreement even on the meaning of the term "ecosystem valuation" could not be taken for granted as discussed by the authors.