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
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
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Journal ArticleDOI
Environmental functions as a unifying concept for ecology and economics.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that environmental functions are at least as important to human welfare as man-made goods and services and should, therefore, be included in economic accounting procedures to increase our understanding of the ecological and socioeconomic benefits of environmental functions to human society.
Journal ArticleDOI
Valuing environmental functions in developing countries
Bruce Aylward,Edward B. Barbier +1 more
TL;DR: The interface between ecology and economics is the valuation of environmental goods, services and attributes as discussed by the authors, which is the challenge presented by valuing environmental functions to ecologists and economists and synthesizes the methodological advances that have occurred.
Book ChapterDOI
Sustainable economic development: economic and ethical principles
RK Turner,David Pearce +1 more
TL;DR: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) had taken place in the summer of 1992, the primary focus for concern had shifted towards sink limits as mentioned in this paper, with relatively less emphasis on sink limits, i.e. pollution and the assimilative capacity of the biosphere.
Journal ArticleDOI
Economics and ecology : new frontiers and sustainable development
TL;DR: In this paper, economics and ecology -the next frontier of sustainable development -were studied in the context of small islands and the viewing value of elephants, and a framework for sustainable development was proposed.
BookDOI
Valuing the Environment: Six Case Studies
Jean-Philippe Barde,David Pearce +1 more
TL;DR: The importance of cost-benefit analysis as a tool for decision-making on environmental policy has been discussed in this article, where the authors present a review of the use of benefit estimates in the Environmental Benefit Estimation Studies in Norway and the Netherlands.