Biodiversity report on the economics of ecosystem services urges governments to instill higher protection for natural systems. 

Replenishable water resources, diverse food supply, and clean air are just a few of the many benefits ecosystems provide. In the last few decades, land degradation and urbanization, in addition to other human activities, have placed many of these services in jeopardy. A new report analyzing the benefits of ecosystem services urges governments to broaden their conceptions of traditional goods and services to address ongoing environmental degradation. 

Commissioned by the UK Treasury, the Dasgupta Review widens interpretations of biodiversity loss and suggests that economies will suffer immense hardships with the continued and unmitigated destruction of nature. Most of this economic uncertainty is a result of the global dependence on ecosystems to provide services including clean water, medicines, and pollination. 

Partha Dasgupta a professor at the University of Cambridge, who presided over the review believes governments can reduce the possibility of future hardship by expanding beyond the metric of gross domestic product. He cites China’s use of a ‘gross ecosystem product’ that incorporates the values of ecosystems and natural resources. Dasgupta also recommends reducing specific behaviors, including food and water waste, and addressing gaps in education as steps in the right direction. 

In a statement, Jennifer Morris the CEO of the Nature Conservancy, alludes to the significance of the report’s findings, saying: 

[A] watershed moment for how we come to value the contributions made by nature across nearly every aspect of our lives.”

The economic benefits of biodiversity are especially relevant to island communities, many of which are already beginning to see what happens when the value of biodiversity is not accounted for. Island communities can often see first-hand how introduced invasive species not only threaten highly endangered animals but also individuals’ livelihoods and economic development. Climate change and continued disregard for biodiversity loss will only exacerbate the problem. Still, islands are a bright spot in biodiversity conservation, where isolated actions can have a substantial impact on wildlife and people. 

Featured Photo: A honey bee pollinating a sunflower. Credit: Markus Trienke 

Source: NewScientist