Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Attempts to put a dollar value on the natural world – so-called “natural capital” or “ecosystem services” – have produced some frankly staggering numbers. A seminal 1997 paper valued the world’s ecosystem services at US$33 trillion a year. This estimate was controversial, given that it dwarfed the entire global market economy, which at the time stood at roughly US$18 trillion a … [Read more...] about If Dollars Rule the World, Why Don’t the Bees Get a Bailout?

A few weeks ago, I represented the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BIO) Program at the first Natural Capital Summit in Stockholm. While the meeting’s attendants were few, they were strategically selected and the event is likely to have a significant impact on the future agenda of a community working to incorporate natural capital into development decisions. I can already … [Read more...] about Moving Forward the Natural Capital Agenda

When I first got the call asking me to take on the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Program (BIO), I had been looking for a way to refocus my work on biodiversity at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). I was intrigued by the opportunity to explore the implications of ecosystem services for our work as a development bank and decided to make a leap of faith. At the … [Read more...] about Welcome to Natural Capital!

The earth’s natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems collectively make up our planet’s Natural Capital, which is the foundation of socioeconomic development of current and future generations. Natural capital generates ecosystem services which make a direct contribution to human well-being. Ecosystem services are classified in four groups: Provisioning services are … [Read more...] about Understanding Natural Capital Accounting