Earth Equity News

U.N. Study Puts Economic Value on Intact Ecosystems. By John M. Broder, NYTimes, 10/20/10. “Forests, fisheries, coral reefs, bee colonies and other natural assets carry large and unappreciated economic benefits as well as contributing to the diversity of the planet’s plant and animal life, according to a new study [The Economics of Biodiversity, PDF, 39 pp] from the United Nations Environment Program. The study, known as the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), is the result of three years of work led by the United Nations Environment Program and an effort to get governments and private businesses around the world to appreciate the value of nature and participate in efforts to preserve it. The report was released on Wednesday in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity, under way in Nagoya, Japan. The study found that forests, reefs and oceans account for 47 to 89 percent of the effective income of rural and poor households in many large developing countries. This source of income has generally been overlooked by many economists, who have focused on traditional sectors like manufacturing, mining, retailing, construction and energy generation.”