A Handbook for Understanding Natural Capital - Earth Economics

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introduction In one form or another, humans have always lived off the land. Our ancestors had a very direct connection with the Earth’s resources, foraging for food and materials to create clothing, shelter, and tools. Today, though many people have never had the experience of plucking a berry off a huckleberry bush in the mountains, we are still dependent upon the planet’s natural resources to survive. We drink water and breathe air filtered by forests. We take medicines derived from plants and trees. We find badly needed respite from the workaday world in natural settings like parks and woodland trails. It is an unfortunate fact that the natural resources we depend upon are being depleted at an alarming rate, and that unless people recognize the enormous value of the Earth’s natural systems, they will disappear. Sadly, the value of our planet’s natural resources has historically been ignored or seriously underestimated when crucial decisions have been made about where and how to best invest in a healthy future.
Things are changing! Exciting methods are being developed to assign dollar values to fresh air, clean water, and flood control— just some of the many benefits provided by healthy ecosystems. Work is being done to give natural systems like waterways, forests, and soil the same importance and critical economic value as human-built systems like roads, dams, and water filtration plants. When policy and decision makers understand the value of the services provided by a healthy ecosystem, they can justify spending the money and resources needed to keep the ecosystem functioning for future generations. This handbook explores and explains the relationship between human economies and natural systems, and provides an understanding of the historic disconnect between the environment and the economy. It introduces new tools and principles that recognize the economic importance of our planet’s natural systems and provides mechanisms to foster the changes needed to preserve our planet’s precious natural resources.
Page 1 and 2: WHAT IS YOUR PLANET WORTH A Handboo
Page 3: suggested citation Schrier, A. V.,
Page 7 and 8: BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM Wha
Page 9 and 10: WHAT DO WE PAY FOR THESE SERVICES T
Page 11 and 12: SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM As ecosyste
Page 13 and 14: Built Capital Natural Capital Defin
Page 15 and 16: s in action WATERSHEDS The federal
Page 17: s in action MANGROVE FORESTS Mangro
Page 21 and 22: MAKING A CASE FOR INVESTING IN ECOS
Page 23: Are Values of Ecosystem Services th
Page 26 and 27: Who uses Ecosystem Service Valuatio
Page 28 and 29: The Ecosystem Valuation Toolkit: St
Page 31 and 32: IS CALCULATING AN ECOSYSTEM’S VAL
Page 33: Creative Funding Concepts Engage th
Page 37 and 38: ABOUT EARTH ECONOMICS Since 1998, t
Page 39 and 40: Resource Primary Developer Descript
Page 41 and 42: CITATIONS 1 Vitousek, P., Ehrlich,
Page 43 and 44: IMAGE CITATIONS PAGE CITATION PAGE

A Handbook for Understanding Natural Capital - Earth Economics

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