The foundations of valuing ecosystems

摘要

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global study exploring the implications for economies and human welfare of the ongoing loss of biodiversity and negative changes to the world's ecosystems. Building on the heightened awareness of the value of ecosystems and their role in supporting human wellbeing as a result of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, TEEB was catalyzed in 2007 by the Stern Review which built a powerful economic case for action on climate change. As Pavan Sukhdev says in the Preface to this book, the root causes of biodiversity loss lie in the nature of our relationship with nature, and in our dominant economic model that promotes and rewards 'more versus better, private versus public wealth creation, man-made versus natural capital'. He goes on to say that society's 'almost total dependence on market prices to indicate value' effectively excludes a large part of nature's flows to the economy.