Blue Planet Prize Story

Value of Ecosystem Services

Throughout our daily lives we benefit from air, water, soil, plants and animals, and enjoy the natural landscapes. We tend to take them for granted, but in reality, they hold immense value. Professor Robert Costanza assessed the value of ecosystem services based on science, and provided guidelines for building a sustainable future for humanity and the Earth.

Professor Costanza expressed the services that the ecosystems provide to human society in monetary units, demonstrating that their total was greater than the global GDP (the sum of each country's gross domestic product [GDP]). His research has significantly influenced the protection of the natural environment and the realization of a sustainable society, serving as a driving force to encourage policy-makers and the general public to address global environmental issues.

Professor Robert Costanza

Index

1. Early Childhood: Growing with Nature

2. From Architecture to Ecological Economics

3. The Challenges of Demonstrating the Value of Ecosystem Services

4. Development of New Indicators to Measure Happiness