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[Target Audience: 10 years and older]
Quiz game!
Q1: What are "ecosystem services"?
Q2: How did Professor Costanza express the value of nature?
Answer:
Q1: What are "ecosystem services"?
Answer: 2. Services that nature provides to humans
Ecosystem services are the various benefits that nature provides to humans, such as air purification and water supply.
Q2: How did Professor Costanza express the value of nature?
Answer: 2. He expressed it in monetary units.
Professor Costanza expressed the benefits that nature provides to humans (the value of ecosystem services) in monetary units to show how important ecosystem services are.
Important points!
Ecosystem services are the benefits that nature provides to humans. For example, forests purify air; rivers and lakes provide water.
Professor Costanza expressed the value of ecosystem services in monetary units to show the impact of the loss of nature on society.
Ecosystem services are immeasurably important for our lives.
More details
Impact of Recognizing the Value of Nature on Economic Activities
Recently, ecosystem services have become an important factor in weighing economic activities. The benefits provided by forests, wetlands, and oceans were once considered free resources, separate from economic activities. However, as environmental risks have become more serious, many efforts to integrate ecosystem services into economic activities have been moving forward.
Carbon Credits and Forest Conservation
For example, "carbon credits" (certification of reduced carbon emissions) allow the carbon dioxide absorbed by forests to be traded as a unit of monetary value. When a company supports a forest conservation project, credits based on the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the project are issued to the company. These credits can be used to offset the company's carbon dioxide emissions or sold to another company. This framework has enabled the carbon dioxide absorbed by forests to be incorporated into economic activities.
Growth of Eco-tourism
Within the tourism industry, ecosystem service's value has become well recognized. Eco-tourism is an activity in which travelers enjoy the natural environment, learn about its value, and support conservation efforts. For example, tourists visiting coral reefs and tropical rainforests can contribute funds for their preservation. These approaches make it possible to secure environmental conservation and achieve economic benefits from tourism.
International Initiatives
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN include the following goals related to ecosystem services:
- Goal 13: Climate Action
- Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Goal 15: Life on Land
These goals emphasize that protecting the value of nature is essential for the sustainable development of the Earth as a whole. To achieve the SDGs, countries have adopted a wide range of approaches to integrate the value of ecosystem services into their own economic activities.