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Accounting for Ecosystem Services

Date = February 6, 2014
tags <ESM102>

Services provided by ecosystems

Provisioning (such as water supply, clean air, agriculture)

Regulatory (such as regulation of water flows, climate)

Cultural (such recreation and aesthetic values)

 

Value of the world's ecosystem services

  • Costanza et al. 1997
  • based on 17 ecosystem services in 16 biomes
  • published values and calculations
  • outside what is currently considered in the economic calculations
  • range of US$ 16 - 54 trillion, average $US 33 trillion
  • world's gross national product is about US$ 18 trillion

 

How to establish a value for those services - the method

  • not calculated at zero - zero natural capital would lead to zero human welfare
  • marginal value - what an incremental addition or loss would be valued at
  • willingness to pay studies

Table: 16 BIOMES by 17 ecosystem service values

BIOME

area

ha * 10^6

value per ha for each function tot val per ha

total value

10^9 $ per year

gas reg climate distrub etc
Open ocean 33,200 values go in   252 8,381
Coastal 3,102 these cells    

4052

 

12,568
Terrestrial 15,323         804 12,319
Wetlands 330            
etc              
TOTAL 51,625           $33,268

 

There is not an equal distribution of ecosystem services

ecosytem services across the world

from Costanza et al 1997

Examples of comparison for freshwater services

Portland area - Lents

  • identify benefits from flood abatement project (which is expected to cost $35 million)
  • costs from 10 year nusisance floods
    • traffic problems and business losses ($500,000 per event)
    • residential damage ($50,000 per event)
    • utilities ($10,000 per event)
    • road closures
    • city costs for ($5000 per event)
    • avoided flooding beneft - $15 million over 100 years
  • identify benefits to ecosystem services (besides avoiding floods), including:
    • thermal regulation of stream
    • cleaner air
    • carbon storage
    • bird and fish habitat
    • recreation
    • ecosystem services benefits = $16 million
  • sum these values - $31 million over the next 100 years

 

Water ecosystem services and poverty under climate change

  • International Institute for Environment and Development (UK)
  • water problems for poor people are exacerbated by the abuse of ecosystem services
  • set a research agenda that provides information to manage these resources
    • governance
    • variability and vulnerability
    • land use change
    • hydrology
    • market instruments

 

References:

Mayers, J., et al. 2009. Water ecosystem services and poverty under climate change: Key issues and research priorities. International Institute for Environment and Development. London, UK Natural Resource Issues No. 17.

Costanza et al. 1997. The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature 387 (May 15): 253-260

David Evans and Associates. 2004. Comparative valuation of ecosystem services: Lents project case study. Prepared for City of Portland, Watershed Management Program.