Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Caitlin Hinson, Jimmy O'Keeffe, Ana Mijic, John Bryden, Jessica Van Grootveld, Alexandra M. Collins
Summary: The rights for people to be involved in environmental decision making have long been established, but collaborative resource management has had mixed success. Natural capital and ecosystem services concepts can facilitate participation in decision making by explicitly describing the role of the environment in sustaining society. However, there is limited engagement of stakeholders in decision-making processes using these concepts. Stakeholder involvement methods include focus group discussion, negotiation, and mapping. More evaluation is needed to ensure efficient and productive stakeholder engagement in using natural capital and ecosystem services.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yaowen Zhang, Kehao Chen, Zhenci Xu, Kai Fang, Guanqiong Ye
Summary: This study evaluated the value of marine natural capital in coastal areas of China and found regional disparities. The results provide important reference for policy and strategy development for sustainable marine resource exploitation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Yongyao Li, Kangning Xiong, Wenfang Zhang, Shuzhen Song, Lu Luo
Summary: This study focuses on the contiguous region of karst desertification in Yunnan-Guangxi-Guizhou, China to analyze the structural and spatial characteristics of grassland ecosystem products in the karst desertification control. Based on the findings, recommendations for economic decision-making are proposed. The results of this study can provide guidance for the management of grassland ecosystem services in similar karst areas.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Marcello Hernandez-Blanco, Robert Costanza, Haojie Chen, Dolf deGroot, Diane Jarvis, Ida Kubiszewski, Javier Montoya, Kamaljit Sangha, Natalie Stoeckl, Kerry Turner, Vince van't Hoff
Summary: This study reviews the relationship between ecosystem health and ecosystem services and presents a logical framework to explain their interaction. Through analyzing case studies and relevant data, it was found that there is a lack of records on ecosystem health. Finally, the United Nations' System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and its incorporation of ecosystem health are described, along with recommendations for improvement.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Holger Janes, Peter Macreadie, Justin Rizzari, Daniel Ierodioconou, Simon E. Reeves, Patrick G. Dwyer, Paul E. Carnell
Summary: This study in Australia's Richmond River Estuary found that estuarine producers contribute at least 78% of the total annual catch of seven commercially important fish, with sea mullet and mud crab contributing 95% of the catch and 93% of the value. The study highlights the importance of estuarine producers to commercial fisheries production and the economy, emphasizing the need for preservation and restoration of coastal habitats threatened by land clearing and urbanization.
Article
Business, Finance
Hangsuck Lee, Doojin Ryu, Jihoon Son
Summary: This paper proposes a risk-adjusted valuation approach for workers at retirement risk to make decisions in an overlapping generations economy. The method suggests that workers use greater weights on their retirement cash flows to assess the residual lifetime income, and can be consistently applied to value financial and non-financial assets, providing optimal investment strategies for workers.
FINANCE RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Matthew C. Harwell, Chloe A. Jackson
Summary: A conceptual framework is helpful in understanding the information needed for supporting decision-making regarding ecosystem services. Principles of structured decision making can influence different aspects of decision context, leading to changes in environment, human health, and well-being. The US EPA's two-decade research on ecosystem services highlights recent advances that benefit people directly.
Article
Ecology
Nadia Selene Zamboni, Eurico Mesquita Noleto Filho, Adriana Rosa Carvalho
Summary: Wetlands and mangroves are the most quantified and valued ecosystems globally, with Europe focusing more on recreation services and storm-prone countries prioritizing coastal protection. The most commonly used valuation methods are willingness to pay and market values. There is a positive relationship between the economic values of ecosystem services and GDP and HDI indicators.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Chaozhi Hao, Shuyao Wu, Wentao Zhang, Yuqing Chen, Yaofa Ren, Xin Chen, Hao Wang, Linbo Zhang
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status and problems of Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) accounting practices in China. The accuracy and comparability of GEP accounting are major challenges that require both long-term and short-term improvements. The adaptation of GEP accounting index screening principles is suggested as a possible solution to apply GEP results in decision-making.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Estelle J. Dominati, Alec D. Mackay, John M. Rendel, Andrew Wall, David A. Norton, Jennifer Pannell, Brian Devantier
Summary: The research evaluated the implications of advancing a biodiversity enhancement programme on the financial and environmental performance of three mixed livestock farms in New Zealand. Shifting farmland from grazing to biodiversity enhancement affects farm system design and livestock policy, leading to changes in revenue and value. Despite a decline in revenue, net present value and annuity over 10 years, the implementation of the biodiversity enhancement programme resulted in a small increase in annuity per hectare grazed for two of the three farms studied. Additionally, the study found that biodiversity enhancement has the potential to improve aesthetics, increase sense of place, and provide other ecosystem services like regulating greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient retention.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Hangsuck Lee, Doojin Ryu, Jihoon Son
Summary: This study proposes a new overlapping generations model that incorporates insurance into economic decisions, especially under the uncertainty of financial losses. The findings show that an increasing workforce and technological progress lead to higher demand for private insurance, while higher losses as a fraction of output increase the demand for social insurance.
INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Flavia Bonfietti Izidoro, Alexandre Schiavetti
Summary: This study aimed to determine the willingness to pay of the community and visitors for the conservation of the West Indian manatee, identify the revenue from manatee watching, and evaluate well-being according to the participants of this attraction. Data were collected using questionnaires and specific forms for the seven categories of social actors involved with manatee watching. The contingent valuation method was used to evaluate the willingness to pay of the respondents for the conservation of the manatee.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Studies
Stephen B. Stewart, Anthony P. O'Grady, Daniel S. Mendham, Greg S. Smith, Philip J. Smethurst
Summary: Agroforestry is a nature-based solution with potential for improving sustainability and resilience in agricultural systems. However, quantifying its benefits is challenging due to landscape complexity and diverse management approaches. Existing digital tools for agroforestry focus on timber and crop production, rather than the broader range of ecosystem services and natural capital. Our review identifies and evaluates 63 tools, finding that no single tool is best suited for quantifying benefits across all themes. Model complexity, spatial processes, accessibility, regional applicability, development speed, and interoperability present significant challenges. We recommend addressing these challenges as opportunities to enhance decision support in agroforestry systems.
Article
Economics
Dale T. Manning, Amy Ando
Summary: This study calculates the welfare impacts of a change in unpriced natural capital using land rental market data and examines the cost of white-nose syndrome (WNS) on agriculture. The loss of bats due to WNS leads to a decrease in land rental rates and agricultural land, with estimated annual losses ranging between $426 and $495 million.
JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMISTS
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aline F. Rodrigues, Agnieszka E. Latawiec, Brian J. Reid, Alexandro Solorzano, Azeneth E. Schuler, Carine Lacerda, Elaine C. C. Fidalgo, Fabio R. Scarano, Fernanda Tubenchlak, Ingrid Pena, Jose Luis Vicente-Vicente, Katarzyna A. Korys, Miguel Cooper, Nelson F. Fernandes, Rachel B. Prado, Veronica Maioli, Viviane Dib, Wenceslau G. Teixeira
Summary: The research in tropical regions on soil ecosystem services (SES) has highlighted the importance of the approach but also shown a lack of consistent framework for defining SES. Most studies focus on measuring soil natural capital and processes, with only a few undertaking monetary valuation. Despite an increase in publications, there is still a significant knowledge gap regarding SES approaches in tropical regions, suggesting an opportunity for integration into policy and practice to improve land use decisions and ecosystem protection.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Economics
P. J. Verkerk, R. Costanza, L. Hetemaki, I Kubiszewski, P. Leskinen, G. J. Nabuurs, J. Potocnik, M. Palahi
FOREST POLICY AND ECONOMICS
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Robert Costanza
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2020)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mauricio Gonzalez-Chang, Stephen D. Wratten, Morgan W. Shields, Robert Costanza, Matteo Dainese, Geoff M. Gurr, Janine Johnson, Daniel S. Karp, Jan Willem Ketelaar, Jerry Nboyine, Jules Pretty, Ryan Rayl, Harpinder Sandhu, Mark Walker, Wenwu Zhou
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2020)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Robert Costanza, Paul W. B. Atkins, Marcello Hernandez-Blanco, Ida Kubiszewski
Summary: Ecosystems provide various benefits to humans, and natural capital should be considered common property. Private property regimes and markets are inadequate for sustainable management, and systems should be better managed as commons with more nuanced property rights and Common Asset Trusts.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Milo Costanza-van den Belt, Tayanah O'Donnell, Robert Webb, Eleanor Robson, Robert Costanza, Jiaqian Ling, Sarah Crowe, Hao Han
Summary: Civil society engagement is crucial for urban systems transformation that meets community needs. The process involved cross-sectoral workshops and interviews with key stakeholders to create a shared vision, followed by an online survey for broader community feedback. The survey results supported the major conclusions of the national workshop, emphasizing the importance of transparent decision-making processes, waste and pollution reduction, and sustainable housing and transport alternatives.
Article
Ecology
Raleigh R. Hood, Gary W. Shenk, Rachel L. Dixon, Sean M. C. Smith, William P. Ball, Jesse O. Bash, Rich Batiuk, Kathy Boomer, Damian C. Brady, Carl Cerco, Peter Claggett, Kim de Mutsert, Zachary M. Easton, Andrew J. Elmore, Marjorie A. M. Friedrichs, Lora A. Harris, Thomas F. Ihde, Lara Lacher, Li Li, Lewis C. Linker, Andrew Miller, Julia Moriarty, Gregory B. Noe, George E. Onyullo, Kenneth Rose, Katie Skalak, Richard Tian, Tamie L. Veith, Lisa Wainger, Donald Weller, Yinglong Joseph Zhang
Summary: The Chesapeake Bay is the largest, most productive, and most biologically diverse estuary in the continental United States, but it is negatively impacted by excessive nutrient and sediment inputs from human activities. The Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique partnership created to guide and promote restoration efforts, with a focus on improving simulation of watershed inputs and estuarine water quality to enhance local nutrient and sediment management plans. Effective collaborations among stakeholders and transparent processes are emphasized for successful modeling system improvements and better communication of outcomes.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel J. Read, Alexandra Carroll, Lisa A. Wainger
Summary: Background. Outreach events such as trainings, demonstrations, and workshops are important opportunities for encouraging private land operators to adopt voluntary conservation practices. However, understanding the effectiveness of such events at influencing conservation behavior is difficult due to the likelihood that attendees are already interested in conservation. Methods. In this study, interviews with operators of private agricultural lands in Maryland, USA, revealed that non-adopters tended to attend events providing production-relevant information and were easy to attend. Results. Non-adopters were more selective in reading advertisements, preferring simplicity. Future research and outreach efforts can benefit from these findings by testing simple and relevant messages to farmers.
Article
Development Studies
Ida Kubiszewski, Kenneth Mulder, Diane Jarvis, Robert Costanza
Summary: In 2015, all 193 member states of the UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide and improve sustainable wellbeing for everyone. Research shows that a small number of proxy variables can explain a large amount of variation in life satisfaction across countries, helping to understand and measure the impact of sustainable development on wellbeing.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Matthew W. Gray, Stephanie T. Alexander, Brian F. Beal, Tom Bliss, Colleen A. Burge, Jacob A. Cram, Michael De Luca, James Dumhart, Patricia M. Glibert, Michael Gonsior, Andrew Heyes, Klaus B. Huebert, Vyacheslav Lyubchich, Katherine McFarland, Matt Parker, Louis Plough, Eric J. Schott, Lisa A. Wainger, Gary H. Wikfors, Ami E. Wilbur
Summary: Shellfish hatcheries play a crucial role in US aquaculture production, but hatchery crashes remain a persistent and understudied problem. Through case studies and data analysis, this research aims to uncover the causes of crashes and propose potential solutions.
Article
Ecology
Firouzeh Taghikhah, Justin Borevitz, Robert Costanza, Alexey Voinov
Summary: Threats to sustainable food production are increasing due to various factors, and understanding and managing agro-ecosystems is crucial for future wellbeing. The Dynamic Agro-Ecosystem Simulation (DAESim) model can simulate and assess the dynamics of soil health and analyze management options.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Marcello Hernandez-Blanco, Robert Costanza, Haojie Chen, Dolf deGroot, Diane Jarvis, Ida Kubiszewski, Javier Montoya, Kamaljit Sangha, Natalie Stoeckl, Kerry Turner, Vince van't Hoff
Summary: This study reviews the relationship between ecosystem health and ecosystem services and presents a logical framework to explain their interaction. Through analyzing case studies and relevant data, it was found that there is a lack of records on ecosystem health. Finally, the United Nations' System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and its incorporation of ecosystem health are described, along with recommendations for improvement.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mehdi Pourpeikari Heris, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Austin R. Troy, Jarlath P. M. O'Neil-Dunne
Summary: The National Land Cover Database (NLCD) provides time-series data characterizing the land surface for the United States, including land cover and tree canopy cover. Study finds that NLCD underestimates tree canopy cover in urban areas, with a greater underestimation in higher-density urban areas. By using various datasets, the accuracy of NLCD-TC can be improved. Additionally, the study shows the importance of improved urban tree cover data in urban environmental models.
Article
Forestry
Austin Troy, Jason Moghaddas, David Schmidt, J. Shane Romsos, David B. Sapsis, William Brewer, Tadashi Moody
Summary: This study used two datasets and logistic regression models to examine the structural and parcel characteristics that determine structure survival in wildfires. The results indicated that structural hardness, newer buildings, and higher improvement values were associated with higher rates of survival, while mobile homes were more likely to be destroyed. The impact of fuel mitigation on structure survival was inconclusive.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haojie Chen, Robert Costanza, Ida Kubiszewski
Summary: Accounting values play an important role in assessing macroeconomic aggregates and ecosystem services. Joint evaluation and integration of ecosystem services values help inform sustainable decision-making and connect environmental impacts with human wellbeing. Future research should focus on comprehensive valuation methods and understanding the contributions of protected areas to sustainable wellbeing and human interdependence with nature.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ida Kubiszewski, Caroline Ward, Kate E. Pickett, Robert Costanza
Summary: Biodiversity change and increasing within-country economic inequalities are two major global challenges. The most marginalized in society are vulnerable to biodiversity change, but the relationship between biodiversity change and economic inequalities is not clear. A systematic scoping review found 27 studies that examined the relationships between economic inequality and biodiversity. Most studies found that more unequal regions had lower biodiversity levels, while wealthier areas had higher biodiversity levels. However, causal mechanisms and metrics used varied, and more research is needed to understand the interaction between economic inequality and biodiversity.
ANTHROPOCENE REVIEW
(2023)