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A new report has found that the economic benefits of protecting 30 percent of the planet outweighs the cost by a ratio of at least 5-to-1. The report offers new evidence that nature conservation drives economic growth, delivers key non-monetary benefits, and is a net contributor to a resilient global economy.
The report analyzes the financial and non-monetary benefits of protected areas. Ecosystem services of protected areas include benefits like climate change mitigation, flood protection, clean water provision, and soil conservation. Analysis shows that additional protections would lead to an average of $250 billion in increased economic output annually and an average of $350 billion in improved ecosystem services annually compared with the status quo.
“Our report shows that protection in today’s economy brings in more revenue than the alternatives and likely adds revenue to agriculture and forestry, while helping prevent climate change, water crises, biodiversity loss and disease... You cannot put a price tag on nature — but the economic numbers point to its protection,” said Anthony Waldron of the University of Cambridge, the lead author of the report.
The new research comes as politicians and governments around the globe begin to recognize the urgent calls of the scientific community to protect 30 percent of the world by 2030 (30x30) in order to prevent the collapse of natural systems. Here in the United States, the effort is led in Congress by Senator Tom Udall and Representative Deb Haaland.
Is this the end of new pipelines, and the beginning of a renewable era?
It's been a tough week for fossil fuels. Three major pipeline projects faced setbacks or were defeated, reflecting difficult legal headwinds, shifting economies, and growing demands to fight climate change. The week of major announcements has caused some activists to say that they see a turning point in their battle against fossil fuels: the events are likely to cause utilities to see renewable energy as a safer bet than fossil fuels, and the ruling for additional environmental review on the Dakota Access pipeline after it has been in use for years may end the current 'build first' strategy of developers.
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The flaring and the venting need to be controlled to protect the community members out here. Community members are suffering from asthma, nausea... People, they complain about headaches and dizziness and all that.”
