The importance of biodiversity and ecosystems in economic growth and equity in Latin America and the Caribbean : an economic valuation of ecosystems

Abstract

The Report’s approach is to analyze sectoral outputs at a micro-economic level, comparing costs and benefits between different types of natural resource production practices—those that take account of ecosystem services and those that do not. The Report has undertaken this analysis for several important sectors—agriculture, fisheries, forestry, tourism—as well as the cross-cutting protected areas and water services. Findings from the region are used to highlight costs of conventional practices and market opportunities for more sustainable practices, for example through certification labels. Findings show, on the one hand, that there are economic costs of degrading ecosystem services, which do not show up in economic indicators and, on the other hand, that there is an increased opportunity to generate income from conserving and marketing ecosystem services.