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Valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services: why linking economic values with Nature?

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  • Jean-Michel Salles

Abstract

The evaluation of ecosystems and biodiversity has become an important field of inquiry for economists. Although this development has been largely motivated by the search for arguments in favour of more ambitious conservation policies, both the methods and the meaning of the results continue to be controversial. This article aims to clarify the interests and limitations of this works, by revisiting a number of issues, such as the economic qualification of the services that human societies take from nature, the specificities of their contribution to human well-being, or the consequences of a valuation of biodiversity based on ecosystem services. We conclude with a discussion of the purposes of evaluations: improving public policies or creating new markets?

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  • Jean-Michel Salles, 2011. "Valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services: why linking economic values with Nature?," Working Papers 11-24, LAMETA, Universtiy of Montpellier, revised Dec 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:lam:wpaper:11-24
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    2. Luca Mulazzani & Rosa Manrique & Giulio Malorgio, 2015. "Community-Led Coastal Development and the Relationship between Human Activities and Ecosystem Services," 2015 EAFE (European Association of Fisheries Economists) Conference Papers 007, Nisea.
    3. Nurfatriani, Fitri & Darusman, Dudung & Nurrochmat, Dodik Ridho & Yustika, Ahmad Erani & Muttaqin, Muhammad Zahrul, 2015. "Redesigning Indonesian forest fiscal policy to support forest conservation," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 39-50.
    4. Jeffrey Wilson & Peter Tyedmers, 2013. "Rethinking What Counts. Perspectives on Wellbeing and Genuine Progress Indicator Metrics from a Canadian Viewpoint," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Kieslich, Marcus & Salles, Jean-Michel, 2021. "Implementation context and science-policy interfaces: Implications for the economic valuation of ecosystem services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    6. Andrea G. Capodaglio & Arianna Callegari, 2018. "Can Payment for Ecosystem Services Schemes Be an Alternative Solution to Achieve Sustainable Environmental Development? A Critical Comparison of Implementation between Europe and China," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Irene Alvarado-Quesada & Hans-Peter Weikard, 2017. "International Environmental Agreements for biodiversity conservation: a game-theoretic analysis," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 731-754, October.
    8. Roffeis, Martin & Fitches, Elaine C. & Wakefield, Maureen E. & Almeida, Joana & Alves Valada, Tatiana R. & Devic, Emilie & Koné, N’Golopé & Kenis, Marc & Nacambo, Saidou & Koko, Gabriel K.D. & Mathijs, 2020. "Ex-ante life cycle impact assessment of insect based feed production in West Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    9. Adam P. Hejnowicz & Murray A. Rudd, 2017. "The Value Landscape in Ecosystem Services: Value, Value Wherefore Art Thou Value?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-34, May.

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