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Determining the insurance value of ecosystems: A discrete choice study on natural hazard protection by forests

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  • Unterberger, Christian
  • Olschewski, Roland

Abstract

Forest ecosystems provide multiple services. In mountainous regions, protection against gravitational hazards is of particular importance. By preventing soil erosion and functioning as natural barriers and buffers, forests protect the population and infrastructure against avalanches and rock falls. The higher the forests' capacity to regulate and withstand external disturbances and adverse effects the higher the insurance value they provide. To operationalize the insurance value approach and to integrate it into climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, information about supply and demand of this ecosystem service is required. While assessing the capacity of forests to provide protection services has been a longstanding research focus, knowledge about the population's demand for insurance services provided by forests is still lacking. Our study analyzes the preferences of beneficiaries of such services. We conducted a choice experiment in several Swiss municipalities exposed to avalanches and rock falls, accounting for different spatial and institutional contexts. We found that households are willing to pay a significant amount for forest management that enhances forests' insurance services and reduces natural hazard risks. The results help to inform decision making in natural hazard management, and represent a further step towards operationalizing the insurance value of ecosystems.

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  • Unterberger, Christian & Olschewski, Roland, 2021. "Determining the insurance value of ecosystems: A discrete choice study on natural hazard protection by forests," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:180:y:2021:i:c:s0921800920307783
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106866
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    2. Tingling Li & Kangning Xiong & Shan Yang & Haiyan Liu & Yao Qin & Zhifu Wang, 2021. "Progress and Prospects of Forest Ecological Asset Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Marielle Brunette & Marc Hanewinkel, 2021. "Assurance financière et assurance naturelle : une application à la forêt," Working Papers of BETA 2021-28, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    4. Hahn, Thomas & Sioen, Giles B. & Gasparatos, Alexandros & Elmqvist, Thomas & Brondizio, Eduardo & Gómez-Baggethun, Erik & Folke, Carl & Setiawati, Martiwi Diah & Atmaja, Tri & Arini, Enggar Yustisi & , 2023. "Insurance value of biodiversity in the Anthropocene is the full resilience value," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    5. Joshua Munkombwe & Jackson Phiri & Enock Siankwilimba, 2022. "Financial Innovation among Smallholder Farmers: Enhancing the uptake of Weather Index Insurance through a Pragmatic Approach," Journal of Social Sciences Advancement, Science Impact Publishers, vol. 3(1), pages 01-19.

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