Mainstreaming Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services into Development Policy

For sustainable development to become a reality, we must factor in natural capital into economic decision-making at all levels. By showcasing examples of success, this publication makes an important contribution to our understanding of how countries around the world can embark on a more sustainable future for all. Joyce Msuya, Acting Head of UN Environment and Assistant Secretary General, UN This collection of papers contains foundational material on a largely unchartered field of enquiry. On working through the chapters readers who have struggled all these years to understand the notion of sustainable development will wonder how and why it could have been that the field remained unexplored despite its central importance in people's lives. Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, Cambridge and Leader, Global Review of Biodiversity and Economy, HM Treasury, UK By highlighting advances in the science and practice of evaluating ecosystem services, this volume will help to improve decisions that affect natural capital. The case studies presented provide excellent examples of how this has been accomplished in countries throughout the world. Maureen Cropper, Distinguished University Professor and Economics Chair, University of Maryland, USA This book is an important milestone in presenting detailed case studies from around the world illustrating how ecosystem services values have successfully informed policy decisions. The lessons learned are instructive for all policy makers, practitioners and scholars wishing to understand how natural capital and ecosystems can be maintained and enhanced for a more sustainable world. Edward B. Barbier, Professor and Senior Scholar, School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, USA