Economic Valuation of Wetland Ecosystem Services in Practice

In the last decade a growing number of environmental scientists have advocated economic valuation of ecosystem services as a pragmatic short-term strategy to communicate the value of biodiversity in a language that reflects dominant political and economic views. This paper revisits the controversy on economic valuation of ecosystem services in the light of two aspects that are often neglected in ongoing debates. First, the role of the particular institutional setup in which environmental policy and governance is currently embedded in shaping valuation outcomes. Second, the broader economic and sociopolitical processes that have governed the expansion of pricing into previously non-marketed areas of the environment. Our analysis suggests that within the institutional setup and broader sociopolitical processes that have become prominent since the late 1980s economic valuation is likely to pave the way for the commodification of ecosystem services with potentially counterproductive effects in the long term for biodiversity conservation and equity of access to ecosystem services benefits.

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Economic Valuation of Freshwater Ecosystem Services in the United States: 1971-1997

Ecological Applications ◽

10.2307/2641328 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 772 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Matthew A. Wilson ◽

Stephen R. Carpenter

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Economic Valuation ◽

The United States ◽

Freshwater Ecosystem

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Lake and wetland ecosystem services measuring water storage and local climate regulation

Water Resources Research ◽

10.1002/2016wr019445 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 3197-3223 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Christina P. Wong ◽

Bo Jiang ◽

Theodore J. Bohn ◽

Kai N. Lee ◽

Dennis P. Lettenmaier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Water Storage ◽

Wetland Ecosystem ◽

Local Climate ◽

Climate Regulation

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Ecosystem Services – Examples of Their Valuation Methods in Czech Republic and Slovakia

Change and Adaptation in Socio-Ecological Systems ◽

10.2478/cass-2014-0008 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Zuzana Sarvašová ◽

Miroslav Kovalčík ◽

Zuzana Dobšinská ◽

Jaroslav Šálka ◽

Vilém Jarský

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Consumer Preferences ◽

Economic Valuation ◽

Policy Support ◽

Ecological Evaluation ◽

Valuation Methods ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Exchange Value ◽

Ecological Valuation ◽

Production Approach

AbstractThis literature review deals with the understanding of ecosystem services related to the question of their applicability and appropriate methods for their valuation. We distinguish between ecological valuation methods that aim to assess the significance of landscape characteristics, conventional economic, i.e. monetary valuation and non-monetizing valuation or assessment. Ecological evaluation methods derive values by following a cost of production approach which neglects consumer preferences. Economic valuation methods focus on the exchange value of ecosystem services, i.e. they are based on consumer preferences, but do not adequately take into account the complex internal structure of ecosystems. We conclude that – from the view of implementation of ecosystem services for policy support and consulting – successful valuation approaches should particularly consider the relationships between economic, ecological and social aspects of ecosystem services’ provision.

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