People & Ecosystems

Forests

Poverty & Equity

Ecosystem Services

Sustainable Business & Markets

Ecosystem Data, Maps & Tools

Ecosystems and human well-being are inextricably linked. Human well-being has significantly improved over the last two centuries – the majority of people lead longer, healthier lives. Ecosystem goods and services – the benefits provided by nature like fresh water, clean air, fuel, food, medicine, and timber – have underpinned most of these improvements. However, three main problems threaten the ability of ecosystems to support human well-being:

• The growing demand for ecosystem goods and services is placing unprecedented stress on ecosystems.
• Governance at the local, regional, and global levels does not foster effective stewardship of ecosystem goods and services.
• The benefits of ecosystems are not equitably distributed and the costs of ecosystem degradation are largely borne by the resource-dependent poor in rural areas.

To tackle these problems, WRI’s People & Ecosystems Program creates innovative, practical, and decision-relevant solutions that aim to halt and reverse ecosystem degradation while sustaining their capacity to provide humans with the goods and services we need.