Topic: ecosystem services

WHAT: For the sixth straight year, World Resources Institute President Jonathan Lash will hold a briefing to preview which key environmental issues to watch in the year ahead.

Three key services provided by coral reefs and mangroves in Belize are worth an estimated US$395 million to US$559 million per year, according to a report released today by the World Resources Institute and the World Wildlife Fund.

Annual Economic Contribution of Coral Reefs and Mangroves in Belize

This study evaluated the average annual contribution of reef- and mangrove-associated tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection services to the economy of Belize.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a collaboration to deliver improved science and practical tools to help companies and governments protect ecosystems and address climate change.

Development and the environment have traditionally been managed separately, but a new report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) guides decision makers in how this can be reconciled to increase

The development of a global system of marine protected areas (MPAs) lags far behind that of the terrestrial biosphere in both the extent and the effectiveness of its coverage.

Southeast Asia’s scientists, researchers, and political figures are emphasizing the importance of restoring mangrove forests, one of nature’s strongest defenses against natural disasters.

Ecosystems provide a wealth of services to human populations, among them, disease regulation. But narrowly-focused development projects can threaten these ecosystems and put entire populations at risk.

Many companies lack the capacity to deal with natural resource constraints, according to a survey by the consultancy McKinsey & Company.

When it comes to allocating money for conservation, reverse auctions can help governments get the biggest bang for their buck.

The cost of grain-based staples–such as tortillas in Mexico, beef noodles in western China, and bread in the United States–has increased around the world. There are several reasons why prices have jumped, but there’s one getting a lot of attention: the global rush for bioenergy.

It is estimated that desertification, a process of land degradation that occurs in dryland ecosystems due to overexploitation and land mismanagement, now costs China about $2-3 billion each year.

What is Reefs at Risk and why is it unique?

Ecosystems provide many tangible benefits–or “ecosystem services”–to people around the world. WRI is helping governments, businesses, and multilateral development banks include these ecosystem services in their decision-making, with the ultimate goal of reducing ecosystem degradation around the world.

Direct annual economic benefits of tourism and fisheries resulting from coral reefs amounts to US$94 million in St. Lucia and US$44 million in Tobago. Those numbers amount to 11 percent and 15 percent of those Caribbean islands’ yearly gross-domestic product.

MEDIA ADVISORY: WRI’s Jonathan Lash to Gauge Environmental "Stories to Watch" for 2009

Belize’s Reefs and Mangroves Tagged with High Economic Value

Belize's Coastal Capital: The Economic Contribution of Belize's Coral Reefs and Mangroves

EPA Partners With WRI to Heighten Awareness of Ecosystem Services

Decisions about Nature and Development Must Be Made at Same Table, WRI Report Finds

Marine Protected Areas of the World

Natural Coastline Defense: Mangrove Forests in Southeast Asia

When Development Causes Disease: Linking Ecosystems and Human Health

Developing Corporate Capacity to Respond to Ecosystem Degradation

A Better Way for the U.S. Government to Clean Our Water

Food or Fuel? The Bioenergy Dilemma

Swallowed by Sand: China's Billion-Dollar Battle Against Desertification

Reefs at Risk +10

What is Reefs at Risk and why is it unique?

Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services Initiative (MESI)

High Economic Values Placed on Coral Reefs in Tobago and St. Lucia

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Topic: ecosystem services

What is Reefs at Risk and why is it unique?

Our Work

WRI Engagement Across the World