Valuating the Ecosystems

VALUATING THE ECOSYSTEMS

by Anton Antonio

July 18, 2015

I saw a poster on Facebook, posted on my wall by one of my netizen friends, which really got my attention.  It is an infomercial created by the University of Michigan on “The Value of a Tree”.  It said that a tree is worth US$ 193,250 according to Professor T. M. Das of the University of Calcutta.  A tree living for 50 years will generate US$ 31,250 worth of oxygen, provide US$ 62,000 worth of air pollution control, control soil erosion and increase soil fertility to the tune of US$ 31,250, recycle US$ 37,500 worth of water and provide a home for animals worth US$ 31,250.  These figures do not include the value of fruits, lumber and beauty derived from trees.  An annual income of US$ 193,250 for one forest alone is mind boggling when compared to the average annual income of US$ 5,100 for an average Filipino family.

Wanting to dig deeper into this tree-valuation thing, the question came to me: “How much is the value of the world’s ecosystem?”  Yes… how much is the US dollar value of Mother Earth?  So I did a quick research to first identify the goods and services derived from the ecosystem in general --- tangible goods such as food and natural resources, land, etc; and, intangible services such as clean air, aesthetic beauty, recreational activities, cultural development, etc. 

From this quick research I discovered that 50 years ago the value of the world’s ecosystems was estimated to be around US$ 33 trillion (or US$ 48.7 trillion in today’s dollars).  The most recent valuation, however, came up with a new and updated amount: US$ 142.7 trillion.  Unthinkable, isn’t it?  This re-valuation included new parameters in valuation for the world’s ecosystems.

The new environmental worldview which I often repeat --- Let us help Mother Earth save us. --- is again proven right even in the context of man’s materialistic tendency; man always attaches value (especially monetary value) to everything and anything.  So now that the worth of our ecosystems has been estimated, isn’t it reason enough for us to protect and preserve the environment and our natural resources?  This is humankind’s treasure that should not only be enjoyed by the present generation… but the future generations as well.  Thanks to the environment scientists out there who tirelessly seek novel ways in valuating the ecosystems.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCE:

motherjones.com, (2014).  “How much are the World’s Ecosystems Worth?”.  Retrieved on July 18, 2015 from http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/06/how-much-are-worlds-ecosystems-worth