United Nations report: The value of nature must not be overridden in the pursuit of short-term profit |
However, the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services'(IPBES) assessment report shows that when making policy decisions, the global focus is too much on short-term profits and economic growth is often undervalued in nature.
An independent intergovernmental science and policy body, the IPBES secretariat is powered by the UN Environment Programme, authorized by UNEPBoard of Directors of.
Lack of method
Approved on Saturday by representatives of 139 Member States, co-chairs Unai Pascual, Patricia Balvanera, Mike Christie, and Brigitte Baptiste indicated in The value of diversity and the value of nature reported, that the ways to prevent power anomalies and include nature in policymaking are “shortage of supply”.
While economic and political decisions primarily favor market-based natural values, such as in intensive food production, they do not fully reflect changes in the natural world that affect affect people’s quality of life.
Furthermore, policymaking ignores many non-market values related to nature’s contribution to communities, such as climate regulation and cultural identity.
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Balance between people and planet
“Living close to nature” means providing resources that sustain people’s livelihoods, needs and desires, including food and material possessions, according to the statement.
It also focuses on non-human life, such as the intrinsic right of fish in rivers to “evolve independently of human needs”, and treats the natural world as a “physical, spiritual part”. and our own spirituality.”
“The Value Assessment provides decision makers with concrete tools and methods to better understand the values that individuals and communities hold about nature,” said Ms. Balvanera.
Mr. Christie said that “valuation is a clear and purposeful process” around “how, why and by whom” valuation is “designed and applied”.
Following this logic, Ms. Baptiste added that “recognizing and respecting the traditional worldviews, values and knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities allows for more inclusive policies, while time brings better results for people and nature”.
Managing the Earth
The authors have identified four value-centric “lever points” to create the necessary conditions for transformative change, with a focus on sustainability and equity.
Pathways range from acknowledging nature’s diverse values, to incorporating valuation into decision-making and policy reform, to align with global equity and sustainability goals.
While each is underpinned by different values, “they share principles consistent with sustainability,” Mr. Pascual said.
Ana María Hernández Salgar, President of IPBES, said: “Biodiversity is being lost and nature’s contributions to humans are being degraded faster than at any other time in human history. “. “This is largely because our current approach to political and economic decisions does not fully account for the diversity of natural values.”
