Dead planet, living planet

Direct and indirect economic benefits from wetlands US Dollars per hectare per year

functioning natural ecosystems, water supply for the world’s food production would collapse, not only causing economic col- lapse and crisis in the entire financial system, it would also en- danger health and lives of billions, and, hence, ultimately our survival (UNEP, 2009). The economic value of these ecosystem services were estimated at 16–54 trillion USD annually already in 1997 or corresponding to ca. 21–72 trillion USD in 2008 (CPI/inflation adjusted) compared to an estimated World Gross National Income (Atlas method, Worldbank) in 2008 of 58 tril- lion USD (Costanza et al ., 1997). (N.B. Please note that there is substatial uncertainty with regard to these numbers. Updated figures are expected to be available by 2010/11). At the same time, almost one third of the worlds ecosystems has been transformed or destroyed, and another third heavily fragment- ed and disturbed, and the last third already suffering from invasive species and pollution (UNEP, 2001; www.globio.info). Over 60% of the ecosystems services are considered degraded (MA, 2005). The big five human threats to the environment in the form of 1) habitat loss and fragmentation; 2) unsustainable harvest; 3) pollution; 4) climate change; and 5) introduction of exotic invasive species, are combined or individually rapidly not only destroying and degrad- ing our ecosystems, they are also depleting and ruining the very services from them upon which we base our health and prosperity. It is the vast and rapid loss of these ecosystems, and our depen- dence on these services, that require us to consider their res- toration and rehabilitation. In this report, UNEP together with partners address the ultimate challenge to sustainable develop- ment, namely ensuring that ecosystems will continue to support human prosperity and well-being on a diverse planet. The objective of this report is to provide an overview of some of the most crucial services rendered by natural ecosystems to humankind and how they can be restored as part of policy de- velopment to partially resolve key challenges of water, health, As ecosystems are removed or degraded through acute one off events, or more often as a result of chronic contamination, deg- radation from development and other human activities – not only does this lead to direct costs over time but also to prob- lems such as lowered productivity, food insexurity and health problems, thus threatening sustainable development. Why is ecosystem restoration needed?

Fishing Leisure Domestic sewage treatment Local freshwater supply Carbon sequestration

Firewood

2 000

Agricultural production Downstream fisheries

Industrial wastewater treatment

1 500

1000

Flood attenuation

500

Note: Data derived from Muthurajawela wetland sanctuary, Sri Lanka. Source: Emerton l. and Kekulandala L. D., Assessment of the Economic Value of Muthurajawela Wetland, 2003

0

Figure 1: Benefits from wetlands.

12