The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) presents an approach that can help decision-makers recognize, demonstrate and capture the values of ecosystem services and biodiversity. Tomas Declercq asks whether we have considered the true value of the critical Arctic services we are all so eager to plunder.

Documenting the life of the Kara Sea.

We load into two helicopters – next stop, latitude 80.

Little is known about the polar bears, walrus and whales of Russia’s Kara Sea.

This article originally appeared in The Circle 02.15. There are a number of examples of where valuation of ecosystem services has successfully influenced policy and planning. One of those is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada where one of the most diverse, collaborative marine planning processes in the world has been created. It […]

The concept of ecosystem services puts humans square in the centre of everything – what’s in it for us?

This article originally appeared in The Circle 02.15. Valuing of ecosystem services draws attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity and highlights the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. The Arctic, for example, represents a tremendous wealth in natural resources and provides immense ecosystem services, such as unique biodiversity, culture, tourism, shipping and […]

Some of the ecosystem values of the Arctic are very concrete local commodities such as food, shelter, and provisions. As Piama Oleyer writes, these are also linked to cultural values much harder to quantify, but no less precious.

The Arctic Biodiversity Assessment, recently launched by Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, has made it very clear that Arctic biodiversity is being degraded.

Sustainability measures are in place to protect the very ecosystem services the expedition cruise industry depends upon.