Monetizing Nature: Taking Precaution on a Slippery Slope

Sept 24th; Chris Vivian: With regard to the ‘Monetizing Nature’ item, you might be interested in these additional reports/comments from the Heinrich Boll foundation on the same subject – see:

Sept 2nd This is an interesting article which provides an overview of the current tensions on monetising nature.

Barbara Unmüßig August 2014 ‘In the wake of declining political will for environmental protection, many in the environmental community are advocating for the monetization of nature. Some argue that monetization, by revealing the economic contribution of nature and its services, can heighten public awareness and bolster conservation efforts. Others go beyond such broad conceptual calculations and seek to establish tradable prices for ecosystem services, claiming that markets can achieve what politics has not. However, such an approach collapses nature’s complex functions into a set of commodities stripped from their social, cultural, and ecological context and can pose a threat to the poor and indigenous communities who depend on the land for their livelihood. Although the path from valuation to commodification is not inevitable, it is indeed a slippery slope. Avoiding this pitfall requires a reaffirmation of the precautionary principle and a commitment to democratic decision-making and social justice as the foundations of a sound environmental policy for the twenty-first century.’ Click here to read more