Cited by 1,017Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesSustainable Development and Environmental PolicyConservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management

Natural capital and ecosystem services informing decisions: From promise to practice

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Guerry, Anne D., Polasky, Stephen, Lubchenco, Jane, Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca, Daily, Gretchen C., Griffin, Robert, Ruckelshaus, Mary, Bateman, Ian J. +15 more·2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

The central challenge of the 21st century is to develop economic, social, and governance systems capable of ending poverty and achieving sustainable levels of population and consumption while securing the life-support systems underpinning current and future human well-being. Essential to meeting this challenge is the incorporation of natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides into decision-making. We explore progress and crucial gaps at this frontier, reflecting upon the 10 y since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. We focus on three key dimensions of progress and ongoing challenges: raising awareness of the interdependence of ecosystems and human well-being, advancing the fundamental interdisciplinary science of ecosystem services, and implementing this science in decisions to restore natural capital and use it sustainably. Awareness of human dependence on nature is at an all-time high, the science of ecosystem services is rapidly advancing, and talk of natural capital is now common from governments to corporate boardrooms. However, successful implementation is still in early stages. We explore why ecosystem service information has yet to fundamentally change decision-making and suggest a path forward that emphasizes: ( i ) developing solid evidence linking decisions to impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services, and then to human well-being; ( ii ) working closely with leaders in government, business, and civil society to develop the knowledge, tools, and practices necessary to integrate natural capital and ecosystem services into everyday decision-making; and ( iii ) reforming institutions to change policy and practices to better align private short-term goals with societal long-term goals.

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Authors
Guerry, A. D., Polasky, S., Lubchenco, J., Chaplin-Kramer, R., Daily, G. C., Griffin, R., Ruckelshaus, M., Bateman, I. J., Duraiappah, A., Elmqvist, T., Feldman, M. W., Folke, C., Hoekstra, J., Kareiva, P. M., Keeler, B. L., Li, S., McKenzie, E., Ouyang, Z., Reyers, B., Ricketts, T. H., Rockström, J., Tallis, H., & Vira, B.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • University of Minnesota (US)
  • Oregon State University (US)
  • Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305;
  • Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (SE)
  • Stanford University (US)
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, New Delhi 110 029, India;
  • Stockholm Resilience Centre (SE)
  • World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC 20037;
  • The Nature Conservancy (US)
  • Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
  • World Wildlife Fund (US)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (ZA)
  • University of Vermont (US)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2015-06-15
Volume
112
Issue
24
Pages
7348-7355
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W1540250989
Cited by
1,017
References
108
Citations by year
2026: 66 · 2025: 75 · 2024: 88 · 2023: 98 · 2022: 107 · 2021: 110 · 2020: 126 · 2019: 91 · 2018: 95 · 2017: 87 · 2016: 57 · 2015: 16
FWCI
69.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences OpenIR (Chinese Academy of Sciences) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
Keywords
natural capital, ecosystem services, decision-making, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, human well-being, sustainability, ecological restoration, policy reform, interdisciplinary research, evidence-based policy, institutional change, poverty reduction
MeSH terms
Animals, Conservation of Natural Resources, Decision Making, Ecology, Humans, Public Policy, Ecosystem

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