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Zheng H, Wu T, Ouyang Z, Polasky S, Ruckelshaus M, Wang L, Xiao Y, Gao X, Li C, Daily GC. Gross ecosystem product (GEP): Quantifying nature for environmental and economic policy innovation. AMBIO 2023; 52:1952-1967. [PMID: 37943417 PMCID: PMC10654296 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01948-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The large-scale loss of ecosystem assets around the world, and the resultant reduction in the provision of nature's benefits to people, underscores the urgent need for better metrics of ecological performance as well as their integration into decision-making. Gross ecosystem product (GEP) is a measure of the aggregate monetary value of final ecosystem-related goods and services in a specific area and for a given accounting period. GEP accounting captures the use of many ecosystem services in production processes across the economy, which are then valued in terms of their benefits to society. GEP has five key elements that make it transparent, trackable, and readily understandable: (1) a focus on nature's contributions to people; (2) the measurement of ecosystem assets as stocks and ecosystem services as flows; (3) the quantification of ecosystem service use; (4) an understanding of ecosystem service supply chains through value realization; and (5) the disaggregation of benefits across groups. Correspondingly, a series of innovative policies based on GEP have been designed and implemented in China. The theoretical and practical lessons provided by these experiences can support continued policy innovation for green and inclusive development around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Tong Wu
- Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Zhiyun Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Stephen Polasky
- Department of Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, 1994 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
- Natural Capital Project, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA
| | - Mary Ruckelshaus
- Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lijuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Xiaolong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 18 Shuangqing Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Cong Li
- School of Economics and Finance, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.74 West Yanta Road, Yanta District, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Gretchen C Daily
- Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences and Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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Zhou J, Xiong K, Wang Q, Tang J, Lin L. A Review of Ecological Assets and Ecological Products Supply: Implications for the Karst Rocky Desertification Control. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10168. [PMID: 36011802 PMCID: PMC9408705 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ecological assets refer to natural resource assets that can provide ecological products and services for human beings. Researching ecological assets and the supply of ecological products contributes to the sustainable development of natural-social-economic complex systems. This study conducts a literature search and statistical analysis based on the Web of Science, CNKI and Foreign Journal Resource Service System of Guizhou Normal University Library literature databases. We review 117 publications on the studies of ecological assets and ecological products supply. Based on summarizing the landmark results, the key scientific issues that need to be solved are proposed, and their implications for karst rocky desertification control are discussed. The results show that: (1) the number of publications each year from 2001 to 2020 shows a fluctuating growth trend. (2) The research concentrates on four dimensions: theoretical, evaluation, mechanism, and strategies research. Among them, evaluation research is the focus and hotspot of the research. (3) It is necessary to expand the research on the definition and distinction of ecological assets, services and products; the evaluation system of ecological products; the supply mechanism of ecological products from the perspective of resource endowment and the research of ecosystem coherence at different scales. (4) The karst rocky desertification control should focus on ecological assets' management to promote the supply capacity of ecological products, pay attention to the quality assessment of ecological assets, explore the influencing mechanism of ecological assets and its optimization and promotion paths and strengthen the research on village ecosystems under karst rocky desertification control.
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