US EPA

4130 

Journal Article 

The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital 

Costanza, R; D'Arge, R; de Groot, R; Farber, S; Grasso, M; Hannon, B; Limburg, K; Naeem, S; O'Neill, RV; Paruelo, J; Raskin, RG; Sutton, P; van Den Belt, M 

1997 

1 

Nature
ISSN: 0028-0836
EISSN: 1476-4687 

387 

6630 

253-259 

English 

10.1038/387253a0 

WOS:A1997WZ16700043 

The services of ecological systems and the natural capital stocks that produce them are critical to the functioning of the Earth's life-support system. They contribute to human welfare, both directly and indirectly, and therefore represent part of the total economic value of the planet. This paper estimates the current economic value of 17 ecosystem services for 16 biomes, based on published studies and a few original calculations. For the entire biosphere, the value (most of which is outside the market) is estimated to be in the range of US$16-54 trillion (1012) per year, with an average of US$33 trillion per year. Because of the nature of the uncertainties, this must be considered a minimum estimate. Global gross national product total is around US$18 trillion per year. 

article; ecosystem; environmental management; environmental protection; priority journal; socioeconomics; economic evaluation; economic value; ecosystem services; ecosystems services; environmental economics; global study; natural capital