How to Assign Value to Ecosystem Services

Nature provides an array of benefits that are often hard to quantify economically. Various methods exist to assess the value of these non-commercial ecosystem benefits.

This explainer defines non-marketed ecosystem goods and services, the different approaches to assigning monetary value to these goods and services, and the factors to consider when selecting a method for valuing specific ecosystem services.

Vital functions such as air and water purification, climate regulation, and pollination are non-market regulating services provided by the environment. Photo credit: ADB.

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