“Ecosystem services” are the benefits people obtain from ecological systems such as wild food, fresh water, timber, genetic resources, water flow regulation, pollination, recreation, and protection from natural hazards. Underlying these trends is the fact that humanity too often takes nature’s services for granted, in large part because decision-makers lack sufficient information, incentives, rights, management processes, and accountability for sustainably managing ecosystems.

To help address this challenge, WRI’s Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services Objective seeks to reduce ecosystem degradation by advancing ecosystem service-based strategies, policies, and markets. Through this objective, WRI plays a leading role in developing and disseminating information about ecosystem services and helping government, business, and multilateral institution decision-makers use this information to achieve their development goals. WRI also helps align regulatory and economic incentives with ecosystem stewardship through establishing markets for ecosystem services and other price signals.

Below is a summary of current activities:

• Promote an action agenda for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment—encourage the adoption of an action agenda by business, governments, civil society and others in response to the Assessment findings
• Ecosystem services for the public sector—change how decision makers think about ecosystem services: from protecting ecosystems from development to investing in ecosystems for development
• Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR)—a structured methodology for corporate managers to proactively develop strategies for managing business risks and opportunities arising from their companies’ dependence and impact on ecosystems
• Map poverty and ecosystem services—help developing countries understand the interactions between ecosystem services, people, and poverty
• Promote integrated coral reef management—provide comprehensive information on threats to coral reefs to foster effective management
• Determine the value of ecosystem services—work with governments to support better decisions and create financial incentives for improved management
• Mainstream ecosystem services in the financial sector—work with leading private financial institutions and multilateral institutions to incorporate ecosystem services into their core strategies
• Evaluate biofuel development—analyze the impact of biofuel production and policies on the environment, agriculture, and economics
• Develop water quality trading markets—promote cost effective investments in nutrient reductions
• Develop ecosystem service indicators—create common indicators to integrate into existing systems

Download our brochure: What Are Ecosystems Doing For You? Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services Initiative (PDF, 853 Kb)