Protecting 30% of Earth’s nature would have significant long-term economic benefits, both in terms of increased economic output and decreased economic losses, according to a recent report. (currently 15% of land and 7% of the ocean is protected).
Here are a few examples of how protecting nature boosts the economy:
- Wetland restoration significantly reduces the cost of road repairs in Alberta, Canada. The better-managed water leads to fewer floods and road washouts. CBC News
- Restoring global fish stocks would create billions in additional revenue. “Increases in the weight, value and price of fish landed, boosting the profitability of the fisheries sector from an estimated $3 billion a year to $86 billion.” World Bank
- Protecting nature areas and getting people to visit them represents an estimated value of $6 Trillion USD per year in reduced or avoided medical costs. Nature.com
- “Health-related benefits include improved attention, cognition, sleep, and stress recovery, and apply across demographic and socioeconomic population sectors.” Nature.com
“Investing to protect nature would represent less than one-third of the amount that governments spend on subsidies to activities that destroy nature. It would represent 0.16% of global GDP and require less investment than the world spends on video games every year.” CFN