Earth Economics

Nature is a powerful ally against fires and floods: So how can it be saved? More than a year after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, the economic aftershocks of the disaster still permeate the lives of the people who survived it. Fewer than a dozen homes in some of the city's hardest-hit neighborhoods have been fully rebuilt. Families remain scattered across temporary rentals, and many are still grappling with letters from their insurers announcing higher premiums, reduced coverage or no renewal at all.

“Tackling the Insurance Protection Gap: leveraging climate and nature to increase resilience” shows that green infrastructure strengthens disaster resilience, moderating heat, slowing and storing rain, and reducing wildfire intensity. #naturalriskreduction

https://ow.ly/8mXx50Yrvgn

Earth Economics | Roadless Area Conservation Rule Brings $24 Billion in Benefits Earth Economics found that 30 million acres across 35 states in the contiguous United States generate $24 billion in benefits every year.

Roadless areas across the US provide $24B in benefits every year. As the USDA considers the future of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, it's crucial that decision makers be aware of the broad scope of benefits these public lands provide. #roadlessrule

https://ow.ly/a6vi50YrySO

Researchers at the University of Tübingen, Germany have found that listening to birdsong reduces blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels (a stress hormone). They found that the source of birdsong did not matter, but active listening did. #natureheals

https://ow.ly/nOHo50YmriP

Natural capital and ecosystem services provide the foundations on which societies survive and thrive. Governments must integrate natural capital accounting into their decisionmaking frameworks to improve decision-making and long-term planning. #naturalcapital

https://ow.ly/fIRN50Ymx1B

Ecotrust - Episode 3: Restoring the Olympia Oyster Episode 3 of Tending the Tides explores the history and significance of the Olympia oyster, the only native oyster on the West Coast. Restoration practitioners, chefs, and others discuss the historic abundance of Olympia oysters, current and past restoration efforts, and highlight why this little oyster is worth saving.

Oyster reefs stabilize shorelines while providing habitat for shrimp, crabs, and fish, which support shorebirds and seabirds. Once common throughout Northwest coastal waters, Olympia oysters were historically important for the region’s Native cultures. #oysterrestoration

https://ow.ly/ATVC50YmuVt

The World Needs a New Economics of Water Mariana Mazzucato proposes a radical change in perspective toward humanity's most precious resource.

Small-scale, decentralized projects focused on efficiency and reuse, as well as capacity building and data-sharing, could mitigate many of the ecological and social harms of large-scale infrastructure projects. #watereconomics

https://ow.ly/fO1Y50Ymt70

Newly Created Los Palmares de Villa Nueva and Guardián Amazónico Pacahuara Protected Areas Enhance Connectivity of Amazonian Forests in Pando, Bolivia - Andes Amazon Fund Together these two areas span a combined 1,817,247 acres (735,414 hectares) of intact Amazonian forests and water sources that connect with an extensive conservation mosaic in the Department of Pando. This is a significant step forward for the conservation of the Western Amazon that consolidates key ecological connectivity in the Peru-Bolivia-Brazil transboundary region.

Last year, Bolivia protected over 1.8M acres of Amazon forests located in the country’s northern Pando department, home to 2,425 animal species, including 28 species classified as threatened by the IUCN. #biodiversity

https://ow.ly/xNOL50YmrYg

Earth Economics is seeking a research intern to join our team (remotely) from any location. This is an opportunity to apply your math skills to improve our ability to assess the value produced by natural capital and could lead to peer-reviewed publications.

www.eartheconomics.org/join-our-team

Thematic Assessment Report on the Interlinkages among Biodiversity, Water, Food and Health | IPBES secretariat At the eleventh session of the IPBES Plenary, held in Windhoek, Namibia, from 10 to 16 December 2024, the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on the Interlinkages among Biodiversity, Water, Food, and Health (Nexus Assessment) Summary for Policymakers was approved its chapters were accepted.

The IPBES Plenary of 2024 finalized the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on the Interlinkages among Biodiversity, Water, Food, and Health, highlighting the survival value of protecting and expanding biodiversity, from wildlife to pollinators. #biodiversity

https://ow.ly/Q8bY50YhyA4

Home - Oyster Heaven Building oyster reef habitats restores ocean health, protects coastlines, and creates new opportunities for industries and communities. Restoring Nature. Creating Value. For InvestorsFor ClientsFor Ocean Enthusiasts We are here to help oysters help us What makes oyster reefs so important for the health of our oceans? What happened to the oyster reefs?100 years ago, the

Oyster Heaven has developed Mother Reef—a biodegradable, environmentally friendly substrate to support cost-effective and scalable oyster reefs. While stabilizing shorelines, improving water quality and biodiversity, reefs also generate revenue. #ecosystemrestoration

https://ow.ly/8NE750YhxJE

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe Reclaims Sovereignty Through Solar Energy and Buffalo Restoration | The Daily Yonder Brandon Small’s pickup squeezes down a narrow dirt road lined with trees and bushes as we drive down the hillside towards the buffalo. We’re on the

The Northern Cheyenne have installed a 36kW solar array to help them restore herds of buffalo on reservation lands in southeastern Montana. The array helps the Tribe become self-sufficient, allowing them to provide both food and income for the Tribe. #indigenousstewardship

https://ow.ly/ag2G50YhxhV

Tomorrow, our Director of Partnerships Glen Delaney will join Elizabeth Burton (Foundation for Ohio River Education) and Season Martin (Virga Labs) in a discussion “Turning Science into Stories; Connecting People to Water Quality and the Environment.” #sciencestories

https://ow.ly/FiZe50YhwEA

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science has developed SHORE-BET, an online tool that helps communities estimate the value of reduced storm impacts, improved fish habitat, and removal of excess nutrients, both annually and over 30 years. #wetlandrestoration

https://ow.ly/jEMZ50Yhx0f

Climate and health strategies must address the biodiversity crisis Safeguarding biodiversity is not simply an environmental concern but a foundational element of preventive and clinical care.

While climate change has increasingly been recognized as a threat, biodiversity is equally critical to our survival. It is the foundation of systems providing fresh air, clean water, and food, while also regulating disease and improving mental health. #biodiversity

https://ow.ly/Au5y50YcSl3

UN Report: Investing in planetary health would deliver higher GDP, fewer deaths, less poverty The most comprehensive assessment of the global environment ever undertaken has found that investing in a stable climate, healthy nature and land, and a pollution-free planet can deliver trillions in additional global GDP, avoid millions of deaths and lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and hunger.

A UNEP report has found that reversing environmental damages would avoid millions of premature deaths and lift over a hundred million people out of poverty.

An annual investment of $8T is expected to produce annual benefits worth more than $20T. #AFutureWeChoose

https://ow.ly/ApnH50YcRMA

Tule River Indian Tribe regains 17,000 acres in California land return The Tule River Indian Tribe regains 17,030 acres in California in a major ancestral land return, restoring watershed habitat and supporting wildlife recovery.

The Tule River Indian Tribe has regained over 17K acres of land as part of a conservation and reconciliation program. They plan to restore the area, reconnecting habitats from the sequoias to their Reservation and the San Joaquin Valley wetlands. #indigenousstewardship

https://ow.ly/lJmK50YcanF

Defensible outdoor space is a cost-effective way to mitigate wildfire risk. Open-air terraces can shift combustible plants away from homes. Our study on resilience found that CA retrofits could generate from $30.7B to $166.4B in economic activity. #wildfireresilience

https://ow.ly/VZSn50Ya515

The Stillaguamish Tribe gives its river north of Seattle room to roam “Now the river can connect to its floodplain like it hasn't in 140 years.”

Last autumn, the Stillaguamish Tribe moved two miles of river levee, allowing tides to spread onto 230 acres of recovered tidal marsh for the first time in more than a century. Tidal marshes are critical habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon. #riverrestoration

https://ow.ly/RsVm50YcQN1

Want a Carbon Fix? It’s Closer than You Think | The Tyee While Canada bets big on engineered tech, experts say nature still offers our best climate solutions.

As natural climate solutions, peatland can be remarkably cost-effective at reducing greenhouse gasses, offering lower costs and much higher benefits than engineered alternatives. #carbonmitigation

https://ow.ly/ENZ350Yca9r

Every $1 invested in restoring Ohio's wetlands returns $8 in value to the public as clean water, flood protection, recreation benefits, etc. H2Ohio is a state program focused on reducing harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie through wetland restoration. #restorationworks

https://ow.ly/RLJO50Yc62T

Earth Economics | Ecosystem Services in the Ohio River Basin Our high-level valuation of co-benefits created by natural ecosystems in the Ohio River Basin found that the 68M acres of natural ecosystems produce at least $50B in annual benefits, and $1.17T in benefits over 30 years .

A companion bill to the Ohio River Restoration Act has been introduced in the Senate. If passed, it would create a new EPA office and allocate $1.5B to water quality improvement. Last year, we found that ecosystems in the basin produce at least $50B in annual benefits.

https://ow.ly/ZBKh50YcPkm

Eager beavers: WDFW and partners help Whitman County landowner mitigate wildlife impacts John Brown can appreciate both the good and bad in a situation.

WDFW has partnered with The Lands Council and landowners to install flow devices in beaver dams, mitigating flooding without losing the benefits beavers bring: improved water quality, greater biodiversity, and reduced risk of downstream flooding. #beaverswork

https://ow.ly/FIqC50YbMrE

Would you pay 1% more for wildlife? - High Country News A bill in the Oregon Legislature would tax tourists for conservation.

Oregon’s “1% for Wildlife bill” would increase lodging taxes to generate revenue support the state’s habitat conservation programs. Between 2023 and 2025, Fish and Wildlife spent just 2% of its budget on wildlife conservation. #biodiversity

www.hcn.org/articles/would-you-pay-1-more-for-wildlife/

Cardiorespiratory effects of wildfire smoke particles can persist for months, even after a fire has ended | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Exposure to lingering fine particulate matter was associated with increased hospitalization risks for most cardiorespiratory diseases, according to a new study from Harvard Chan School and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Scientists studying the health impacts of wildfire smoke have found greater risk of cardiorespiratory conditions for up to 3 months afterwards. #wildfireandhealth

https://ow.ly/a2VP50Y67cO

$5.5m grant from Wildlife Conservation Board supports historic return of 10,000+ acres in the Sierra Nevada to the Washoe People LOYALTON, Calif. – On Thursday, the California Wildlife Conservation Board awarded $5.5 million to the Wášiw-šiw Land Trust to support the purchase of 10,274 acres in the Washoe tribal homelands. The property, which is located northeast...

Last November, the Wášiw-šiw Land Trust was awarded $5.5M by California’s Wildlife Conservation Board to purchase over 10K acres of Tribal homelands near Lake Tahoe. The property includes sagebrush scrub, pinyon pine, juniper, and aspen groves. #indigenousstewardship

https://ow.ly/3pBV50Y66BU

From war zones to city plots, grassroots growers are transforming land and lives From war zones to inner-city London, a new generation of land defenders are digging in – reclaiming soil, space and power through community gardens and regenerative action

Last year's $300K Lush Spring Prize was awarded to 19 organizations working to establish gardens, strengthening food sovereignty by providing fresh, local produce, engaging neighbors in conversations to build community. #urbangreening

https://ow.ly/SPYe50Y65zl

Earth Economics | Nature’s Value in the Everglades Earth Economics and the Everglades Foundation conducted an economic assessment of Everglades ecosystems to show the importance of natural capital in sustaining the region’s economy and quality of life.

Today is World Wetlands Day. Wetlands protect water supplies, reduce flooding, offer critical fish and wildlife habitat, store carbon, and more.

The Greater Everglades will provide over $1 trillion in benefits over the next 50 years ($31B per year). #wetlandrestoration

https://ow.ly/R7Z850Y64Yt

Earth Economics | Nature’s Value in the Everglades Earth Economics and the Everglades Foundation conducted an economic assessment of Everglades ecosystems to show the importance of natural capital in sustaining the region’s economy and quality of life.

Today is World Wetlands Day. Wetlands protect water supplies, reduce flooding, offer critical fish and wildlife habitat, store carbon, and more.

The Greater Everglades will provide over $1 trillion in benefits over the next 50 years ($31B per year). #wetlandrestoration

https://ow.ly/R7Z850Y64Yt

After a full ecological restoration, Kentucky’s Hidden River Cave now brims with life and boasts spectacular views.

This popular attraction likely connects to Mammoth Cave, the most extensive cave system in the world. #recreationworks

https://ow.ly/yQLr50Y1QU2

A Miles-Long Cave in Kentucky Was a Smelly Disaster. Now It’s Spectacular.

After a full ecological restoration, Kentucky’s Hidden River Cave now brims with life and boasts spectacular views.

This popular attraction likely connects to Mammoth Cave, the most extensive cave system in the world. #recreationworks