Biodiversity in the Green Economy [Hardcover]

In the past decade, the growing realization that biodiversity and human wellbeing are inextricably linked has led to the adoption of numerous environmental policies. The concept of the Green Economy has gained particular attention as an economic system where growth is possible within environmental limits. The preservation of ecosystem services and the halt of biodiversity loss are identified as key pillars of the Green Economy.

Despite the concepts momentum there is still no clear understanding of how biodiversity fits within a Green Economy. In the current debate, biodiversity is rarely acknowledged in economic sectors other than agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism, and when it is acknowledged biodiversity and its conservation feature more as buzzwords than as concrete and tangible components of the Green Economy. This book aims to identify, understand and offer pragmatic recommendations of how biodiversity conservation can become an agent of green economic development.

This book establishes ways to assess biodiversitys contributions to the economy and to meaningfully integrate biodiversity concerns in green-economy policies.

1. Biodiversity in the Green Economy: Setting the stage 2. Biodiversity in the Green Economy: what biodiversity do we need? 3. Chapter Biodiversity and the Forestry Sector 4. Uncovering hidden trade-offs in the Green Economy: Biodiversity and the manufacturing, transport and renewable energy sectors 5. The multifaceted contribution of biodiversity to human wellbeing: Lessons from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative 6. Promoting sustainable use of biodiversity in socio-ecological production landscapes 7. Biodiversity and ecosystem services in European cultural landscapes: Pathways, pitfalls, and perspectives 8. Guiding principles for green economic development in the marine environment: Insights from small-scale fisherilƒÔ