The Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) is an innovative metric developed to account for the economic value of

ecosystem services Ecosystem services are the various benefits that humans derive from Ecosystem, ecosystems. The interconnected Biotic_material, living and Abiotic, non-living components of the natural environment offer benefits such as pollination of crops, clean ...

within broader economic evaluations, traditionally measured by

Gross Domestic Product Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performanc ...

(GDP). While GDP provides a quantitative measure of all goods and services produced economically within a country, it does not consider the ecological services that underpin economic output. GEP addresses this oversight by measuring the contribution of ecosystems through direct products, regulation services such as climate control, and cultural services like tourism.

Overview and application

China introduced a national standard for GEP in 2020, integrating ecological values into its economic assessment framework. This initiative has led to its adoption at several governmental levels. By 2023, 15 local governments in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

had developed guidelines to implement GEP, initiating approximately 200 related projects. In

Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...

, the first province to implement these rules, the performance of local officials is evaluated in part by the economic values assigned to local ecosystems, such as a US$43 million value attributed to the Chengtian Radon Spring Nature Reserve. GEP is also used in economic modeling to provide a comprehensive view of the interplay between economic and

ecological health Ecological health is a term that has been used in relation to both human health and the condition of the environment. * In medicine, ecological health has been used to refer to multiple chemical sensitivity, which results from exposure to synthet ...

. For example, the MAGNET model, developed by the

Joint Research Centre The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission's science and knowledge service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to European Union (EU) policy. Leadersh ...

(JRC) and Wageningen Economic Research, incorporates GEP to analyze how policies can simultaneously affect economic output and ecosystem conditions. This model helps policymakers make informed decisions that strive to harmonize economic development with environmental sustainability. The ongoing development of GEP aims to improve its precision and practicality in economic and environmental policy-making. By assigning monetary values to ecosystem services, GEP facilitates a deeper understanding of their critical role in sustainable economic development. This approach ensures that strategies for economic growth also support ecological well-being, emphasizing a balanced approach to development.

References

Sustainability metrics and indices Sustainable development Environmental social science concepts {{environment-stub

Overview and application

See also

References