Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services, Karnataka State, India: Ecosystem Services (2024)

By: T.V. Ramachandra and Bharath Haridas Aithal and Bharath Setturu and S. Vinay and K.S. Asulabha and V. Sincy

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Synopsis: This book describes the valuation of services of ecosystems (forests, agriculture and aquatic) for Karnataka State, India, as per the validated statistical framework for natural capital accounting – SEEA: System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA.un.org). According to SEEA protocol, ecosystem services are defined as the contributions of ecosystems to the benefits that are used in economic and other human activities. The valuation of ecosystem services (VES) provides an unbiased framework to value unaccounted ecosystem benefits and helps in developing meaningful policy interventions. The approach allows for adjusted regional or national accounts which reflect the output of ecosystem services as well as the depletion of natural resources and the degradation costs (externalized costs of the loss of ecosystem services) of ecosystems in economic terms. In this perspective, the current publication, focusing on the natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services in Karnataka, India, can help raise awareness and provide a quantitative tool to evaluate the sustainability of policies. The book would aid as knowledge base for many professionals, institutions and government agencies taking up the task of natural capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services across the countries worldwide.