The Architecture and Measurement of an Ecosystem Services Index

Spencer Banzhaf and James Boyd

Sustainability, 2012, vol. 4, issue 4, 1-32

Abstract: This paper discusses the construction of an ecosystem services index (ESI) and the respective roles of ecology and economics in that effort. It extends the concept of an ESI, analogous to Gross Domestic Product, to other analogous indices, including an ecosystem price or value index, and a net ESI that accounts for interactions between ecosystem stocks and service flows. A central aim of this paper is to account for services in an economically and ecologically defensible manner. It thus also discusses the connection between ecological models and economic models in the construction of ecosystem services indices, the former on the quantity side and the latter on the price/value side of the index.

Keywords: ecosystem services; green accounting; green GDP; index numbers; ecological economics; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Architecture and Measurement of an Ecosystem Services Index (2005)
Working Paper: The Architecture and Measurement of an Ecosystem Services Index (2005)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:4:y:2012:i:4:p:430-461:d:16813

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