The panel called for a range of funding sources, including governments, bi-laterals and multi-laterals, foundations, non-governmental organizations and private individuals to make a greater commitment to provide the increase in funds needed to support effective park management. It also noted the critical need to establish new protected areas.
"The developed world easily has the capacity to help the developing world close this shortfall," said Aaron Bruner, Manager of Conservation Economics for CABS at CI. "For $23 billion, significantly less money than Americans spend on soft drinks alone each year, we can save a large number of the places that house the greatest diversity of life on Earth. And for a fraction of that, just $1.5 billion a year, we could take the vital step of making sure that basic management of all existing protected areas in developing countries is well funded."
A 2002 study published in the journal Science found that the long-term economic benefit derived from healthy ecosystems greatly outweighed the costs of protecting them. It showed that developing remaining wild habitats jeopardizes ecosystem services such as flood and storm protection, watershed protection, and carbon sequestration, which helps to control global climate. Collectively, services such as these are worth some $33 trillion each year.
"In weighing the costs and benefits of a global network of protected areas, it is critical to take into account the enormous benefits that undeveloped habitats provide to society," said Andrew Balmford, Senior Lecturer at the University of Cambridge and lead author of the study in Science. "These areas protect our natural heritage, provide numerous local benefits, and gene
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12-Sep-2003