economics of restoration

I like reading this kind of morning news!

"Restoring lost and damaged ecosystems--from forests and freshwaters to mangroves and wetlands--can trigger multi-million dollar returns, generate jobs and combat poverty according to a new report compiled by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

. . .Wetlands, half of which have been drained over the past century often for agriculture, provide annual services of near $7 trillion.

Forested wetlands treat more wastewater per unit of energy and have up to 22 fold higher cost-benefit ratios than traditional sand filtration in treatment plants.

Coastal wetlands in the United States, which among other services provide storm protection, have been valued at $23 billion annually.

In India, mangroves serving as storm barriers have been noted to reduce individual household damages from $153 per household to an average of $33 per household in areas with intact mangroves.

Pollination from bees and other insects provide services boosting agricultural production worth at least $153 billion annually.

Ecosystems are also central in natural pest control, indeed, many of the world's key crops such as coffee, tea and mangoes are dependent on the pollination and pest control services of birds and insects."

From sustainablebusiness.com
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/20440