Analysis and Evaluation of Ecosystem Resilience: An Economic Perspective

46 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2006

See all articles by Lucia Vergano

Lucia Vergano

ECCET, IPTS, JRC, European Commission, Spain

Paulo A. L. D. Nunes

University of Padua - Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro Forestali (TeSAF)

Date Written: February 2006

Abstract

This paper focuses on the analyses and evaluation of resilience anchored in an economic perspective. Resilience, as well as most of the benefits provided by ecosystems, is not priced on current markets. However, this does not mean that resilience is of no value for humans. On the contrary, the interest of using an economic perspective, and the respective scientific methodology, will be put forward in terms of resilience relevance for ecosystems' life and functioning, and its impact on human welfare. The economic perspective is anchored in an anthropocentric analysis meaning that resilience is evaluated in terms of provision of natural capital benefits. These, in turn, are interpreted as an insurance against the risk of ecosystem malfunctioning and the consequent interruption of the provision of goods and services to humans. For this analysis, we make use of a conceptual framework so as to identify and describe the different value components of resilience. Finally, we present an illustration that tackles the economic analysis and discussion of resilience benefits in the context of the Venice Lagoon.

Keywords: Ecosystems' resilience, Ecosystems' thresholds, Natural insurance capital, Economic perspective, Economic value

JEL Classification: D62, H41, Q25, Q28, Q51

Suggested Citation

Vergano, Lucia and Dias Nunes, Paulo Augusto, Analysis and Evaluation of Ecosystem Resilience: An Economic Perspective (February 2006). FEEM Working Paper No. 25.06, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=884361 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.884361

Lucia Vergano (Contact Author)

ECCET, IPTS, JRC, European Commission, Spain ( email )

Rue de la Loi 200
Brussels, B-1049
Belgium

Paulo Augusto Dias Nunes

University of Padua - Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro Forestali (TeSAF) ( email )

Legnaro, Padova 35020
Italy

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