What is a forest worth? A river? The air you breathe?

In a world where economic development often overshadows environmental sustainability, understanding the intricate relationship between biology and economics is crucial. In this enlightening episode of Science and the Glass, Cesar Augusto Ruiz Agudelo shares his journey from biology to economics, emphasising the importance of valuing nature beyond mere numbers.

What you will learn in this podcast:

• The valuation of ecosystems cannot be reduced to a monetary price; there are values ​​and relationships that no monetary metric fully captures.

• The predominance of GDP growth distorts the perception of progress. GDP masks social and ecological losses, reducing development to a material metric.

• Economic incentives can be powerful, but dangerously reductive.

• Socio-ecological resilience offers a comprehensive view of vulnerability.

• Effective communication and social networks are key to generating change.

Timestamps:

01:06 César’s Journey: From Biology to Ecosystem Economics

08:15 Types of Value: Relational, Intrinsic, and Instrumental

24:48 Environmental Economics in Practice: Policy, Incentives, and Context

36:18 The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and Its Global Impact

45:00 Socio-Ecological Resilience: Systems, Tipping Points, and Identity

55:00 Colombia Case Study: Mangroves, Violence, and Real-World Valuation

1:03:27 Science, Advocacy, and How to Speak Truth to Power

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References

IPBES – Global Assessment (Resumen para tomadores de decisiones)

https://www.ipbes.net/node/35274

IPBES – Summary for policymakers (PDF)

https://files.ipbes.net/ipbes-web-prod-public-files/inline/files/ipbes_global_assessment_report_summary_for_policymakers.pdf

La importancia del capital natural (Anthesis Colombia)

https://www.anthesisgroup.com/co/art%C3%ADculos/la-importancia-del-capital-natural/

“The Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services in Colombia. Challenges, Gaps and Future Pathways”

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364165646_The_Economic_Valuation_of_Ecosystem_Services_in_Colombia_Challenges_Gaps_and_Future_Pathways