Introduction

Healthy and functioning ecosystems are fundamental for life on earth. Human beings all over the world depend fully on vital ecosystems, directly or indirectly. Nevertheless, the planet cannot support the current manner in which the global economy has developed.

In international cooperation policies, maintaining healthy, robust, and productive ecosystems is acknowledged but in practice this still is a side-issue. The central goal of international cooperation remains the transfer of old economic models based on human engineering and the linear exploitation of natural resources for economic growth. To support this model, natural areas are converted and species that form the backbone of functioning ecosystems are over-exploited.

The recently published study The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity shows that society should start understanding the real value of ecosystems. This study adds a financial dimension to what in 2005 became known as the loss of essential services due to ecosystem degradation in the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment.

Time for “the Great Escape.”

In the next 50 years, planet earth will need to support more than 9 billion inhabitants. 9 billion individuals need to eat, need to support their livelihood, and want to have a high quality of life. There is no Planet B. Smart ecosystems that have evolved over billions of years will be a crucial partner in providing those needs.

The conference

The two-day conference ‘The Great Escape’ held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands aims to provide clarity amongst policy-makers on the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems to achieve economic development goals.

See link for more information and registration: http://www.iucn.nl/about_us/conference_the_great_escape/

For detailed information on the 3 simultaneous expert streams please see the thematic expert stream pages on this platform -->

1. The Biobased Economy
2. Emergency Aid and Ecosystems
3. Payments for Ecosystem Services