One idea gaining currency is to assign nature an economic value. But experts are divided on how to measure "natural capital", and some argue that it should not be done at all. Mary Ruckelshaus, head of the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University, acknowledges that it is a complex task. Using the natural capital as the guiding principle, proponents favour integrating natural resources into the calculation of a country's wealth. "Valuing nature... gives everybody the same information but it doesn't guarantee that everyone will make the decision to protect nature," she said.

Source: Bangkok Post September 01, 2021 06:33 UTC