The Economic Case for Nature is part of a series of papers by the World Bank that lays out the economic rationale for investing in nature and recognizes how economies rely on nature for services that are largely underpriced. The global decline of biodiversity and ecosystem services is a development issue - economies, particularly in low-income countries, cannot afford the risk of collapse in the services provided by nature.
The report presents a global integrated ecosystem-economy modelling exercise to assess economic policy responses to the global biodiversity crisis. Modelling the interaction between nature’s services and the global economy to 2030, the report points to a range and combination of policy scenarios available to reduce the impact of nature’s loss on economies. This modelling framework represents an important steppingstone towards "nature-smart" decision-making, as it seeks to support policymakers who face complex tradeoffs involving the management of natural capital, and hence achieving growth that is resilient and inclusive.