This document discusses the economic perspective of marine biodiversity from the perspective of Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira, a researcher at CIGEST. It provides information on CIGEST's work in developing sustainability projects and training. It then discusses the economic value of marine biodiversity and ecosystem services through examples involving wetlands, fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection. Risks to biodiversity from economic activities like fishing and oil/gas exploration are also examined.

1. The
economic
perspective
of marine
biodiversity
Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira
CIGEST | Environment & Sustainability, ISG | Business & Economics
School
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP
Effects of Marine Renewables and other marine
uses on Biodiversity – Atlantic Area
20th November, 2012

2. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
CIGEST Environment and Sustainability | ISG Business & Economics School
• developing cross-sectorial projects that promote applied sustainability
• projects and programs and to provide training, skills and knowledge in the multiple
fields of sustainability
• developing an offer of international short term academies and post-graduation
courses in areas where sustainability is gaining relevance, such as the sea economy
or post-GDP accounting systems.
Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira
• Biologist, specialized in applied ecology, works since 1998 on the theme of
biodiversity, ecosystems and sustainable management, primarily in the areas of
agriculture, forestry and protected areas.
• Researcher in CIGEST, ISG Business & Economics School R&D Centre, coordinator
and project planner/manager of the area of Environment & Sustainability,
• Lectures Economy of Energy and Natural Resources.
• PhD student at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (UNL) in the area of
Geography, Territorial Planning and Biodiversity.

3. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

4. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

5. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Figura 2. Vulnerabilidade ambiental das populações (UNEP et al., 2012b)

6. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

7. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

8. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Figura 4. Evolução da produção de petróleo offshore(www.petrobras.com.br)

9. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Figura 6. Impacte económico do desastre petrolífero da BP no
Golfo do México para as populações do Sul do Mississipi, EUA
(www.usm.edu)
Figura 5. Manifestações ao desastre petrolífero
da BP em 2010 (www.blackenterprise.com)

10. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
$3.5 billion: The daily gross metropolitan
product of New York City.
>1,000 miles (1609.344 km): Sandy's
diameter.
$2.7 Trillion: The insured value of coastal
properties in New York
Fig. 3: Estimated Value Of
Insured Coastal Properties
Vulnerable To Hurricanes By
State, 2012

11. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
2 November 2012 | When New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Barrack Obama’s reelection bid on Thursday, he
did more than just embrace the scientific consensus on climate change. He also demonstrated an awareness of the fact
that our entire economy is embedded in – and dependent on – nature.
Locally, the awareness has been manifest in a debate over whether or not to build sea gates off the New York shore, but it
really goes much deeper than that. In the weeks and months ahead, we can expect to hear more about the need to revive
the planet's once reliable “green infrastructure” – and, in New York's case, that means replenishing the salt
marshes that once acted as natural surge protectors, restoring the wetlands that once provided water
filtration and flood control, and righting the rivers and streams that once dealt so effectively with
stormwater runoff.
New York City has already taken steps in this direction. Over the past two years, it launched both an ambitious “green
infrastructure” plan aimed at rivers and streams, and a wetlands strategy aimed at salt marshes and wetlands.
Such natural elements are often better at protecting the coast because they don't muscle storm surges but rather
absorb them. They also tend to be cheaper to build and maintain than are massive engineering works, and they're almost
always prettier to look at. Done right, they can even pay for themselves over time.
http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/pages/dynamic/article.page.php?page_id=9401&section=news_articles&eod=1

12. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

13. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
The value of wetland ecosystem services in Louisiana has been estimated at $8,437 to $15,763 per
acre (Farber, 1996).
Great Lakes Region: Estimating Non-Market Values of Coastal Marshes
Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron, Michigan, is rich in resources that support
agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, outdoor recreation and habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
Each year Saginaw Bay wetlands provide $16 million of non-market benefits to recreational
users, yielding a total value of $239 million (NOAA CSC, 2009).
Gulf of Mexico Region: The Value of a Coastal Wetland
The Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine system of wetlands is a valuable source of oil and
gas, fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing. Economic benefits accruing from recreational activities
ranged from $327 million to $1 billion. The commercial economy was about $3.5 billion (of which
about $2.3 million was from oil and gas production). Other wetland services on an annual per-acre
basis include protection from hurricane damage ($186), storm surges ($280 to $904), damage to the
water supply ($84 to $157), and property losses from inundation ($6,599 to $7,116) (NOAA
CSC, 2009).
Pacific Northwest Region: Flood Protection in the Chehalis Basin
In the Chehalis River Basin, Washington, a valuation of 12 ecosystem services shows a range of
economic benefits between $1.3 and $11.6 billion in value to citizens every year (Earth
Economics, 2010).

14. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

15. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

16. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Environmental impacts of the selected Blue Growth economic activities. Grey areas indicate the potential impacts of the economic activities
mentioned, white areas indicate that no impacts are expected.

17. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
http://www.unep.org/ieacp/graphic.aspx?f=grb/fig5-19.jpg

18. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Framework for identifying revenue opportunities from coral reef beneficiaries, WorldFish Center
| Economic Valuation and Policy Priorities for Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs

19. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
The loss of potential economic benefits in the global fishery, due to fish stock depletion and over-
capacity, is estimated at US$ 50 billion per year
Cumulative global loss of net benefits from inefficient global fisheries 1974-2007: US$ 2 trillion
World Bank, FAO, 2008: “The Sunken Billions – The Economic Justification for Fisheries Reform”

20. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

21. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
The plan will see the numbers of
marine reserves off the Australian
coast increased from 27 to 60.
The fishing industry is set to
receive hundreds of millions of
dollars in compensation, reports
say.
Some have also noted that oil and gas
exploration continue to be allowed
near some protected
areas, particularly off western
Australia.
The Australian Conservation
Foundation said that although the
plan didn't go as far as they would
like, it was a major achievement in
terms of ocean conservation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18437040

22. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
Ecologically, financially and politically, the
present model of overconsumption funded
by over-concentrated leverage is
unsustainable. Indeed, to replicate the
existing unsustainable financial model in
the emerging markets may invite a bigger
global crisis. Sustainable finance hinges on
sustainable business and on a more
inclusive, greener, sustainable environment.
Financial leaders need to address a world
where consumption and investment will
fundamentally change.
To arrive at a greener and more
inclusive, sustainable world, there will be
profound changes in lifestyles, with greener
products, supply chains and distribution
channels. Social networking is changing
consumer and investor feedback so that
industry, including finance, will become more
networked and more attuned to
demographic and demand changes. As
community leaders, finance should lead
that drive for a more inclusive, sustainable
future.

23. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity
SeaconomicsEnvironmental
Management
Fisheries and
Aquiculture
Oil & Gas
Alternative
Energies
Policy and
Decision
makers
R&D
Land/Sea Use
Planning
Maritime Law
& Security
Tourism

24. The economic perspective of marine biodiversity

25. Nuno Gaspar de Oliveira | Researcher ‘CIGEST | Ambiente e Sustentabilidade
ISG – Business & Economics School | nunogoliveira@cigest.ensinus.pt | Telefone: 21 751 37 00 ext. 127
Linkedin: ngoliveira | SKYPE: nuno.gaspar.oliveira | Facebook: CIGEST, NGOLIVEIRA