Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin
Abstract Many valuable economic benefits from nature have traditionally been overlooked in both national accounts and government policy. To remedy this, countries are adopting the new United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting framework for valuing ecosystem services, but inclusion o...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02254-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850143401865904128 |
|---|---|
| author | Lisa Mandle Héctor Angarita Jaime Moreno Jesse A. Goldstein Sioux F. Melo L Alejandra Echeverri Nicolas Rojas Fabián Dario Villalba |
| author_facet | Lisa Mandle Héctor Angarita Jaime Moreno Jesse A. Goldstein Sioux F. Melo L Alejandra Echeverri Nicolas Rojas Fabián Dario Villalba |
| author_sort | Lisa Mandle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Many valuable economic benefits from nature have traditionally been overlooked in both national accounts and government policy. To remedy this, countries are adopting the new United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting framework for valuing ecosystem services, but inclusion of key hydrological services has so far been limited. Here we develop ecosystem service flow accounts linked to a natural capital assessment in Colombia’s Sinú Basin to value ecosystems’ contributions to water and energy security. Using integrated biophysical and economic models parameterized with local data, we find ecosystems deliver sediment retention benefits to the energy and water sectors equivalent to 1.7% of the region’s gross domestic product. A planned expansion of the region’s aqueduct system would further increase these services’ value by 12%. Our findings are informing development planning and policy within Colombia and provide lessons for the many other countries adopting natural capital accounting to support their sustainable development goals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-91ebaf7b9a944ba1a0fc5f7c1566f608 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-91ebaf7b9a944ba1a0fc5f7c1566f6082025-08-20T02:28:42ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-04-016111110.1038/s43247-025-02254-9Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú BasinLisa Mandle0Héctor Angarita1Jaime Moreno2Jesse A. Goldstein3Sioux F. Melo L4Alejandra Echeverri5Nicolas Rojas6Fabián Dario Villalba7Natural Capital Project, Stanford UniversityNatural Capital Project, Stanford UniversityDepartamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad JaverianaNatural Capital Project, Stanford UniversityDepartment of Physical Geography, Utrecht UniversityNatural Capital Project, Stanford UniversityEnvironment and Sustainable Development Directorate, National Planning Department – DNPEnvironment and Sustainable Development Directorate, National Planning Department – DNPAbstract Many valuable economic benefits from nature have traditionally been overlooked in both national accounts and government policy. To remedy this, countries are adopting the new United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting framework for valuing ecosystem services, but inclusion of key hydrological services has so far been limited. Here we develop ecosystem service flow accounts linked to a natural capital assessment in Colombia’s Sinú Basin to value ecosystems’ contributions to water and energy security. Using integrated biophysical and economic models parameterized with local data, we find ecosystems deliver sediment retention benefits to the energy and water sectors equivalent to 1.7% of the region’s gross domestic product. A planned expansion of the region’s aqueduct system would further increase these services’ value by 12%. Our findings are informing development planning and policy within Colombia and provide lessons for the many other countries adopting natural capital accounting to support their sustainable development goals.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02254-9 |
| spellingShingle | Lisa Mandle Héctor Angarita Jaime Moreno Jesse A. Goldstein Sioux F. Melo L Alejandra Echeverri Nicolas Rojas Fabián Dario Villalba Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin |
| title_full | Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin |
| title_fullStr | Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin |
| title_short | Natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems’ role in water and energy security in Colombia’s Sinú Basin |
| title_sort | natural capital accounting reveals ecosystems role in water and energy security in colombia s sinu basin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02254-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lisamandle naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT hectorangarita naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT jaimemoreno naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT jesseagoldstein naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT siouxfmelol naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT alejandraecheverri naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT nicolasrojas naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin AT fabiandariovillalba naturalcapitalaccountingrevealsecosystemsroleinwaterandenergysecurityincolombiassinubasin |