Image credit: KAL VISUALS via Unsplash
In April, we shared the Executive Order issued on Earth Day 2020, focusing on valuing nature in US policy which addressed:
- Safeguarding mature and old-growth forests on federal lands in the U.S;
- Strengthening reforestation partnerships across the country;
- Combating global deforestation;
- Focusing on nature-based solutions to combat climate change;
- Assessing how to better value nature in U.S. policymaking;
The Administration recently released its National Strategy to Develop Statistics for Environmental-Economic Decisions and has invited the public to comment on the draft by October 21st, 2022.
This strategy outlines recommendations that the federal government should make in order to remove the disconnect between how we currently measure our economy and the realities of the natural world. It notes that “the data we rely on to describe and measure our economy are largely disconnected from the realities of the natural world. This disconnect in data prevents us from reaching our full economic potential while protecting the environment, and ensuring future opportunity for Americans.”
The draft National Strategy recommends that the “Federal government produce a new, ongoing set of statistics to take stock of our wealth of natural assets, how those assets are being enhanced or depleted, and the impact that has on our economic strength.”
The Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of Management and Budget, and Department of Commerce highlight four key reasons as to why a plan is needed:
- Nature initiates a plethora of supply chains. Whether this is new technologies developed through critical minerals or the fruits and vegetables we eat, nature plays a critical role.
- Nature stimulates innovation. Many inventors and innovators use nature and natural resources as inspiration and examples.
- Nature bolsters the success of a diverse range of organizations. Nature fuels the tourism industry, agriculture, construction, food and beverage industries, and many more.
- Nature safeguards us and our property. Many parts of nature protect us from natural disasters, such as reefs protecting coastlines by acting as a buffer for waves, storms, and floods.
This National Strategy makes a general recommendation that the U.S. government should produce a new set of statistics to take stock of our natural resources, how they are being strengthened or diminished, and what their impact is on our economy.
OneNature believes that the valuation of wildlife and nature will facilitate a more sustainable and just society. We celebrate the Biden Administration for their continued efforts to conserve, rehabilitate, and maintain our country’s natural resources. We are strongly supportive of the strategy as the next step in our progress to accounting for nature in our economic decision making, and will be providing comments on a few key items in the draft strategy, including suggesting additional reports and supporting products and urging for a faster timeline for including wildlife in the accounts.
If you have not yet gotten a chance to read our report “Advancing Well-Being for All Beings” we recommend doing so to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of including nature, wildlife, and well-being in economic measures. Our report presents findings on well-being measures around the world, the current research on the value of wildlife to human well-being, and the critical role that Indigenous and local communities play in well-being-centered conservation.
OneNature is working with our Board and Advisors to develop comments, and we welcome any ideas you have to make the strategy more effective. Please email info@onenatureinstitute.org by October 1st to share your thoughts.