Had a great discussion with Gemma Parkes from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) regarding the importance of environmental accounting. I refer to this in my work as the Resource Conflict in sustainability. What it covers is the debate over whether natural resources (forests, nature reserves) should be protected undisturbed for their own intrinsic value and for the biological habitat in those places; or whether natural resources are there to serve us as humans at the top of the food chain.
My sustainability perspective is that as humans on top of the food chain, we do need these resources for our own survival. As such we need to ensure that after we take what we need we should also be held accountable to ensure that enough stocks are left for future generations and their needs.
It was great to hear a WWF staffer discussing the importance of placing a dollar amount on ecological systems. This at least helps us to properly discuss the value of sensitive resources and make comparative and informed decisions in our choices.
What are your thoughts?