At Solo Natural Capital, our work goes beyond practical applications; we are also deeply engaged in scientific research that pushes the boundaries of Ecosystem Services (ES) knowledge. Through innovative projects and impactful peer-reviewed publications in renowned scientific journals, we contribute to the global academic discourse, enhancing the field’s understanding and application of ES valuation.   

The Challenge:

Ecosystem Services Valuation (ESV) is a rapidly evolving scientific field, providing essential data to bridge the gap between nature and economic decision-making. Over the past few decades, scientific literature on ESV has grown exponentially, generating an immense volume of information with diverse value indicators, methodologies, and datasets. However, a structured overview of how this body of research has evolved over the years remains lacking. Without a comprehensive synthesis, it is difficult to track progress, identify trends, and pinpoint critical knowledge gaps. This creates a pressing need for large-scale meta-analyses that systematically assess the evolution of valuation literature, offering insights into its development and future directions.

Our Approach:

In 2024, we co-authored together with other experts and practitioners, the paper "Economic values for ecosystem services: A global synthesis and way forward" in the Ecosystem Services Journal, one of the most influential scientific journals in the field. Twelve years after the foundational work of De Groot et al (2012), our publication marks a crucial update to the field and represents one of the most comprehensive meta-analyses of ESV studies conducted globally to this date. 

In the paper, we share the learnings of collecting and standardizing diverse ESV data on a large scale and at a global level. We provide an analysis of the development of valuation research, touch upon the projected demand for such data and open up the conversation with other experts and scientists around the potential uses and applications. We conclude by identifying avenues for future development to further increase the amount, quality, representativeness and application of data on economic values for ecosystem services.  

Outcomes & Impact:

The study presents a global synthesis of economic values for ecosystem services provided by 15 terrestrial and marine biomes globally. We provide information from over 1,300 studies, yielding over 9,400 value estimates in monetary units, that has been collected and organized in the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD). 

Our active involvement in academic research reflects our longstanding expertise in ES data and methodologies. By transforming practical insights into peer-reviewed knowledge, we contribute to:

📌 Strengthening the scientific foundation of ESV.
📌 Facilitating knowledge exchange among experts, policymakers, and practitioners.
📌 Developing applications and exploring integrations of ESV data;
📌 Enhancing sustainable natural capital management through data-driven decision-making.

Through pioneering research and collaboration with experts globally, we aim to advance the field of ESV and natural capital, ensuring that science-driven insights continue to shape sustainable policies and investment strategies worldwide.