People & Ecosystems
 Forests |
 Poverty & Equity |
 Ecosystem Services |
 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment |
 Sustainable Business & Markets |
 Ecosystem Data, Maps & Tools |
Ecosystems and human well-being are inextricably linked
Human well-being has significantly improved over the last two centuries – the majority of people lead longer, healthier lives. Ecosystem goods and services – the benefits provided by nature like fresh water, clean air, fuel, food, medicine, and timber – have underpinned most of these improvements.
However, three main problems threaten the ability of ecosystems to support human well-being:
- The growing demand for ecosystem goods and services such as is placing unprecedented stress on ecosystems.
- Governance at the local, regional, and global levels does not foster effective stewardship of ecosystem goods and services.
- The benefits of ecosystems are not equitably distributed and the costs of ecosystem degradation are largely borne by the resource-dependent poor in rural areas.
To tackle these problems, WRI's People & Ecosystems Program creates innovative, practical, and decision-relevant solutions that aim to halt and reverse ecosystem degradation while sustaining their capacity to provide humans with the goods and services we need.
