What is the quantity of the goods or services produced by ecosystems? Is the capability to produce goods and services being enhanced or diminished through time?

Click on boxes to view additional information about the impact of human activities on the goods and services for that ecosystem.

 

• Scorecard key. Scores estimate the predominant global condition or capacity by balancing the relative strength and reliability of the various indicators described.
• Biodiversity. Biodiversity yields many direct human benefits.
• Carbon storage. The steps we have taken to increase production of food and other commodities from ecosystems have had a net negative impact on their capacity to store carbon.
• Food production. The condition of agroecosystems from the standpoint of food production is mixed while the outlook for fish production is more problematic.
• Recreation and tourism. The capability of ecosystems to provide recreational and tourism opportunities is declining in many areas because of the overall degradation of biodiversity.
• Water quality. Water quality is degraded directly through chemical or nutrient pollution, or indirectly when the capacity of ecosystems to filter water is degraded or when land-use changes increase soil erosion.
• Water quantity. Dams, diversions, pumps, and other engineering works have profoundly altered the amount and location of water available for both human uses and for sustaining aquatic ecosystems.