全球性智囊機構「世界資源協會」（WRI）7日發表最新版「千禧年生態系評估綜合報告」。WRI氣候變遷不只改變了氣候型態，進而導致海平面上升，它同時也牽動了人類視為理所當然的生態體系。
經濟學者通常將乾淨飲用水、二氧化碳吸收或廢棄物分解等自然作用，視為毫無價值；而將焦點放在狹義的經濟指標上，例如國內生產總值、可支配所得和購買力等等，許多自然生態的服務價值，都未納入各國的會計帳內。
「千禧年生態系評估綜合報告」是最早就現實中困難的環境問題以及未來無限的可能性，提出解決方法的報告，而世界資源協會此份最新報告則呈現了其實施的成果。
「千禧年生態系評估綜合報告」是WRI於2001年6月啟動的計畫，聚集了來自95國共1300位科學家，針對人類現在及未來如何改變生態體系，以及生態體系如何影響人類福利進行研究。
在接受評估的24個生態體系中，只有4個在過去50年來有所改善，15個嚴重衰落，另外5個則維持平衡狀態。
Climate change is not only altering weather patterns and causing sea levels to rise, it is also transforming ecosystem services that humans have always taken for granted, the World Resources Institute said today in a new report.
Economists usually treat natural assets such as clean drinking water, absorption of carbon dioxide, or the decomposition of wastes as if they have no value. Instead, they focus on a narrow set of economic indicators, such as gross domestic product, GDP, disposable income, and purchasing power parity. Many of nature's services are not included in national accounts and forecasts.
The report presents the results of the earliest thinking about how to address the difficult realities and the enormous potential uncovered by The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
Launched in June 2001 and involving more than 1,300 scientists from 95 countries, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is a study of how humans have altered ecosystems, and how changes in ecosystem services affect human well-being - now and in the future.
Of the 24 ecosystems assessed, only four have shown improvement over the past 50 years. Fifteen are in serious decline, while five hang in the balance.
全文及圖片詳見 ENS報導
