10th Issue (December, 2008)

Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being

K.S.Chow

Ecosystem services provide benefits
For well-being of mankind
Rendering mankind with
Provisioning service of food, water, medicines, minerals ……
Regulating services of flood control, maintaining water quality …..
Cultural services of recreation, eco-tourism ……
Supporting services of soil formation, photosynthesis ……
Ecosystem services
The determinants of human wellbeing

Depletion and degradation of ecosystems
Diminishing their ecosystem services
Leading to ill-being of mankind.
Air pollutants condition global warming and climate change
Water pollution menaces the plant and animal species
Deforestation depletes the biodiversity
Unsustainable consumption engenders unsustainable development
Bartering the present for the future
Meeting current needs to sacrifice the future needs

Observe the ecological safety net
Care for the contemporaries
As well as for the future generations
Do not override the long-term interests
With short-term gains
Buddhist Theosophy helps
Understanding of the constant flux and interaction
Between ecosystem biodiversity and Man
Buddhist ecology for responsible and farsighted governance