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News
National Ecosystem Services Council Formed to Promote Expansion of Environmental Trading PracticesDecember 13, 2007 An alliance of business - environmental and government leaders in Oregon are joining forces to form the Ecosystem Services Council. These organizations represent the nation’s first not-for-profit efforts to establish an ecosystem services marketplace-with the goal of organizing market-based efforts that promote clean air - clean water - land protection and habitat restoration. The work of the Council takes market initiatives beyond the frenetic energy of carbon markets to support investment in whole ecosystems. Market-based efforts that encourage environmental restoration are growing rapidly at all levels. Globally - the World Bank estimates that $30 billion moved through carbon markets in 2006. In Oregon - an unmet demand of $30 million persists for the wetland mitigation credits necessary for future development. Locally - Clean Water Services - a public water-resources utility in Oregon - used market-based approaches to restore 35 miles of streams for $6 million instead of spending $60 million on industrial-engineering to meet water quality standards. To unify these global - state and local initiatives - business and government leaders at last week’s Oregon Leadership Summit prioritized the formation of an ecosystem services marketplace. They viewed it as a key green-enterprise that the state should pursue. The Ecosystem Services Council is ideally-suited to follow through on their conclusion. In the same way the U.S. Green Building Council has successfully advanced sustainable building practices through its certification program - the Ecosystem Services Council will advance the scope - pace and effectiveness of the nation’s investments in environmental restoration. The Council is focused on environmental gains - creating a marketplace that meets the business sector’s environmental compliance needs - and the needs of those seeking to voluntarily offset their own environmental impacts. Allen Alley - Governor Ted Kulongoski’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Bill Gaffi - General Manager of Oregon’s Clean Water Services presented the Ecosystem Marketplace Initiative to the Oregon Leadership Summit on behalf of the Council. They made the case that a marketplace anchored in Oregon can increase the pace of investment in ecosystems - create jobs - and export new ideas. Bill Gaffi - who also heads the board of the Willamette Partnership noted - Whether you talk to local government - environmental organizations - or business - there are nodding heads saying ‘yes!’ we need an organization to make sure that these growing markets are of the highest quality - look at our environment as a whole - and operate in a way that is completely transparent. The Council is an exciting convergence of the momentum springing from lots places in Oregon’s sustainability community.” Duncan Wyse - president of the Oregon Business Council added - Demand for ecosystem service markets seems to be growing faster than the development of markets themselves. With support - Oregon can help build the markets necessary to meet demand. The Ecosystem Services Council is bringing those people together and leading the charge to export these concepts to like-minded efforts around the world.” The Ecosystem Services Council will be pivotal in developing this new robust - economic market that will serve as a global model. Early leaders include: Cascadia Region Green Building Council City of Portland Clean Water Services Defenders of Wildlife Earth Advantage - Inc. Ecotrust Ecosystem Economics - LLC Institute for Natural Resources Oregon Business Association Oregon Economic and Community Development Department Parametrix Portland State University Sustainable Northwest The Nature Conservancy Willamette Partnership For more info contact: Contact: info@ecosystemservicescouncil.org |
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