Ecosystem Marketplace
Encyclopedia
Ecosystem Marketplace is a US-based non-profit organization that specifically focuses on increasing transparency and providing reliable information for ecosystem services and payment schemes.
The idea launching Ecosystem Marketplace was borne out of meeting by members of the Katoomba Group, an international working group
composed of leading experts from forest and energy industries, research institutions, the financial world, and environmental NGO
s dedicated to advancing markets for some of the ecosystem services provided by forests – such as watershed
protection, biodiversity
habitat
, and carbon capture and storage
. Both Ecosystem Marketplace and the Katoomba Group are projects of the D.C.–based nonprofit Forest Trends. Ecosystem Marketplace specializes in market-based approaches to environmental protection
—in the public and private spheres—regarding greenhouse gas
es, water, biodiversity, and conservation. Ecosystem Marketplace's website states: "We believe that by providing solid and trust-worthy information on prices, regulation, science, and other market-relevant issues, markets for ecosystem services will one day become a fundamental part of our economic and environmental system, helping give value to environmental services that have, for too long, been taken for granted." .
Ecosystem Marketplace and New Carbon Finance jointly produce an annual report on the voluntary carbon markets based on a population survey of offset suppliers in the voluntary markets. The State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2007 was covered by multiple media outlets, most notablyThe Economist. This year's report, The State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2008 was released in early May.Reuters India published an article on the report when it was released.
The idea launching Ecosystem Marketplace was borne out of meeting by members of the Katoomba Group, an international working group
Working group
A working group is an interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers working on new research activities that would be difficult to develop under traditional funding mechanisms . The lifespan of the WG can last anywhere between a few months and several years...
composed of leading experts from forest and energy industries, research institutions, the financial world, and environmental NGO
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s dedicated to advancing markets for some of the ecosystem services provided by forests – such as watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
protection, biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
, and carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage , alternatively referred to as carbon capture and sequestration, is a technology to prevent large quantities of from being released into the atmosphere from the use of fossil fuel in power generation and other industries. It is often regarded as a means of mitigating...
. Both Ecosystem Marketplace and the Katoomba Group are projects of the D.C.–based nonprofit Forest Trends. Ecosystem Marketplace specializes in market-based approaches to environmental protection
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
—in the public and private spheres—regarding greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
es, water, biodiversity, and conservation. Ecosystem Marketplace's website states: "We believe that by providing solid and trust-worthy information on prices, regulation, science, and other market-relevant issues, markets for ecosystem services will one day become a fundamental part of our economic and environmental system, helping give value to environmental services that have, for too long, been taken for granted." .
Ecosystem Marketplace and New Carbon Finance jointly produce an annual report on the voluntary carbon markets based on a population survey of offset suppliers in the voluntary markets. The State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2007 was covered by multiple media outlets, most notablyThe Economist. This year's report, The State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2008 was released in early May.Reuters India published an article on the report when it was released.