Researchers establish link between unequal income distribution and the economic value of nature
Researchers at universities in Freiburg, Kiel and Berlin have discovered that the economic value of nature for a society is determined by, among other things, income inequality within the society. "Social justice and nature conservation are not necessarily conflicting concepts, unlike what is frequently maintained by some. On the contrary, measures to enhance social equity in a societal and macroeconomic sense may strengthen nature conservation," stresses Stefan Baumgärtner, Professor of Environmental Economics and Resource Management at the University of Freiburg and director of the study. The researchers have published their findings in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, the leading specialist publication for environmental economics. The results were based on a comprehensive, empirical data set of environmental valuations in 22 countries around the globe.