Geography 2050 (2021) Lightning Talk: The Real Wealth of Nations: Mapping and Monetizing the Ecological Footprint

A talk titled “The Real Wealth of Nations: Mapping and Monetizing the Human Ecological Footprint” explores the dollar value of natural production globally compared to human impact on the environment. The speaker attributes $50 trillion to human impact as impervious surface and $50 trillion to the value of ecosystem services measured by photosynthesis. The study uses nighttime satellite imagery and population density to map impervious surface, revealing areas where the planet is paved. The results suggest that ecosystem services are worth more than the entire global market economy. The talk advocates for a shift in economic paradigms towards ecological sustainability.