IUCN/WCPA Protected Areas Program: Making Space for People and Biodiversity in the Anthropocene - Earth Stewardship: Linking Ecology and Ethics in Theory and Practice - page 334

22.5 Supporting Human Life

Beyond health benefi ts, the last 10 years has seen an explosion of interest in other
benefi ts of protected areas, from links with faith groups and sacred natural sites, to
the role of parks in stabilizing soils and protecting coastlines (see Kerber 2015 in this
volume [Chap. 25 ] ). IUCN has identifi ed three critical benefi ts:

• disaster risk reduction,

• provision of freshwater, and

• maintenance of food security.

Each of these benefi ts has multiple facets. Natural ecosystems in protected areas
can mitigate natural disasters by stabilizing soils, protecting coastlines, providing
spillover areas for fl oods, and preventing avalanches and landslip. Forests and
wetlands supply downstream communities with pure water. Marine protected areas
maintain fi sh stocks, and terrestrial reserves preserve wild crop varieties critical for
agricultural breeding programs. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
(TEEB) studies have provided a baseline of information, and a variety of tools for
measuring. Getting proper recognition for these wider values also is still a challenge
amongst state governments and other benefi ciaries of these ecosystem services.
Most governments gain more benefi ts from protected areas than they invest, yet even
the limited funding available continues to decline in many countries.

22.6 Reconciling Development Challenges and Meeting

Human Aspirations

Sustainable development 2 is about increasing human well-being without compro-
mising nature or future development prospects. While governments struggle to
maintain food and water security, and ensure jobs and sustainable livelihoods, they
often are faced with hard choices and trade-offs. Research is needed on the intersec-
tion between protected areas, and the many development goals and challenges
facing national governments. The mission of the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) and the World Bank, is to support countries to achieve sustainable
development, while maintaining key ecosystem services and promoting climate
resilient natural and human communities. The UNDP, World Bank, Conservation
International, and the IUCN's Business and Biodiversity Program, offer solutions

2 Sustainable development is used as it is the formal wording in UN and other multilateral agree-
ments. The broader context should be sustainability as development is a means towards reaching
human aspirations without compromising the future.