The Greater Mekong is blessed with natural riches – from forests full of life to fertile floodplains and the world’s most valuable freshwater fishery. Its ecosystems provide people with vital services, like clean water, flood prevention and a stable climate. But rapid development is depleting the region’s natural resources and degrading its landscapes, waters and biodiversity, leading to a loss of natural capital. As a result, the people of the Greater Mekong risk losing the many benefits that healthy ecosystems bring.
Everyone understands that it makes financial sense to invest your money wisely, rather than spending it all at once. Similarly, careful stewardship of natural capital brings long-term economic, social and environmental benefits that far outweigh the short-term financial gains from unsustainable exploitation. Shifting to a green economy that recognizes the value of nature is crucial for millions of people in the Greater Mekong, now and in the future. To enable this, WWF is launching a green economy initiative that will expand incentives for people, governments and businesses to maintain, enrich and restore the region’s natural capital.