Ecological economics foundation research on ecological values, ecological asset management, and value realization: Scientific concepts, basic theories, and realization paths

Abstract

Ecosystems provide various environmental conditions and natural resources for life, production, and human livelihoods. Ecosystem management based on natural laws is the basic way for human society to recognize the value of nature and ecosystems, protect and utilize the natural environment and resources, create and accumulate ecological assets, and sustainably develop. Taking that as one of the core concepts, regional ecological economics or economic ecology is becoming a frontier in scientific research to evaluate the Anthropocene earth system and sustainable development. From the perspective of macro-ecosystem science, based on the multi-functionality and multi-values of ecosystems, this study expounded the concepts of natural ecological value, ecological assets, ecological products, and some related phrases, analyzed the processes and principles of formation and change of ecological assets, production and consumption of ecological products, ecological investment, and profit and loss of ecological assets based on integrated ecology, sociology, and economics, proposed paths of regional ecological asset management and ecological value realization. It would provide theoretical and methodological references for the evaluation of regional ecosystem value and ecological assets, and the development of ecological industries and ecological value realization systems.