3 Jun 2010, AFP - A study released by the UN environment programme (UNEP) said the world's biodiversity and ecosystems deliver services to humanity estimated to be worth as much as the world gross national income, but two thirds of these ecosystems have already been damaged by humans.

"Biodiversity and ecosystems deliver crucial services to humankind from food security to keeping our waters clean, buffering against extreme weather, providing medicines to recreation and adding to the foundation of human culture. Together these services have been estimated to be worth over 21 to 72 trillion US dollars every year -- comparable to the World Gross National Income of 58 trillion USD in 2008." the report said.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said this reality has not been given enough consideration in the past and urged governments to factor in ecosystem management in their development plans and accounts and change the fact that these services have been invisible or near invisible in national and international accounts. He also explained that restoration pays off: wetlands and forests can be up to 22 times more effective than investing in water treatment plants.