Putting a Price on Nature?

Date: 3/6/2011

The Government has published the UK's first National Ecosystem Assessment, a ground breaking report which attempts to put a cash price on the environmental services provided by nature.

Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme on 2nd June the President of the Planning Officers Society, Stephen Tapper, pointed out that greenbelt land around towns is already well protected, and questioned how such pricing mechanisms would work.: "I think that's a very interesting figure [of £300 per person per year for living close to a green space], and I'd like to know how they arrived at it. We will certainly look into it, but I don't think planning decisions are ultimately going to be made on that basis".

>>read more

>> hear a  podcast of Stephen's interview