The potential costs and benefits of addressing land degradation in the Thukela catchment, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: NCAVES project report

This study forms part of the Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) project and builds on the compilation of pilot physical and monetary ecosystem services accounts for KwaZulu-Natal for 2005-2011. The analysis demonstrates the utility of ecosystem accounts – consistent with the System of Environmental Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) framework – to inform policymaking. The study investigates the economic case for ecosystem management and restoration interventions in the Thukela river basin over the period 2021-2030 to achieve or exceed land degradation neutrality relative to a 2015 baseline. This study weighs the benefits of ecosystem restoration – in terms of the monetary value of improved provision of selected ecosystem services against the costs of interventions.