In a recent interview with Estadão, GIST Impact Founder and CEO, Pavan Sukhdev, made a powerful case: Brazil should be rewarded for the vital ecosystem service its forests provide in generating rainfall.
Pavan is well known for leading The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study, and argues that the Amazon and other Brazilian biomes act as “flying rivers”, cycling water vapour across the continent and far beyond. These rain-making systems are not only critical for Brazil’s agriculture and energy security, but also for neighbouring countries and the global climate.
At GIST Impact, we see this as a prime example of why natural capital accounting matters. Rainfall generation is an ecosystem service of immense economic value – yet it remains invisible in conventional measures like GDP. Recognising and rewarding Brazil for safeguarding this service would set a precedent for valuing nature’s contributions to the economy.
For businesses and investors, this context is a reminder that supply chains and portfolios are deeply dependent on ecosystem stability. For governments and policymakers, it highlights the need for mechanisms such as payments for ecosystem services to ensure countries protecting the planet’s natural infrastructure are not left bearing the costs alone.
Brazil’s stewardship of its rainforests is a service to the world. It is time the world recognised – and compensated – that service.
