146 Nations Can Boost Economy and Nature Together

The choice between economic prosperity and environmental health just became a lot easier for governments worldwide.

Researchers from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Minnesota analyzed land use in 146 countries and discovered something remarkable. Nearly every nation can dramatically improve both their economy and their ecosystems at the same time.

The study, published in Science, found that on average, countries can almost double their economic or environmental performance without sacrificing the other. The potential gains include over 200 billion metric tons of CO2 reduction or $350 billion in additional economic value.

"One of the main reasons for doing this study was to show that there are ways where we can be more efficient and address climate and biodiversity without bankrupting people," said lead author Stephen Polasky, a professor at the University of Minnesota.

The team created "efficiency frontiers" for each country, mapping the gap between current land use and what's possible with smarter planning. They examined economic returns from crops, livestock and timber against environmental benefits like carbon storage and biodiversity conservation.

The results revealed stark differences between nations. Japan has maximized economic output but depleted natural resources. Haiti uses a similar fraction of natural assets but sees drastically lower returns, showing massive room for improvement.

The improvements come from two main approaches: reallocating land through selective restoration in productive areas, and intensifying crop yields, especially in lower-income countries with underperforming agriculture.

Why This Inspires

This research demolishes the myth that protecting nature means sacrificing economic growth. For decades, governments have treated environmental protection and development as opposing forces, leaving both people and planet worse off.

Now there's a roadmap showing countries exactly where they can invest for mutual benefits. Organizations funding development work can direct resources more strategically, helping nations meet economic goals while honoring climate and biodiversity commitments.

"This research proves that the supposed tradeoff between protecting nature and growing economies is false," said Becky Chaplin-Kramer, global biodiversity lead scientist at World Wildlife Fund-US.

Perhaps most encouraging is how achievable these changes are. Nobody expects countries to reconfigure entire landscapes overnight, but even modest shifts toward efficiency create wins for both people and nature.

The climate and biodiversity crises feel overwhelming, but this study offers genuine hope. Better choices about how we use land can feed the world, support livelihoods, store carbon and protect wildlife at the same time.