Biodiversity and happiness: exploring the value of nature

Authors

Qiang JI, Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaFollow

Document Type

Research-Article

Author

Yue Zhang, Yuan Xue, Kun Guo, Qiang Ji, Dayong Zhang

Journal Name

Sustainability Science

Keywords

Biodiversity, Happiness, Household survey, Nature capital, Social welfare

Abstract

The value of a more diversified ecosystem lies beyond nature itself and extends to the human world. It provides benefits, both physically and psychologically, to each individual living in the system. Following this argument, we develop an empirical framework examining the impacts of biodiversity on human well-being in China. Using bird diversity index as a proxy for biodiversity at the city-level, we find a significant positive relationship between biodiversity and self-reported happiness, even after accounting for individual and regional factors. In addition, we employ the establishment of new natural reserves as a quasi-natural experiment to construct a difference-in-differences model and demonstrate that improvements in biodiversity can lead to higher levels of happiness. These findings underscore the value of nature in enhancing human well-being and highlight the need for policies to protect biodiversity.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-024-01599-y

Recommended Citation

JI, Qiang (2025) "Biodiversity and happiness: exploring the value of nature," Double Helix Methodology: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, Article 7.
Available at: https://diis-mips.researchcommons.org/helix-content/vol6/iss2/7