The Inestimable Value of the Natural Environment

Assessing the monetary value of the natural environment seems like a straightforward question, but it is far from simple. This article delves into the intricacies of this topic, explaining why a precise valuation is impossible and how the fundamental categories of 'real value' and 'use value' affect our understanding.

Introduction to the Question

At first glance, it might appear that we could easily place a monetary value on the natural environment. However, this question is filled with contradictions and ambiguities that make a precise answer elusive. We need to redefine and clear these terms to understand the issue more clearly.

Understanding ‘Real Value’ and ‘Use Value’

Real Value: We define real value as the utility for nature's use. This is the intrinsic order in material value that makes the evolution of matter and life possible.

Use Value: Use value, on the other hand, is the utility of products and services for human economic use, which is derived from and consumes the real value.

The Divergence of Real Value and Use Value

The real value and use value are fundamentally different categories of things. They cannot be directly compared because money, which represents use value, does not inherently have real value.

The market worth of money, which denotes the utility for human economic use, is dependent on the conditions of real value. These conditions are constantly deteriorating due to economic activities, making the market worth of money a variable. In contrast, the natural value, which is the real value, is a constant standard.

The Diminishing Real Value

As human economic activities consume and convert the real value into use value, the real value diminishes. Once the value conversion process is complete, the use value loses its basis and becomes worthless. Therefore, any attempt to monetize the natural environment is fundamentally flawed.

The Grand Deal and Its Consequences

The grand deal to 'buy off' the environment is economically and naturally meaningless. The environmental value lost is an endless future, while the market worth is a finite quantity. The opportunity cost of such a deal is tremendous, as it could lead to the total extinction of all human and natural life on Earth.

Misconceptions and The Truth

There is a common misconception that the monetary value of the natural environment can be estimated. However, this overlooks the qualitative differences between real value and use value. Qualitatively, the opportunity cost of environmental degradation is incomparable to the limited market worth derived from economic activity.

Calculation and Conclusion

Based on my calculations, the market worth of the geothermal energy used for the next 200,000 years would be the closest estimate to the natural environment's value. However, this comes at a tremendous opportunity cost. The entire human future and all life on Earth would be extinguished.

The true worth of the environment is its real value for the natural world, which is the support for human biological and thinking information for the next 1.2 billion years. This is a constant that cannot be converted into finite monetary value.

Future Considerations

Given the accelerating depreciation rate of money due to economic activities and the limited real value conditions, the monetary worth of environmental use value will continue to decline rapidly. While its real value cost, which is the human future, is incalculable, the finite market worth is not significant.

References

I recommend referring to my Quora answers and articles in my free eBook 'SEEKING ANSWERS 12th edition' for a deeper understanding of these concepts during your research.