In this report, the Campaign for Nature has collated evidence on how protected areas (e.g. national parks, marine protected areas) are in many cases central to local and national economies, and present a strong case for stimulus aid. They need emergency assistance to prevent laying off staff and breaking longstanding covenants with local communities, which also need support because the near shutdown of protected areas has left them without many basic services. Tourism to protected areas is often the main driver of jobs and income in rural and coastal communities, and protected area tourism revenues fund local community clinics, job training, and social safety nets. Despite this concerning evidence, the nature-based economy has been overlooked in stimulus discussions so far.
A Key Sector Forgotten in the Stimulus Debate: the Nature-Based Economy