Since rural people depend on forests and NTFPs for their livelihoods, the loss/change will cause significant social and economic impacts. Over-exploitation or extinction of NTFPs and wildlife affects food patterns, which could in turn result in malnutrition. It can be also presented that biodiversity contributes directly to poverty reduction in at least four key areas: food security, health improvements, income generation, and by reducing vulnerability to disasters. Biodiversity conservation is, therefore, key to achieve MDGs. And it does not only link to the environmental sustainability goal, MDG7, but also provides a source of support to development and poverty reduction targets.
Though much of the population of the Lao PDR relies heavily on the social and economic benefits derived from use of its biological resources, there has been little progress in ensuring that these benefits are distributed. Nevertheless, from the information mentioned above, it can be seen that biodiversity does not only link to socio-economic well-being in the Lao PDR, but also links to human well-being. Nevertheless, CBD (2010) states that not only the poor depend on biodiversity, but that biodiversity is important for everyone. For example: destruction and/or degradation of forested areas could lead to natural disasters such as flooding, landslides.
These natural disasters also have an impact on the greater socio-economy in the Lao PDR such as: road access and food production. As a result, biodiversity conservation is necessary in order to ensure sustainable development. Consequently the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem values into policy and decision- making requires going beyond service identification. Decision makers, from the public and private sector must identify, define, and target where and what these values are; what is affected and to whom they are significant. Then the conservation and enhancement of those identified and valued ecosystem services are to be prioritized.
1.2.3 The value of biodiversity in the Lao PDR economy As stated above, one of the key steps to maintain biodiversity and its ecosystems services, crucial for socio-economic and human wellbeing, is valuation. Food is clearly the main service provided by ecosystems in the Lao PDR, especially at the district and provincial level. However, other services such as clean air are often neglected and are and will be of huge value to the Lao PDR and everyone on this planet. Unfortunately, to date in the Lao PDR, there has been little appreciation of the importance of biodiversity in economic terms.
Natural resources and biodiversity conservation has often been seen as an uneconomic or unproductive effort. However, we often tend to think in terms of monetary flows or financial assets when taking decisions. Consequently, there is a need to 6