Global InVEST

global_invest is the ecosystem-service module of the Earth-Economy Devstack. For each service it produces, from the same source files, both a Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) valuation and an NGFS scenario shock.

The standard version of InVEST, provided by the Natural Capital Project, is a set of tools for quantifying the values of natural capital in clear, credible, and practical ways. InVEST enables decision-makers to assess the trade-offs associated with alternative management choices and to identify the policies and practices that can best balance human needs with environmental sustainability. It is designed to be accessible to a broad audience, including conservation organizations, governments, development banks, academics, and the private sector, and comprises an easy-to-use graphical interface as well as direct access to the Python library for advanced users.

Typical InVEST applications looked at individual watersheds or small administrative regions. Starting with Chaplin-Kramer et al. (2019), however, a series of global applications of InVEST have developed. These applications have sometimes used the standard InVEST Python library, but in most cases custom versions were created to enable calculation of the models globally, which was challenging for both computation and data reasons. The term Global InVEST refers informally to the multiple code repositories behind these applications; this module is where they are being organized and standardized.

The three main sources for Global InVEST are:

• Nature’s Contributions to People: Chaplin-Kramer et al. (2019)
• GTAP-InVEST: Johnson et al. (2023)
• Nature’s Frontiers: Damania et al. (2023)

Where to go next

• The overview slide deck is a reveal.js presentation summarising the module: what each service produces, the numbers it currently reports, and the open questions.
• Each service documents its own method next to its code, in global_invest/<service>/<service>_method.qmd. Those pages are published on the website under Models → Global InVEST.

Installation

global_invest installs as part of the devstack. Follow the installation guide to get global_invest and hazelbean into your workspace.