Pushpam Kumar, the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) chief environmental economist and senior economic advisor, gave a virtual talk at Cal State San Bernardino on “Making Nature Count through Inclusive Wealth Measurement,” on May 28.

Kumar has been a key figure in designing, implementing and providing leadership to the operationalization of concept of natural capital and its mainstreaming into development design and policy. Natural capital can be defined as the world’s stocks of natural assets, which include geology, soil, air, water and all living things. It is from this natural capital that humans derive a wide range of services, often called ecosystem services, which make human life possible.

Welcoming the presentation were CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales and Deputy Provost and Vice Provost for Academic Programs Clare Weber, who leads the university’s Intellectual Life Fund (ILF), which sponsored Kumar’s talk. The fund was created to enhance the university’s intellectual vitality by bringing campus presenters such as professors, artists, policymakers, professionals, public servants, or diplomats that have something unique and important to offer to CSUSB students, faculty and staff. 

Mahmood Nikbakhtzadeh, an assistant professor of environmental health science in the Department of Health Science & Human Ecology, who invited Kumar and coordinated the talk, and led the question and answer session following Kumar’s presentation.

To watch Kumar’s talk, visit the Pushpam Kumar Speech webpage.