The benefits that people derive from ecosystems, including provisioning services, such as food, freshwater, timbers, fibers, medicinal plants, and other natural products; regulating services, such as surface water purification, carbon storage and sequestration, climate regulation, protection from natural hazards, and other benefits people obtain from the regulation of ecosystem processes; cultural services, such as sacred sites, areas of importance for recreation and aesthetic enjoyment, and other natural areas with non-material benefits; and supporting services, such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, primary production, and other natural processes that maintain separate services.
Adapted from World Bank, "World Bank Environmental and Social Framework," Washington, DC, 2016, View the PDF; Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), "Environmental and Social Framework," 2021, View the PDF.