Ecosystems are, or can be the wealth of the poor. However, programmes to reduce poverty often fail to account for the important link between environment and the livelihoods of the rural poor. As a consequence, the full potential of ecosystems as a wealth-creating asset for the poor, not just a survival mechanism has yet to be effectively tapped. World Resources 2005 details the steps necessary to empower the people of low income communities to use ecosystems, both wisely and for wealth. Using examples and case studies, the report traces a route to greater environmental income. Working at the cutting edge of sustainable development, it lays out the governance changes necessary to give the people the legal, financial, and management capacity to use nature for wealth creation, without depleting their fragile resource base. World Resources 2005 builds on the analysis and argument of the two previous editions: World Resources 2000-2001: People and Ecosystems and World Resources 2002-2004: Decisions for the Earth. The book also presents a wealth of statistics on current environmental, social, and economic trends in more than 150 countries.