Environmental Economics and Biological Diversity, ecological stabilizers 

In recent years, global concern for the rational exploitation of natural and environmental resources has increased considerably; however, the stabilization programs and economic reforms implemented have had, and continue to have, negative consequences on biodiversity and biological resources. This implies that, although the concept of sustainable development is in vogue in all political, academic and scientific environments, its true meaning has not yet been internalized in practical terms.

From my perspective, it is of great support to have "Ecological Economics" that proposes an eco-integrating economic system that modifies the objectives of production, the consumption model, the orientation of technological change and the relations between underdeveloped and industrialized nations. This discipline is critical of environmental economics in terms of the economic system, the conception of goods, the mechanism of internalizing externalities and the market mechanism in environmental management.

Biological diversity is an ecological stabilizer within the context of sustainable development, because the greater the diversity of the ecosystem, species and genes, the greater the capacity of biological systems to maintain the integrity of their basic relationships. This capacity of biological systems ensures their permanence over time. In this sense, biodiversity conservation can be considered an essential element of any sustainable development proposal.

Biodiversity is important both from the ecological point of view, since ecosystems maintain the balance of vital functions for the life of species, including humans, and from the socioeconomic point of view, because of the support it provides in terms of raw materials for production processes or goods for consumption and environmental services.

In conclusion, biodiversity resources constitute an enormous potential for future sustainable development based on new alternative uses, especially with regard to genetic resources, medicinal plants for obtaining new drugs and microorganisms, ecotourism, agriculture based on native species, animal husbandry for various purposes and forestry management, among others.