Víctor Gómez-Valenzuela launches the book "The Natural Capital of the Dominican Republic: At the Crossroads of Sustainability"
The work published by Ediciones INTEC proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for measuring and valuing ecosystem services.
SANTO DOMINGO. –Víctor Gómez-Valenzuela, research professor at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), presented his most recent book “The Natural Capital of the Dominican Republic: At the Crossroads of Sustainability”, a pioneering work that places the economic value of natural resources at the center of the national debate as the foundation of sustainable development.
The 276-page text proposes a conceptual and methodological framework for measuring and valuing ecosystem services, such as climate regulation, water purification, pollination, and coastal protection, which directly support the country's economy and life.
Dr. Gómez-Valenzuela has extensive experience with international organizations in the assessment and analysis of public policies and sustainability, and more than two decades of research and teaching in environmental economics.
The work, published by Ediciones INTEC, invites us to reflect on the value of the Dominican Republic's natural heritage—forests, rivers, coasts, mountains, and biodiversity—as an essential cornerstone of the economy and a foundation for building a sustainable future. The text addresses the convergence between economic development and environmental conservation, while also outlining the main challenges and opportunities facing the nation in its pursuit of an environmentally responsible development model.
During the launch ceremony, held at INTEC's Social Security Observatory (OSES), the university's interim rector, Alliet Ortega, stated that Gómez-Valenzuela's work "comes at a historic moment, when environmental sustainability has become an unavoidable duty."
Ortega stated that "protecting natural resources is no longer just a gesture of conscience; it is the condition that defines our future as a country and as humanity."
Likewise, Rosa Margarita Bonetti, president of the Propagas Foundation, expressed through an audiovisual presentation that the book "not only analyzes, but also proposes a clear path to integrating the economic valuation of ecosystem services into our decisions as a country."
Bonetti stated that Gómez-Valenzuela's work bridges the gap between economics and conservation by offering tools to quantify what has previously gone unvalued: nature's services.
Yvonne Arias, executive director of Grupo Jaragua, who presented the book, stated that "the book clearly demonstrates that without healthy ecosystems, there is no sustainable tourism, no food security, and no economic future for the country."
Víctor Gómez Valenzuela, upon launching his book, emphasized that “protecting, valuing, and celebrating the natural wealth that defines our identity is an inescapable commitment to ensuring the well-being of future generations.”
He pointed out that the Dominican Republic faces very serious structural challenges. “It is a country that has made progress. We have grown a lot, but we are a developing island state, which must take into account the environmental restrictions inherent to it. Understanding these restrictions is not a limitation; it is empowering them through the interaction of natural capital with other capitals and through the use of their revenues to improve the environment.” impact of science, technology, and innovation policies. In his view, the role of natural capital in development helps us, above all, to gauge our commitment as a community to future generations.”
Findings of the work
The work highlights that up to 30% of global food production depends on pollination, an ecosystem service in sharp decline in the Dominican Republic due to deforestation, monoculture plantations, and excessive pesticide use. It also points out that the loss of mangroves and coral reefs increases the vulnerability of tourism, one of the main sectors of the economy, to increasingly frequent and intense hurricanes and storms.
He argues that the Dominican economic model has grown at the expense of environmental degradation, placing the country "at a crossroads" between maintaining its pace of expansion or protecting the "goose that lays the golden eggs": its natural capital.
personalities present
The event was attended by Arturo Del Villar, Academic Vice-Rector, and Rosario Aróstegui, Vice-Rector of Research and Outreach at INTEC. Also present from the university were professors Georgina Espinal, Rosaura Pimentel, and Mildred Sena Vittini, as well as Manuel Madé, Coordinator of Scientific Management and Dissemination.
Likewise, representatives of Dominican universities attended the launching ceremony, such as Odile Camilo, rector of the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE), Roberto Cassá, director of the General Archive of the Nation, as well as renowned Dominican environmentalists such as Sixto Incháustegui, president of the Jaragua Group; Ángela Hernández, head of the Environmental Education Department of the National Aquarium; Domingo Contreras, president of the Atabey Innovation Center; Víctor Ávila, Dominican anthropologist, philosopher, and educator; and César Rodríguez, executive director of the Dominican Environmental Consortium (CAD), among other private sector figures and representatives of international organizations, as well as relatives of the author of the work.