{"id":17646,"date":"2024-09-28T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-28T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/?p=17646"},"modified":"2024-09-28T22:48:51","modified_gmt":"2024-09-29T04:48:51","slug":"using-private-property-to-monetize-nature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/using-private-property-to-monetize-nature\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Private Property to Monetize Nature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Many wonder who is running the country as Biden slips into the world of senility. Actually, America is being run behind the scenes by groups of <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/dictionary\/english\/technocrat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technocrats<\/a>. Without any congressional authorization, these technocrats are taking actions in multiple government sectors, making policy through executive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rutherford.org\/publications_resources\/john_whiteheads_commentary\/rule_by_fiat_when_the_government_does_whatever_it_wants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fiat<\/a>, one of which is on natural resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2022\/04\/24\/accounting-for-nature-on-earth-day-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> in April, 2022, the White House <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2023\/01\/19\/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-releases-national-strategy-to-put-nature-on-the-nations-balance-sheet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">released<\/a> the National Strategy To Develop Statistics For Environmental-Economic Decisions (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEED<\/a>) in January, 2023, creating a U.S. system of &#8220;natural asset accounting&#8221; and environmental-economic statistics. SEED is a fancy and vague description about inventorying natural resources in the U.S. and then assigning a monetary value to them in the United States. Natural resources include forests, wetlands, animals, minerals, plants, water, or any other non-human resource. Calling it natural <a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/content\/natural-capital-and-ecosystem-services-faq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">capital<\/a>, the purpose is determining how those resource assets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/topic\/natural-capital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contribute<\/a> to the economy. Twenty-seven federal agencies participated in developing this strategy (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">xi<\/a>), along with a <a href=\"https:\/\/environment.yale.edu\/news\/article\/yse-economist-key-effort-put-nature-countrys-balance-sheet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">professor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A couple of easy examples to understand this, protecting a forest with good forest management is more cost effective than fighting a forest fire, thus that is an economic value. Or, minimizing the use of water adds value to other economic activities such as recreational enjoyment or agriculture as more water is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEED<\/a> itself is a dry read but does contain some highlights. For example, it explains that the economic benefit from the government spending money on restoration of forests, water, or clean air does not capture the economic value of the investment (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">iv<\/a>), so that value must be calculated. After all, &#8220;Change in Natural Asset Wealth\u2014is an important indicator for sustainable development (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 5<\/a>) &#8220;. Sustainable development of course is Agenda <a href=\"https:\/\/sustainabledevelopment.un.org\/content\/documents\/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf?ref\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2030<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Natural Capital Accounts (NCA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to be confused with Natural Asset Companies (<a href=\"https:\/\/americanstewards.us\/issues\/natural-asset-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NAC<\/a>) which were withdrawn from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsln.com\/news\/securities-and-exchange-commission-withdraws-natural-asset-company-rule\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rule<\/a>, Natural Capital Accounts (NCA) are entirely different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nature is treated as an asset by the government and incorporates those assets onto the national balance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fiscal.treasury.gov\/reports-statements\/financial-report\/balance-sheets.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sheet<\/a>, thus increasing the perception U.S. wealth. To do so, the U.S. incorporated &#8220;the internationally-agreed standards of the U.N. System of Environmental Economic <a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accounting<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEEA<\/a>)&#8221; (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">viii<\/a>). Using this, the U.S. can determine if today&#8217;s consumption is being accomplished without compromising the future opportunities that nature provides (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ix b<\/a>). This is UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalgoals.org\/goals\/12-responsible-consumption-and-production\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#12<\/a>, making sure consumption does not exceed production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Key terms related to all of this can be found on page 1, such as national economic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bea.gov\/data\/economic-accounts\/national\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accounts<\/a>, which are statistics on U.S. production, consumption, investment, exports, imports, and savings. Therefore, &#8220;&#8230;returns on these investments would be reflected as increases in land or recreation values and would appear on the national balance sheet as increases in the Nation&#8217;s fixed capital (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 8<\/a>)&#8221;. Somehow, these &#8220;natural capital accounts (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/ppa\/integrative\/natural-capital-accounting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NCA<\/a>)&#8221; will begin to clarify the existing allocation of natural assets, and private landowners who contribute to increasing the stock of U.S. natural capital through conservation measures are included in the statistics. Private land ownership is being counted as part of the U.S. natural capital, not just public land. Private land in conservation is tracked through the Conservation Stewardship <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.conservation.gov\/atbatlas\/explorer\/?layers=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Atlas<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Water Accounts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A &#8220;water pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">account<\/a>&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2024\/04\/23\/a-successful-inaugural-year-for-natural-capital-accounting-in-the-united-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">experiment<\/a> has already been conducted at a national, regional, and state level using the UN <a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/content\/seea-water\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEEA-Water<\/a> accounting system. It is expected that &#8220;The quantity, quality, and timing of water availability should be included in water accounts. Water accounts can inform decisions related to water allocation, productivity, reuse, and distribution (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 47<\/a>)&#8221;. &#8220;Water <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accounts<\/a> can provide trusted data to address water resource management challenges at national and subnational scales&#8221;. Read that again. Is it being suggested that the federal government nationalize water for control of use? At the same time, the government also says &#8220;there is currently no international consensus on how to get to valuation on water (<a href=\"https:\/\/unece.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2023-03\/S6_2_US_Strategy.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 15<\/a>)&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/sites\/doi.gov\/files\/nca-ppa-seminar-presentation-apr2023-508.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pilots<\/a> on all natural assets have been <a href=\"https:\/\/unece.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-03\/S4_5_Ecosystem%20accounting%20in%20the%20US.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conducted<\/a> since 2016 with the intention that account systems on all assets will be in full operation by 2036 (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 28<\/a>). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEED<\/a> lists all of the federal agencies involved in water accounts, including <a href=\"https:\/\/westernstateswater.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WSWC<\/a>, on page 48.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Groundwater resources will also be tracked in these water accounts and will &#8220;build on data from Federal, state, and private-sector sources (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 49<\/a>). Could that be private wells? Account information will be reported, by the government, &#8220;to the U.N., Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oecd.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OECD<\/a>), and International Monetary Fund (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imf.org\/en\/About\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IMF<\/a>) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 51<\/a>).&#8221; What exactly will OECD do with that information? Create policies?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These water accounts can be used to determine how water is used for pricing, use and reuse, allocation between states, taxation, and permit allowances (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4.1<\/a>).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>U.S. water withdrawals have been studied since the 1950&#8217;s (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2.1<\/a>). It is now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">studied<\/a> in more detail, used for &#8220;international reporting&#8221;, and achieving sustainable development goal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/topics\/sustainable-development-goals\/why-do-sustainable-development-goals-matter\/goal-6-clean-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">#6<\/a>. &#8220;As the demand for water increases, allocations between households, agriculture, and other economic activities with high water use will need to be made&#8221;. That is what it is about, deciding how and where water will be allocated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Land Accounts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Per the UN, &#8220;The <a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/ecosystem-accounting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEEA EEA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S2212041620301686?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">provides<\/a> the standard structure for a series of tables that quantify attributes of ecosystems and the services they provide to people, in a manner theoretically compatible with the System of National Accounts and <a href=\"https:\/\/seea.un.org\/content\/seea-central-framework\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SEEA CF<\/a>.&#8221; The SEEA CF integrates environmental information with economic information (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301248?via%3Dihub\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4<\/a>). It is these UN <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301200\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">calculations<\/a> that have been used to determine the value of land in the U.S., including private land having valued it at $25.1 trillion in 2020. Hmm, UN calculating value of private property in the U.S.. Information from the National Land Cover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/centers\/eros\/science\/national-land-cover-database\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Database<\/a> and Zillow (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2212041620301200\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4.1<\/a>) were used for the calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The White House also considers private land as part of federal wealth. &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2024\/04\/23\/a-successful-inaugural-year-for-natural-capital-accounting-in-the-united-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accounting<\/a> for natural assets like land on our nation&#8217;s balance sheet is critical; omitting them would dramatically understate U.S. wealth.&#8221; It doesn&#8217;t separate public from private land, it just says land, valuing private land at &#8220;$32 trillion, equivalent to roughly 30% of the net wealth <strong><u>already measured in U.S. accounts<\/u><\/strong>&#8220;. Private land has already been measured for value on the federal balance sheet? For land valuation the Bureau of Economic Analysis (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bea.gov\/system\/files\/papers\/BEA-WP2023-4.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BEA<\/a>) has worked on how its value is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bea.gov\/system\/files\/papers\/BEA-WP2023-4.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">calculated<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Collateral Fraud<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Providing a brief summary of Natural Asset Companies (<a href=\"https:\/\/americanstewards.us\/issues\/natural-asset-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NAC<\/a>) and the Sustains <a href=\"https:\/\/americanstewards.us\/usda-is-monetizing-natural-processes-under-the-sustains-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Act<\/a> at the 19:33&#8243; mark, Margaret Byfield, American Stewards of Liberty, goes on to <a href=\"https:\/\/live.childrenshealthdefense.org\/chd-tv\/shows\/good-morning-chd\/the-land-grab-weaponizing-nature\/?utm_source=luminate&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=chdtv&amp;utm_id=20240921\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> at the 28:22&#8243; mark how NCAs are being used as collateral to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, and expresses a legitimate concern that this is one attempt to nationalize water. Catherine Austin Fitts goes on to explain this is nothing more than collateral fraud by the federal government. If this is true, when other countries say pony up on your debt U.S., will these &#8220;assets&#8221; as collateral be used to pay that debt? Including private land? Another thought is that NCAs are needed to raise the debt ceiling, thus using natural resources as collateral.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In March, 2024 the House Committee on Natural Resources <a href=\"https:\/\/naturalresources.house.gov\/uploadedfiles\/hearing_memo_--_sub_on_oi_ov_hrg_on_nacs_03.07.24.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expressed<\/a> its concerns regarding NCAs, noting it could &#8220;could shift decisions regarding the use and control of land from local communities and stakeholders to financial elites and foreign interests.&#8221; Others have expressed concern over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamesbroughel\/2023\/08\/10\/the-dangers-of-government-efforts-to-monetize-nature\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dangers<\/a> of this &#8220;absurd&#8221; venture by the government. According to the World Economic Forum (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/agenda\/2021\/05\/nature-capital-climate-change-biodiversity-loss-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WEF<\/a>), it was the U.S. Geological Services and other federal agencies that urged the U.S. &#8220;to adopt national capital accounts using the U.N. framework.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps Byfield and Fitts are correct, this is nothing more than a collateral fraud scheme that now includes private land. On the other hand, this scheme is nothing more than a fulfillment of Agenda 21 Chapter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/esa\/dsd\/agenda21\/res_agenda21_40.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">40.8<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Countries and, upon request, international organizations should carry out inventories of environmental, resource and developmental data, based on national\/global priorities for the management of sustainable development. They should determine the gaps and organize activities to fill those gaps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phase III of this agenda will further include other natural assets such as wildlife, soil, minerals and marine life (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Natural-Capital-Accounting-Strategy-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pg 61-62<\/a>). So far, the White House considers the launch of this initiative as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/ostp\/news-updates\/2024\/04\/23\/a-successful-inaugural-year-for-natural-capital-accounting-in-the-united-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">success<\/a>. How all resources are used will be determined by the government for equitable distribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an issue that will need close monitoring regardless of who is elected in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many wonder who is running the country as Biden slips into the world of senility. Actually, America is being run behind the scenes by groups of technocrats. Without any congressional authorization, these technocrats are taking actions in multiple government sectors, making policy through executive fiat, one of which is on natural resources. Although first announced [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":17647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[243],"tags":[373,388],"class_list":["post-17646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions-op-eds","tag-property-rights","tag-water","cat-243-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17646"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17648,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17646\/revisions\/17648"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}