MANILA - Protecting ecosystems could unlock significant gains in jobs, productivity, and fiscal resilience in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report released on Thursday.

The Asia-Pacific Climate Report 2025: Unlocking Nature for Development said investing in nature is "vital," noting that 75 percent of the region's output comes from sectors that depend moderately or heavily on nature, "which is degrading at an alarming rate."

The report called for making protecting nature a core part of how economies operate.

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"Healthy ecosystems are not environmental extras in the region's growth story. They are productive assets at the core of Asia's growth and resilience," said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park.

He added that "countries that invest in nature are investing in their own competitiveness and fiscal stability."

The report presented a 10-year road map to help economies bring nature into economic and financial systems, recognizing that each is starting from a different place.

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It suggested near-term actions, including subsidy reform, natural capital accounting, and planning at the appropriate spatial scale. Longer-term reforms could focus on aligning governance, data, and finance to deliver both environmental and economic benefits.