Question

Each of the following issues must be addressed by flood mitigation strategies. For which issue is it the most difficult to assign monetary (money) values to the costs and benefits of the flood mitigation strategy?(1 point)
Responses

protecting ecosystems
protecting ecosystems

protecting homes and businesses
protecting homes and businesses

protecting infrastructure (roads & bridges)
protecting infrastructure (roads & bridges)

protecting communication systems
protecting communication systems

Answer 1

The issue that is the most difficult to assign monetary values to the costs and benefits of the flood mitigation strategy is **protecting ecosystems**.

Ecosystems provide numerous services that are often intangible and difficult to quantify in monetary terms, such as biodiversity, water purification, carbon storage, and recreational value. In contrast, the costs and benefits associated with protecting homes, businesses, infrastructure, and communication systems are generally more straightforward to assess since they often involve direct financial impacts.