The Air We Breathe Is free but being rapidly degraded, its protection should be valued.

Its most critical component, Oxygen surrounds us, filling our lungs with every breath we take. For many of us, it’s an invisible gift of nature that we take for granted. But Why is this essential resource—the very foundation of life— free to be exploited at present? Why could not trees, plants, and photosynthetic organisms that produce oxygen have economic value ? Could those who benefit most from using the resources of the Global Commons be required to contribute to its maintenance? This is the idea behind the Oxygen Economy, a bold and transformative concept that seeks to address environmental and social challenges in a way that is fair, sustainable, and forward-thinking beyond GDP value which measures the success of our societies today.

The Oxygen Economy operates on the principles of private property being valued using financial tools such as Valuation guarantees, stakeholder Contracts and Insurances to monetize contractually produced oxygen as a financial product . This involves three key components:

1. MRV Guarantee : Assigning an economic value to the oxygen produced by contracted and registered units in identified geographical areas of production is based on the MRV of PES productivity by trees / plants or photosynthetic organisms such as Cyanobacteria.
2. Stakeholder Contracts and Compensation: Establishing formal agreements between oxygen consumers (e.g., corporations / Space exploration companies ) and contracted oxygen producers (e.g., farmers, Local communities) to ensure optimal primary ecosystem services production are MRVd and Value Set as a financial tool.
3. Financial tool : The Validated quantity of Photosynthetic Biomass is Value Set using ER methodology and MArket peg approach based on Mining Oxygen from the Global Commons. click
4. Policy and Regulation: Introducing legal frameworks at a regional scale to enforce accountability and prevent the exploitation of oxygen resources.The private contracts would play a key role in monitoring bioregional Oxygen production, ensuring compliance, and incentivizing sustainable practices to scale the Oxygen economy.

While our efforts in Sri Lanka are a promising start, the true potential of the Oxygen Economy lies in its ability to scale globally. Imagine a world where farmers are compensated for the establishment of trees, where rural and even urban greenery projects could receive funding to expand their impact for this paradigm of business.Such a system would not only help combat climate change but also address economic inequalities of the current GDP paradigm, by together contracting the Oxygen economic asset tool to those who sustain the planet’s life-support systems.

Like any transformative idea, the Oxygen Economy faces potential challenges. Critics may argue that assigning a monetary value to Oxygen risks commodifying a natural resource that should remain freely accessible. Others may question the feasibility of measuring, validating and regulating oxygen production on a global scale. These concerns can be addressed by emphasizing the ethical principles behind the Oxygen Economy. The goal is not to charge people for breathing but to ensure that those who contribute to its sustainability profit from financial contracts for Oxygen production. Additionally, such transparent systems. for measuring and validating oxygen production will be crucial for building trust and ensuring fairness towards the vision of accounting for intergenerational wealth beyond the GDP framework that exists.

The Oxygen Economy represents a paradigm shift in how we think about our relationship with the planet. It challenges us to move beyond the notion of nature as an infinite resource and to recognize the true value of the Earth as an ecosystem that sustains life for all biota. By aligning economic practices with environmental stewardship, the Oxygen Economy offers a path towards a more equitable and sustainable future that backs the foundations of intergenerational wealth to reflect our contributions to cycling atmospheric gasses of the atmosphere and our Global Commons. Imagine a world where the air we breathe is not taken for granted but cherished and protected. Where farmers, communities, and ecosystems are rewarded for their contributions to the planet’s well-being. Where industries operate with this truly revolutionary framework of accountability to prioritize the health of our shared environment. This is the vision of the Oxygen Economy—a vision that is within our reach if we act together, with urgency and determination to lay its foundations.