Abstract
This study examines the dependence of production economies on natural capital by integrating ecosystem services, environmental valuation, and sustainability in low-density territories. Grounded in Ecological Economics, industrial metabolism, and entropy-based approaches, it proposes a framework based on the interaction among natural, exploitation, and urban systems. The natural system provides ecosystem services essential to production, human well-being, and territorial stability, while the exploitation system mediates resource use and the urban system concentrates consumption. Although low-density territories often exhibit greater ecological resilience and quality of life, they remain vulnerable to pressures linked to resource extraction and land-use change. The degradation of ecosystem services generates cumulative environmental, social, and economic losses, undermining sustainability. Environmental valuation is presented as a strategic tool for recognizing the contribution of natural capital and supporting public policies, governance, innovation, and territorial management.