Abstract

Background: The concept of Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP), introduced by IPBES in 2018, represents a significant expansion beyond the ecosystem services (ES) paradigm by acknowledging the material, regulating, and non-material dimensions of human– nature relationships. NCP emphasizes pluralistic and participatory approaches, integrating indigenous and local knowledge systems with scientific perspectives to provide a more holistic understanding of sustainability. Despite its relevance, NCP has seen limited adoption in South Korea and has been inconsistently translated in existing literature. Results: Recent empirical studies highlight NCP’s flexibility across ecological, agricultural, urban, and public health contexts, demonstrating how it captures cultural and relational values often overlooked in ES frameworks. At the policy level, NCP has been embedded into global frameworks such as the convention on biological diversity and the sustainable development goals, signaling institutional recognition of its utility for governance. However, challenges remain in operationalizing NCP, particularly regarding methodological innovations for assessing non-material contributions and building institutional mechanisms for effective integration. Comparative analysis reveals that while ES-related publications have grown rapidly, NCP remains underrepresented in the literature, with limited empirical studies, especially in the Global South. Within South Korea, only a few reports and non-peer-reviewed articles have introduced NCP. This paper proposes “자연의 인간에 대한 기여” as the most contextually appropriate Korean translation to promote consistency in terminology. Conclusions: Overall, NCP offers a transformative lens for sustainability science and governance, providing opportunities to integrate diverse knowledge systems and capture non-material dimensions of human–nature relationships. Its potential, however, depends on future methodological innovation, stronger institutional coordination, and enhanced cross-cultural engagement to support inclusive and equitable environmental decisionmaking.