The study by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) found natural systems are crucial in fighting climate change. Germany and the European Commission launched the study, part of a global project to be published in 2010.

"The disproportion of investments in technological fixes versus investing in nature's ready-made solutions, tried and tested over millions of years, is one of the great oversights of the 20th century," said Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the U.N. Environment Programme.

Tropical forests provide services worth an estimated $6,120 per hectare a year in food, building materials, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, water purification and opportunities from tourism. Coral reefs are worth up to $170 billion a year by providing nurseries for fish and protecting coasts from storms.

Investing in natural areas needs to be a key priority for governments attending the U.N. climate convention in Copenhagen this December.