Gross domestic product (GDP) is the most widely-used development indicator in the world. However, GDP fails to fully account for the contributions of nature to human well-being and social progress. In the Anthropocene, as human activities become the primary drivers of planetary change, this shortcoming is a critical blind spot for efforts to advance global development. Gross ecosystem product (GEP) is a new development indicator that measures the aggregate value of final ecosystem goods and services produced within a given area. Accurate calculations of GEP can provide a benchmark for land use planning, a standard for evaluating administrative performance, and a framework to guide green investments. In 2021, it was officially endorsed by the United Nations Statistics Division. In 2022, China released national accounting guidelines for GEP and diverse policies and projects have been enacted across the country. In recent years, there has also been growing adoption of GEP in many other countries, especially in Asia and Latin America. As GDP guided many countries on the path to industrialization, GEP could guide economies on a more sustainable path of nature-based development in the Anthropocene.