Valuing capital, be it cash, machinery or even human, is a mainstream practice, but viewing the natural environment in the same way is less common, even though impacts upon natural capital can have equally far-reaching consequences, including for investors.
Many companies engage in activities that depend or have an impact on natural capital, the stock of renewable and non-renewable natural resources that combine to yield a flow of benefits to people. Indeed, taken all together, the value of the total global ecosystem services has been estimated at USD 125 trillion per year, which is almost twice the world’s gross domestic product.
