The True Value of Nature
In a world marked by rapid urbanisation, ongoing industrialisation, and the ever-expanding footprint of human activity, the need to value and protect nature has never been more acute. Our planet's natural ecosystems provide invaluable services that are essential to our existence. However, these ecosystem services are often overlooked or taken for granted in humanity’s relentless pursuit of short-term economic gains.
When we talk about valuing nature, we don’t simply mean assigning it a narrow monetary worth. Rather, it's about recognising the wider intrinsic value of nature, and understanding that our personal well-being is deeply interconnected with the long-term health of the natural world. It is not unreasonable to say that the global stock of natural capital underpins humanity’s very existence, and properly valuing nature will lead to more effective conservation of our Earth’s greatest assets in the following ways:
1. Economic Incentives:
Recognising the true value of ecosystem services – and pricing them accordingly – will incentivise individuals and companies to invest in nature. Conserved lands provide opportunities for sustainable resource extraction, eco-tourism ventures, and carbon offset projects, further enhancing their economic value, and benefitting local communities and investors alike.
2. Biodiversity Conservation:
Valuing nature involves preserving biodiversity hotspots and protecting endangered species, but by adopting a more holistic approach to biodiversity conservation is essential for achieving ecosystem resilience and adapting to environmental change. These efforts not only safeguard unique wilderness areas, but also contribute to the long-term stability of entire ecosystems.
3. Eco-tourism:
Nature-based tourism can provide significant economic benefits to local communities, while promoting conservation as a positive by-product of this economic self-interest. When people derive real economic value from natural landscapes, beyond aesthetic beauty and enjoyment, they are directly incentivised to support efforts to protect these areas. National parks, game reserves and wildlife management areas can generate long-term, sustainable revenue streams from tourism activities that further incentivise biodiversity conservation.
4. Climate Change Mitigation:
Healthy ecosystems play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Forests, oceans and wetlands act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon emissions. Valuing nature involves protecting these carbon-rich ecosystems and restoring degraded lands to enhance their carbon sequestration capacity
Properly valuing nature is not just an ethical imperative; it's a pragmatic necessity to secure our future. By recognising the intrinsic value of natural ecosystems and the services they provide, governments should implement policies and incentivise practices that promote conservation and sustainable development. Ultimately, protecting nature is not just about preserving landscapes and wildlife, it's about safeguarding the very foundation of our existence. As stewards of this planet, it is our responsibility to cherish and protect the natural world for generations to come.
Natural Capital’s focus is on pairing private-sector funding with investment opportunities into wilderness areas across Africa. We work with conservation-minded, impact investors who are dedicated to creating lasting change. The projects we take on are carefully considered in terms of their conservation value and potential impact. Achieving long-term security of tenure (a minimum of 20 years) is of paramount importance to unlocking an area’s investment potential. However, there are multiple other factors, such as having strong collaborative management partners working in neighbouring national parks and the ability to impact local livelihoods, that enhance the viability and attractiveness of these impact investments. But, ultimately, driving our approach to valuing and protecting nature is a mission to secure and protect critical conservation areas through long-term investments that truly benefit people and wildlife.
