Natural Capital: introduction and policy context Maggie Charnley, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Natural Capital: introduction and policy context

Natural Capital Committee

Maggie Charnley, Defra Head of Natural Capital Committee Secretariat

Overview

• Government policy background
• Definition of natural capital
• Why natural capital?
• The Natural Capital Committee
• Government’s 25 year plan for the environment

Natural Capital Committee

The National Ecosystem Assessment(2011) indicated that natural capital benefits have been under-valued in economic decisions. The Natural Environment White Paper (2011) noted a healthy natural environment is the foundation of sustained economic growth and wellbeing, initiating the concept of valuing nature.

“We set up the NCC to put hard economic numbers on the value of our environment, and we will extend its life to at least the end of the next

• Parliament. We will work with

it to develop a 25 Year Plan to restore the UK’s biodiversity, and to ensure that both public and private investment in the environment is directed where we need it most”.

The NCC’s third State of Natural Capital report (2015) recommended that Government produce a clear 25-year plan to enhance the environment (natural capital).

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Background

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Conservative 2015 manifesto commitment

To be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than it inherited To work with the Natural Capital Committee to develop a 25 year plan for the environment

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The goal

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Natural Capital Committee

To improve the environment within a generation

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Natural capital refers to the stock of natural assets (….forests, rivers, land, minerals and oceans) which provide valuable benefits to people such as clean air and water, timber, food and recreation.

“Nature gives us everything for free – let’s put it at the heart of everyday economic life”

What do we mean by natural capital?

Natural Capital Committee

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• Drives integration

Recognises the environment is a system where individual components (e.g, trees) provide multiple benefits. It encourages better management – catchment level;

• Drives sustainability

NC provides a stock perspective rather than short-term benefit flows, which encourages looking after assets for the long term eg soil;

• Drives greater environmental improvement

Valuing NC facilitates prioritisation between policies / projects, using a common comparable currency to understand the inevitable trade-offs

• involved. Delivers greater environmental

improvement for given resource.

Why natural capital?

Natural Capital Committee

Initial habitat accounts: woodland

• Published in UK Env-Accounts
• Four services: Timber, Carbon

sequestration, Air filtration, Recreation.

• Timber removals (flows) have increased

in the last few years whilst carbon sequestration has fallen over 2007-14 period.

• Estimates of service values increase by

an order of 30 when scope is widened to include cultural and regulation services

• 1st term – defined what was needed: how to measure; how to value.
• Advice to Government:

– The unsustainable use of natural assets – The need to measure, value and incorporate into accounts – key to better management – How action to protect and improve natural capital should be prioritised (including priority investment cases) – Research priorities

• Proposed a 25-year environment plan

NCC work: past

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• 2nd term – turning it into practice:

– Advising and reporting on 25-YEP: identifying the prize (25-year vision) – ‘How to do it’ manual: practical steps and case studies – National natural capital accounts with ONS – Demonstrating natural capital in practice: Pioneers and

• ther local partnerships

– Use as templates for national roll-out

NCC work: present

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How to do it Manual: initial thoughts

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• To deliver manifesto commitment to improve the

environment within a generation.

• Key areas of action and key design principles broadly

agreed (shown on next slide).

• Based around a natural capital approach
• Pioneers launched – testing ideas and approaches
• Aligning Defra group boundaries
• Initial Green Paper Framework to be published

shortly, for consultation

• Full plan in 2017.

And finally: update on the 25-Year Environment Plan

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25 YEP: principles

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Email: naturalcapitalcommittee@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Contact

Natural Capital Committee