The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has launched a new natural capital tool to help protect the environment in the form of a new online resource for measuring natural capital.

The ambitious new online resource has been launched by Defra to help ensure better environmental decision-making by valuing ‘natural capital’.

The resource means for the first time a comprehensive and integrated set of evidence and guidance about UK natural capital is now accessible from one place. It is intended to help policy makers, businesses, landowners and public sector organisations make better planning decisions in order to protect and to boost natural capital.

According to Defra, the value of the environment and natural capital is routinely understated. Launching the tool, Defra said the natural capital approach will make it easier for public and private organisations to better assess and value the environment and help deliver benefits including:

• long-term flood risk reduction
• boosts to wildlife
• improvements to water and air quality
• opportunities for biodiversity net gain.

For example, the Office for National Statistics estimate that England’s woods and forests deliver a value of services estimated at £2.3 billion annually, however, of this figure, only a small proportion – 10% – is in timber values.

The rest of the value derives from other more ‘hidden’ benefits to society, for example, flood prevention, air pollution removal and carbon sequestration which can help combat climate change.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

“Today’s publication helps to put the natural environment at the heart of decision-making. It meets a commitment from our 25 Year Environment Plan to better incorporate the value of nature – known as natural capital – and the benefits the environment provides to us all. This comes at a critical time where the protection of our environment is ever-more important in combatting climate change and reversing habitat loss.”

“The ‘Enabling a Natural Capital Approach’ (ENCA) project delivers on a commitment in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. Today’s move will also help support the delivery of Nature Recovery Networks - part of the government’s landmark Environment Bill.”

Matthew Farrow, Executive Director of the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) commented:

“Business has a vital role in delivering natural capital improvements across our communities and countryside. To do so it needs to adopt best practice and make decisions based on a consistent understanding of the available tools, resources and datasets.”

“In bringing together all the relevant resources in one place, ENCA will make a huge difference to the ability of businesses and their advisers to assess how their actions and investment decisions can be aligned with protecting and enhancing the natural environment on which we all rely. EIC is delighted to have provided member cases studies for ENCA and looks forward to promoting it.”

Click here to access the natural capital online resource