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Safeguarding Natural Capital

Photograph of a red squirrel
New ways of integrating biodiversity conservation within productive landscapes are required

Natural capital comprises the air, water, soil, land and the living organisms which underpin the life support systems of the globe - safeguarding natural capital is one of the biggest global challenges facing us today and into the future. Changing social and economic drivers are placing new demands on all aspects of natural capital, while the stocks of natural capital continue to degrade at alarming rates through habitat loss, pollution, over-exploitation and climate change. New approaches and understanding are needed to identify and value critical ecosystem services (for example, waste disposal, resilience to climate change, water supply, biodiversity conservation, soil quality) and to define trade-offs and win-win opportunities in the supply of multiple benefits from our natural resources. We are combining our skills in molecular, ecological, environmental, social and computational sciences to develop interdisciplinary knowledge and tools that can be used to support effective decision-making and sustainable management of our natural capital.

Safeguarding Natural Capital Theme Leader: Alison Hester

Research

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  • Email: info@hutton.ac.uk
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The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.