This research explores if and how the concept of 'Natural Capital' can influence decision-making in support of sustainability and a Just Transition.
Across many sectors, decision-making and planning processes have typically not prioritised or consider nature as important. As a result, nature continues to be degraded. One response to this challenge is the concept of 'Natural Capital' - the stocks and flows of services arising from nature. Many hope that by highlighting the ecosystem services provided by nature (such as carbon sequestration, pollination, flood risk management) and the quality of underlying stocks or assets (such as soil), nature will be better appreciated and protected in future plans and decisions. It may be especially important and influential for actors who hitherto have not seen themselves as having a role to play in conserving the environment. Accordingly, the Scottish Government currently cites Natural Capital as relevant to managing climate change, biodiversity [1], and post-COVID economic recovery [2].
It is important to understand more about the potential approaches and consequences of working with Natural Capital concepts and framings, to understand when and how it influences decision-making. This project, which started in April 2022 and runs until March 2027, therefore aims to provide insights as to if and how Natural Capital data and approaches can help enable and embed transitions to sustainability. A one-page summary of this project's work and methods is available here [3].
Our work balances attention across the following:
The project is a collaborative effort between the James Hutton Institute (JHI) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC [18]). The Project PI is Kerry Waylen [19] Kerry.Waylen@hutton.ac.uk [20]. Other Hutton staff involved are Esther Carmen [21], Simone Martino [22], Antonio Ballesteros [23] and Ishaan Patil [24]. The SRUC staff involved are Alistair McVittie [25], Sarah Noles [25], Eric Jensen [25], Mark Reed [25] and Hannah Rudman [25], Co-directors of SRUC’s Thriving Natural Capital Challenge Centre [25].
This project is funded by the Scottish Government RESAS Strategic Research Programme (SRP) 2022-27. It is project 'JHI-D5-3' within the Natural Resources Theme.
Links:
[1] https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-biodiversity-strategy-post-2020-statement-intent/
[2] https://www.gov.scot/publications/economic-recovery-implementation-plan-scottish-government-response-to-the-advisory-group-on-economic-recovery/
[3] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/23_10_25_JHI-D5-3_Galvanising_Change_1_pager.pdf
[4] https://hutton.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=021946d879cf94ad7c2a08708&id=9b0506fe83
[5] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/24_03_20_JHI-D5-3Newsletter_March2024(final).pdf
[6] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/23_09_25_JHI-D5-3Newsletter_September2023(final).pdf
[7] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/22_09_28_JHI-D5-3Newsletter_Sep2022(final).pdf
[8] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/23_03_29_JHI-D5-3Newsletter_March2023(final).pdf
[9] http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/3384
[10] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/23 10 02 Swiss STS Antonio presentation.pptx
[11] https://sefari.scot/sites/default/files/documents/Natural%20capital%20thinking%20in%20policy%20making%20-%20poster%20final.pdf
[12] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/22-08-31-RGS-NatCap-Session-SummaryNote.pdf
[13] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/220708_EASST_NC_Entanglements.pdf
[14] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/JHI-D5-3_WP4_M4_1_WhiskyPlan.pdf
[15] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/22_09_13_JHI-D5-3_M1.1_SearchProtocol_for_int_egs_of_NC_in_policy.pdf
[16] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/22_09_13_JHI-D5-3_M1.2_NC_in_Finance_ROSES_Search_Protocol.xlsx
[17] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/RESAS-D5-3-Stakeholder-Analysis-(final).pdf
[18] http://sruc.ac.uk/
[19] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/kerry-waylen
[20] mailto:Kerry.Waylen@hutton.ac.uk
[21] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/esther-carmen
[22] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/simone-martino
[23] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/j-antonio-ballesteros-figueroa
[24] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/ishaan-patil
[25] https://www.sruc.ac.uk/research/challenge-centres/thriving-natural-capital/
[26] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/bringing-participatory-approaches-widen-scope-natural-capital-valuation
[27] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/climate-change-impacts-natural-capital
[28] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/integrating-natural-capital-thinking-land-based-decision-making
[29] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/application-natural-capital-protocol-glensaugh-farm
[30] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/news/james-hutton-institute-joins-natural-capital-initiative