What is natural capital?

Natural capital is all natural resources, renewable and non-renewable (geological resources, soils, air, water and all living beings, including ourselves) that provide goods and services fundamental to our existence (pollination, nutrient cycling, water and air purification) and from which we benefit (the water we drink and the food we eat, the fauna that maintains healthy ecosystems, the forests that absorb carbon, protection against natural disasters, energy, physical and mental well-being) and therefore have an economic value that can be quantified, although some of them are not yet officially recognized by society as an economic asset.

Why is natural capital important?

Natural capital is our most important asset, it provides us with natural resources that are fundamental to our well-being:

• It is the source of our life – it provides us with water, air, food, …
• It is the basis of our economy and supplies the inputs for any economic process – energy, raw materials…
• It defines our health and quality of life; the attractiveness of the territories; and our future depends on it….
• It is a synonym for sustainability and the natural capital approach is directly integrated into the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which establish a framework for society to meet the needs of the current generation, without compromising the needs of future generations.

Trends and opportunities

The idea of recognizing the true value of natural assets is rapidly growing in popularity. The management of natural capital is already becoming globally a new industry and sector with great opportunities in terms of food sovereignty and security, increase of natural stocks (water), mitigation of climate change, or regenerative Km0 agriculture, among many other examples.

In countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil and the United States there are already examples of initiatives that are generating ecological, social and business value through the activation of their natural capital.

Why the Mediterranean?

The Mediterranean, due to its characteristics and the environmental challenges it faces, has the potential to become a reference region in the activation of natural capital.

The richness of the natural capital of the Mediterranean is one of the main reasons why this region is one of the most developed in our country (and in the rest of the countries of the Mediterranean basin). The climate and the great quality and diversity of the natural ecosystems we have (forests, rivers, lakes, costs, sea, etc.) make the region a great tourist and economic hub, where an important part of the population is concentrated. For example, the environmental conditions that are shared in the region favor the high agricultural activity of the area, especially of fruits and vegetables, which at the same time is the basis of the balanced nutrition of the territory, and therefore of our health.

At the same time, it is important to remember that the Mediterranean region is one of those that is experiencing a major impact of climate change. Taking care of our water resources or taking advantage of the resources of our aging forest masses (65% of the surface of Catalonia is covered with forests, one of the best ratios in Mediterranean Europe) will allow us to respond to important environmental challenges (drought, floods, storms, fires, etc.) that put at risk multiple natural areas of the country.