From microbes to mountains

From microbes to mountains

The terms ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘natural capital’ are increasingly used across the environment sector and within policy circles. They are the ‘goods’ on which our economic, social, mental and cultural wellbeing are built, forming a core part of our heritage. However, due to their complexity and relatively recent conception, understanding of their definitions and purpose remains weak.

Alongside this, the debate surrounding the adoption of this approach is often reduced to discussions surrounding the highly controversial role of monetary valuation techniques.