Publications by Tag: Ecosystem Services
Blog
Future Scenarios in Ecosystem Services
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
Last week, I officially became an urban beekeeper. Hovering over my hive, I think a lot about pollination and how many more melons and nectarines I might get this year because of my bees. Pollination, fertile topsoil, a predictable climate—free services provided by the natural infrastructure all around us—are collectively known as “ecosystem services.” Read more
A Sustainability Compass for Ocean Issues
Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager
Last week at the Economist World Oceans Summit in Singapore, it was widely noted that oceans don’t get much attention, perhaps in part because we humans are (now) a highly terrestrial species. But the topics were clearly relevant to the humans in attendance, who ranged from representatives of conservation NGOs, to leaders of small island states, to people from companies like Google, Tiffany & Co, Shangri-La Hotels, and Electrolux, and ocean-oriented businesses such as Maersk Line, APL, Norpac, and China Fishery Group. Read more
Rewarding the Right Performance
Peder Michael Pruzan-Jorgensen, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, and Africa
A French weekly magazine recently reported on its front page, “They are doing it again.” And by “it” they were referring to yet another banker’s feast of exorbitant bonuses as reward for the sector’s “terrific year.” Read more
BSR Insight Articles
Report Proposes Economic, Policy Approaches to Protect Ecosystems
Julia Robinson, Communications Associate
A policy brief commissioned by the Planet Under Pressure Conference calls for new economic and management models, as well as global institutions, to protect declining biodiversity and ecosystems. Read more
Scaling Up Payments for Watershed Services
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
Watershed Connect, a new online platform by Forest Trends and Ecosystem Marketplace, helps water managers, policymakers, and other stakeholders involved in investing in watersheds share information and resources to help solve the global water crisis. Read more
KPMG Report Picks 10 Sustainability ‘Megaforces’
Population growth, material resource scarcity, climate change, and energy and fuel are among the issues in sustainability that could have significant impact on the business landscape over the next 20 years, according to a recent report by KPMG International. Read more
Corporate Environmental Performance in Practice
By Linda Hwang, Research Manager, BSR; Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor, BSR; and Kit Armstrong, Senior Advisor, BSR
Note: This article is the second piece in a two-part series on the uptake of ecosystem services. Read part one of our series, on the increasing integration of ecosystem services within government, the investor community, and business sectors. Read more
The Quiet Revolution: The Changing Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance
By Linda Hwang, Research Manager, BSR; Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor, BSR; and Kit Armstrong, Senior Advisor, BSR
Note: This article is the first piece in a two-part series on the uptake of ecosystem services. Read part two of our series, on the increasing integration of ecosystem services within government, the investor community, and business sectors. Read more
Business: Blue and Green
By Michael Sutton, Vice President, Center for the Future of the Oceans, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Tomorrow, the Economist’s World Ocean Summit in Singapore will highlight for an audience of global business leaders the latest concerns about threats to our oceans, and how business activities are impacting this ecosystem. While all of us can play a role in caring for our ocean resources, perhaps the only force powerful enough to reverse the decline of our global environment is commerce itself. Read more
Business’ Role in Ocean ‘Custodianship’
BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer will lead a discussion on how companies can be “custodians” of the oceans at the Economist’s World Oceans Summit in Singapore later this week. Read more
Incorporating the Value of Nature
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
In January 2011, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Dow Chemical launched a five-year collaboration that aims to help Dow and other companies implement models that incorporate the value of nature into business goals. Last week, TNC released the first annual update on this partnership, outlining the activities undertaken to date. Some of the highlights: Read more
Using Water-Risk Information for Greater Impact
Ryan Flaherty, Manager, Advisory Services
Business continuity depends on access to clean water, a resource that is in higher demand as scarcity increases, quality declines, and distribution remains unequal around the world. As more companies recognize their dependence on clean water, they are turning to different tools to assess risks and provide context for their direct operations and supply chains. Read more
Managing Biodiversity in the Extractives Sector
A new report by the Natural Value Initiative details the potential risks facing the extractives industry as a result of its reliance on natural resources. Read more
The Evolution of Environmental Performance Expectations
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
Four years ago, BSR convened a group of leaders from the private sector as well as several academics and NGO representatives to discuss a new approach to scenario planning that considered the esoteric concept of “ecosystem services.” In particular, we were interested in how major capital decisions could undercut the flow of ecosystem services—the measurable benefits such as adequate supplies of clean water and protection from natural disasters provided by healthy, functioning ecosystems—across wide swaths of landscape. The rationale for action was as unclear to many as was the concept of ecosystem services itself. Could we place appropriate values on ecosystem services, based on the value they represent to society and their relative scarcity, so that they are viewed not as liabilities but as assets that should be protected and restored? Would knowledge of the importance of ecosystem services result in better stewardship of natural resources? Read more
The Long Journey of Corporate Water Stewardship
Water has become a key strategic issue for global companies: 39 percent of companies are already experiencing detrimental impacts related to water issues, according to the CDP Water Disclosure’s first report. As more companies assess their water-related risk, they’re recognizing that corporate water stewardship entails much more than conservation and efficiency. Read more
Explore Our Impact: Videos
Take a deeper dive into the BSR Report 2010 and core areas of our work in video clips that provide personal perspective from BSR staff members. Read more
Measuring Corporate Performance in an Era of Complexity, Scrutiny, and Uncertainty
By Linda Hwang, Manager, Research, Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor, and Kit Armstrong, Senior Advisor, BSR
Read the related report on corporate ecosystem services tools. Read more
WBCSD’s New Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s “Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation” helps business leaders understand the value and benefits of ecosystem services such as fresh water, food, fiber, and natural hazard protection. They can use this data to manage risks and opportunities and make more informed decisions that align financial, ecological, and societal objectives. Read more
Measuring Environmental Performance: The Business Case for New Tools
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research; Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor
For years, environment and natural resource managers have been tracking individual parameters linked to air pollution, water, and energy consumption. Specific indicators are identified, measured, and trends tracked. Private, public, and nonprofit organizations have been diligently measuring water used, greenhouse gases emitted, waste averted or recycled, and many other individual metrics. Yet, academic, nonprofit, and public sectors are now placing greater attention on ecological systems. A set of tools to help companies take a systems approach is evolving, but to achieve significant uptake, the business case for these tools needs to be clearly demonstrated. BSR’s Environmental Services, Tools & Markets (ESTM) Working Group is working with member companies to define and articulate this case. Read more
Managing Risks and Opportunities of Biodiversity Loss and Ecosystem Degradation
Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services
A new study entitled The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) outlines the business risks and opportunities related to biodiversity. It also explores consumers' changing preference for environmentally friendly products; describes new initiatives and tools that enable businesses to measure, value, and report on their ecosystem impacts; and examines new business models that deliver biodiversity benefits. Read more
On the Horizon: BSR’s Research & Innovation Agenda 2010
Interview with Faris Natour, Director, Research & Innovation, by Eva Dienel, Manager, Communications
Each year, BSR’s Research & Innovation department produces independent, applied sustainability research to help BSR members stay ahead of the curve and to advance corporate responsibility as a whole. The team’s aim is to offer practical solutions that will address the key sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow, with insights informed by BSR’s consulting work, interviews with business leaders, and our active participation in global initiatives that address sustainability issues for the private sector. Read more
Considering the Big Picture
By Linda Hwang, Manager, Research & Innovation, BSR; Kit Armstrong, Senior Advisor, BSR; and Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor, BSR
In its 2008 corporate responsibility report, the Walt Disney Company made a pioneering commitment that the company will have a “net positive impact on ecosystems.” As part of this strategy, Disney will develop habitat and restoration solutions based on ecosystem impacts identified during the design-review process of new projects. In a similar fashion, some government agencies have begun to place more emphasis on ecosystems as a whole, as opposed to single environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, has oriented its research agenda around ecosystem services, and the European Environment Agency began investing heavily in ecosystem services research and tools to aid its decision-making for management of environmental issues. Read more
New Report Urges Policymakers to Protect Ecosystems
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
According to a new report from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative, policymakers can increase economic returns, jobs, and livelihoods by investing in ecological infrastructure; integrating ecosystem services values into price signals; and creating adequate institutions, regulatory frameworks, and financing opportunities to protect ecosystems. Read more
Sustainable Business Models: Time for Innovation
Imagine that when you buy a pair of jeans you’re offered an agreement to sign before you pay: “I hereby promise to cold-wash, line-dry this clothing item, and own it for at least three years or ensure it is given away for someone else to enjoy.” When you sign, you are rewarded instantly with a coupon for cash back. The rebate is the estimated financial value of the carbon-dioxide emissions you save by avoiding hot-water washing, and by machine drying your jeans over the lifespan of the item. The clothing company is able to provide this discount by aggregating its consumers’ carbon credits and selling them on the open market. This model provides financial incentives for both the clothing company and the consumer to alter behavior. Read more
Moving Toward an Ecosystem Approach to Natural Resources Management
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
As we prepare for the Copenhagen climate negotiations, there is a parallel discussion about the need for an "ecosystem approach" that includes ecological restoration and biological conservation to counter the loss of ecosystem services caused by climate change. Ecosystem services—the collective benefits, such as clean water, that people obtain from healthy, functioning ecosystems—represent a new development in the relationship between society and nature. Read more
Hero for Troubled Waters: A Q&A with Sylvia Earle
Interview with Sylvia Earle by Eva Dienel, Communications Manager, BSR
The ringtone for renowned ocean explorer Sylvia Earle’s royal blue mobile phone is the hollow ping of a sonar device, a constant but unnecessary reminder to its owner that the world is mostly ocean, what Earle calls our planet’s “life-support system.” Earle, a 2009 TED Prize winner who will be speaking at the BSR Conference 2009, recently sat down to talk with us about her new book, The World Is Blue (released today by National Geographic Books), and why business should put nature—and especially the world’s water resources—on the balance sheet. Read more
Events
BSR Conference 2011: Leadership Required
Leadership in business is changing fast. In today’s global, integrated, and transparent world, business is expected to do more than deliver shareholder returns. At its best, business is a creative force and an integral player in delivering prosperity for 9 billion people, applying game-changing technologies for social benefit, and radically reducing our use of natural resources. Learn more
Webinar: Payments for Ecosystem Services in Agriculture
There is divergence of opinion about how we can feed 9 billion people adequately by 2050 while conserving natural resources, securing food supply, and bolstering rural incomes. Increasingly, attention is focusing on viable economic models which:
- Pay farmers to preserve agricultural biodiversity
- Help efforts to mitigate/adapt to climate change
- Protect watersheds
- Alleviate rural poverty
Reports
The Quiet (R)Evolution in Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance
The amount of activity related to ecosystem services within government, business, financial services, and academics indicates that the concept has finally come of age. Read more
Global Public Sector Trends in Ecosystem Services, 2009—2011 Summary
Ecosystem services are gaining attention among government officials around the world. Although much of the ongoing work is occurring within research or exploratory phases, interesting policy developments in certain countries could shape expectations and potentially even future regulations. Read more
New Business Decision-Making Aids in an Era of Complexity, Scrutiny, and Uncertainty
As ecosystem services is emerging as a potential category of corporate performance metrics, tools to support corporate decision-making are being launched. This new report summarizes the findings of the world’s first comparison of multiple ecosystem services assessment tools within one pilot application. The full report can be downloaded here and supplementary materials are available here. Read more
Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance
This report—written with support from members of BSR's Environmental Services, Tools, & Markets Working Group—explores how managing environmental issues is broadening from a discrete, single approach to one that includes an assessment of how business may be affecting landscape-level ecological dynamics, such as flows of ecosystem services. Read more
2009 State of Global Ecosystem Services Policy Developments
This report lays out key 2009 developments and important ongoing efforts in the policy realm, ranging from new regulations in select geographic areas through administrative decisions and voluntary initiatives that could influence legislative and regulatory policy around ecosystem services. Read more
Sustainable Business Models: Time for Innovation
Business leaders face not only the economic fallout of the financial crisis, they face the substantial challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon economy that is constrained by dwindling natural resources. These pressures also represent opportunities to innovate new business models—including ones that help consumers make sustainable choices. Read about four categories of innovation that, with more development and experimentation, will ensure business success in a reset world. Read more
Supplementary Materials for Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance
Measuring Corporate Impact on Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review of New Tools
Learn how to integrate new ecosystem services into your corporate planning and daily decision-making. This report on ecosystem services—the collective benefits provided by a community of animals and plants interacting with one another and with their physical environment, such as clean water and pollination of plants—allows you to compare the various tools that measure and assess the value of ecosystem services. Read more
The New Markets for Environmental Services: A Corporate Manager's Resource Guide to Trading in Air, Climate, Water and Biodiversity Assets
The natural environment provides society with essential services—such as clean air and reliable flows of clean water—which are increasingly being valued in financial terms. Environmental markets— some regulatory and others voluntary—are now trading credits as well as derivatives. Regulatory environmental markets are operating in Europe, the U.S., Australia and other countries around the world. Voluntary markets and business-to-business “payments for environmental services” (PES) deals are also underway, in both industrialized and developing countries. These markets and transactions are sending price signals about environmental values. The result is that businesses can place a financial value not only on environmental compliance, but also increasingly on voluntary actions. Read more
Environmental Markets, Executive Briefing
A shift is occurring in how environmental issues are understood and what corporate environmental expectations exist. The current focus on incremental improvements and discrete issues is becoming outmoded. Key regulators’ and stakeholders’ approaches to environmental issues are broadening to include the overall function of ecological systems as well as the application of market-based of incentives for environmental performance. Read more
Dipping Their Toes In
Some see carbon as merely the first of a whole range of markets for ecosystem services. But, as Sissel Waage and Emma Stewart found, the corporate world is approaching with caution Read more
Environmental Markets: Opportunities & Risks for Business
A shift is occurring in how environmental issues are understood and what corporate environmental expectations exist. The current focus on incremental improvements and discrete issues is becoming outmoded. Key regulators’ and stakeholders’ approaches to environmental issues are broadening to include the overall function of ecological systems as well as the application of market-based of incentives for environmental performance. Read more
Case Studies Report
Actionable Research on Sustainability
Our Research team tracks emerging trends and solutions central to building sustainable business. We aim to help business leaders stay ahead of the curve and shape future-oriented decisions on a wide range of challenges, from energy management, to sustainable consumption, to human rights. Learn more
Sustainability Matters
Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance
Listen to our discussion of the new findings from BSR's new report "Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance," and understand how they apply to your job today. Learn more
BSR Review
Ecosystem Services
In January 2011, Dow Chemical and the Nature Conservancy committed US$10 million to establish a new approach to resource management. During the announcement, Dow President and CEO Andrew N. Liveris said: "Going forward, the businesses that are best positioned to get ahead will be the ones that truly build a full approach to ecosystem management and biodiversity economics into all of their plans." View email publication
Other Publications & Events Tagged, Ecosystem Services
- Blog [ 3 ]
- BSR Conference Session Summaries [ 0 ]
- BSR Insight Articles [ 23 ]
- BSR Review [ 1 ]
- Case Studies [ 0 ]
- Events [ 2 ]
- Research Reports [ 12 ]
- Sustainable Investment in China Article [ 0 ]
- Sustainability Matters [ 1 ]
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