Publications by Tag: Land Use & Biodiversity
Blog
A Systems Approach for the Planet
Linda Hwang, Manager, Research
Last week, the journal Nature presented the ongoing research being conducted at the Stockholm Resilience Centre on Planetary Boundaries, a new approach to sustainable development that attempts to identify and quantify a set of nine planetary boundaries. Read more
BSR Insight Articles
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
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
Increasing Costs, Water Scarcity Top Business’ Climate Change Concerns
According to a recent report by the Global Compact, UN Environment Programme, Oxfam, and World Resources Institute, water scarcity and the increasing costs of raw materials and natural resources are business’ two greatest concerns about climate change risks. As the report notes, climate change impacts—including rising temperatures, floods, and extreme weather events—present a variety of risks to companies’ operations and value chains, including: Read more
Transitioning to Climate-Smart Agriculture
According to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, agriculture in developing countries must be transformed in order to meet the global challenge of food security and respond to climate change. Key technical, institutional, policy, and financial responses are needed to establish climate-smart systems throughout the agricultural 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
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
Reports
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
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
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
Bio-Carbon and Corporate Climate Strategy: A Business Brief on Emissions Reductions Via Forestry and Land Use Projects
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
Other Publications & Events Tagged, Land Use & Biodiversity
- Blog [ 1 ]
- BSR Conference Session Summaries [ 0 ]
- BSR Insight Articles [ 8 ]
- BSR Review [ 0 ]
- Case Studies [ 0 ]
- Events [ 1 ]
- Research Reports [ 9 ]
- Sustainable Investment in China Article [ 0 ]
- Sustainability Matters [ 0 ]
BSR member-only content; valid login required.