Society’s dependence on a healthy natural environment will shape the content of a unique conference (on Wednesday 25 November), during which delegates will explore how ‘natural capital’ thinking could be applied to nature conservation.
The Edinburgh-based event, Conservation in the 21st Century: The why, what, how of natural capital, will encourage direct involvement in this rapidly evolving debate. It will help delegates explore the growing interest from business, government and local authorities on natural capital and contribute to the development of new ways of tackling conservation challenges.
More than 100 people will be attending the conference, organised by The Wildlife Trusts. It will bring together senior decision-makers, expert practitioners and policy- specialists from across the UK’s major wildlife and countryside organisations. Speakers include Nick Barter, Head of Secretariat at the Natural Capital Committee, an independent body set up to advise the Government on the sustainable use of England’s natural capital (our forests, rivers, atmosphere, land, wildlife, oceans and other natural assets) and Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts.
Commenting ahead of the conference, Stephanie Hilborne OBE, says: “Through supporting nature’s recovery we will also support an economic recovery, as well as improvements in people’s health and well-being. The failure to take into account the value of nature in our economy drives the pressures on wildlife that we see today. Only by incorporating nature’s value into our mainstream economic system will future generations be assured of a thriving and vibrant countryside which is at such risk today.
“With an ongoing and increasing interest from business, we hope events such as this will help us to come one step closer, as a society, to recognising nature’s true value. This promises to be an important event for anyone working in UK conservation and interested in finding out more about the natural capital approach and how it could be used to help restore wildlife. We hope a wide range of people will join us in Edinburgh to debate and participate in the evolution of this fast-growing area of research and thinking.”
Chief Executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Jonny Hughes, said: “Conservation faces some serious challenges but by giving environmental charities the best tools for the job, we will have the best chance of saving our life support system. This event aims to give real, on-the-ground examples of taking natural capital thinking and putting it into practice.
“This event takes place as a side event of the World Forum on Natural Capital when experts from across the globe will be in Edinburgh discussing solutions for a changing world. We have tailored Conservation in the 21st Century: The why, what, how of natural capital to the needs of environmental charities, hopefully giving them a great start in the world of natural capital.”
Conservation in the 21st Century: The why, what, how of natural capital will be held at Saint Paul's and St George's Episcopal Church, 46 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3JW. To book a place and to find out more about Conservation in the 21st Century: The why, what, how of natural capital please follow this link.
The 2015 World Forum on Natural Capital is being held in Edinburgh 23-24 November 2015, bringing together an international audience of business leaders, policymakers, regulators and prominent experts in the field. The World Forum on Natural Capital is organised by the Scottish Wildlife Trust in association with the International Union for Conservation of Nature; United Nations Environment Programme; World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the Natural Capital Coalition.