What is nature worth? The answer to this question--which traditionally
has been framed in environmental terms--is revolutionizing the way we do
business.
In Nature's Fortune, Mark Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conservancy and
former investment banker, and science writer Jonathan Adams argue that
nature is not only the foundation of human well-being, but also the
smartest commercial investment any business or government can make. The
forests, floodplains, and oyster reefs often seen simply as raw
materials or as obstacles to be cleared in the name of progress are, in
fact as important to our future prosperity as technology or law or
business innovation.
Who invests in nature, and why? What rates of return can it produce?
When is protecting nature a good investment? With stories from the South
Pacific to the California coast, from the Andes to the Gulf of Mexico
and even to New York City, Nature's Fortune shows how viewing nature
as green infrastructure allows for breakthroughs not only in
conservation--protecting water supplies; enhancing the health of
fisheries; making cities more sustainable, livable and safe; and dealing
with unavoidable climate change--but in economic progress, as well.
Organizations obviously depend on the environment for key
resources--water, trees, and land. But they can also reap substantial
commercial benefits in the form of risk mitigation, cost reduction, new
investment opportunities, and the protection of assets. Once leaders
learn how to account for nature in financial terms, they can incorporate
that value into the organization's decisions and activities, just as
habitually as they consider cost, revenue, and ROI.
A must-listen for business leaders, CEOs, investors, and
environmentalists alike, Nature's Fortune offers an essential guide to
the world's economic--and environmental--well-being.
