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List of contents
1 Introduction to biodiversity and ecosystems for businessJoshua Bishop (IUCN), William Evison (PricewaterhouseCoopers)2 Business impacts and dependence on biodiversity and ecosystem servicesMikkel Kallesoe (WBCSD), Nicolas Bertrand (UNEP) Annex 2.1 Case studies – cotton and the Aral Sea and timber in China Mark Trevitt (Trucost plc), Alistair McVittie (Scottish Agricultural College), Luke Brander (Institute for Environmental Studies), Joshua Bishop (IUCN)3 Measuring and reporting biodiversity and ecosystem impacts and dependenceCornis van der Lugt (UNEP), Sean Gilbert (GRI), William Evison (PricewaterhouseCoopers) 4 Scaling down biodiversity and ecosystem risks to businessNicolas Bertrand (UNEP), Mikkel Kallesoe (WBCSD) 5 Increasing biodiversity business opportunities Nicolas Bertrand (UNEP), Francis Vorhies (Earthmind)6 Business, biodiversity and developmentLinda Hwang (BSR) 7 Summary and conclusion Joshua Bishop (IUCN) Annex 7.1 Comparison of selected business, biodiversity and ecosystem declarations, initiatives, guidelines and tools
About the author
While writing and editing this book, Joshua Bishop was Chief Economist at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), based in Switzerland. He has co-authored several Earthscan books on the links between economics, the environment and sustainable development. His recent work has focused on translating the concepts and methods of environmental economics into the language and practice of business.
Summary
This book is a product of the TEEB study (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity). It provides important evidence of growing corporate concern about biodiversity loss and offers examples of how leading companies are taking action to conserve biodiversity and to restore ecosystems.
This book reviews indicators and drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem decline, and shows how these present both risks and opportunities to all businesses. It examines the changing preferences of consumers for nature-friendly products and services, and offers examples of how companies are responding. The book also describes recent initiatives to enable businesses to measure, value and report their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
The authors review a range of practical tools to manage biodiversity risks in business, with examples of how companies are using these tools to reduce costs, protect their brands and deliver real business value. The book also explores the emergence of new business models that deliver biodiversity benefits and ecosystem services on a commercial basis, the policy enabling frameworks needed to stimulate investment and entrepreneurship to realize such opportunities, and the obstacles that must be overcome.
The book further examines how businesses can align their actions in relation to biodiversity and ecosystem services with other corporate responsibility initiatives, including community engagement and poverty reduction. Finally, the book concludes with a summary and recommendations for action.
Additional text
'The [TEEB] project should show us all how expensive the global destruction of the natural world has become and, it is hoped, persuade us to slow down.' The Guardian.
'The TEEB report is a critical contribution to the debate on how capital markets can play a role in addressing the alarming rate of loss of biodiversity." - Abyd Karmali, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, USA.
'The TEEB for Business report provides a compelling explanation of the importance of ecosystem services to long term economic progress." - James Stacey, Earth Capital Partners LLP.
