Nature's Fortune
280 pages, 5 1/4 x 8 1/2
Paperback
Release Date:06 Aug 2015
ISBN:9781610916950
Nature's Fortune
How Business and Society Thrive By Investing in Nature
By Mark R. Tercek and Jonathan S. Adams
Island Press
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-read for business leaders, CEOs, investors, and environmentalists alike, Nature’s Fortune offers an essential guide to the world’s economic—and environmental—well-being.
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-read for business leaders, CEOs, investors, and environmentalists alike, Nature’s Fortune offers an essential guide to the world’s economic—and environmental—well-being.
Mark R. Tercek is president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy, which he joined in 2008. Tercek was previously a managing director and Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he ultimately led the firm's environmental strategy. He lives in Washington, DC.
Jonathan S. Adams is a science writer and conservation biologist. The author of The Myth of Wild Africa, The Future of the Wild, and coeditor of Precious Heritage, he lives in Rockville, Maryland.
Jonathan S. Adams is a science writer and conservation biologist. The author of The Myth of Wild Africa, The Future of the Wild, and coeditor of Precious Heritage, he lives in Rockville, Maryland.
A Note to Readers
Introduction
Chapter 1. Maybe It's Not Chinatown After All
Chapter 2. Not a Drop to Drink
Chapter 3. Let Floodplains Be Floodplains
Chapter 4. The New Fishing
Chapter 5. Feeding the World—and Saving It
Chapter 6. The Million-Dollar Mile
Chapter 7. Investing in the Future in the Face of Climate Change
Chapter 8. Town and Country
Chapter 9. The Business Case for Nature
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Works Cited
Index
Introduction
Chapter 1. Maybe It's Not Chinatown After All
Chapter 2. Not a Drop to Drink
Chapter 3. Let Floodplains Be Floodplains
Chapter 4. The New Fishing
Chapter 5. Feeding the World—and Saving It
Chapter 6. The Million-Dollar Mile
Chapter 7. Investing in the Future in the Face of Climate Change
Chapter 8. Town and Country
Chapter 9. The Business Case for Nature
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Works Cited
Index
