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April 13 2010
One of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and
environmental consulting companies, GHD, and the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) have released the Guide
to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV).The guide is an innovative
framework designed to enhance business understanding of the
benefits and value of ecosystem services like fresh water, food,
fibre and natural hazard protection.
GHD CEO Ian Shepherd said, “Mainstreaming ecosystem considerations
into business is becoming increasingly important in order to deal
with the challenges of a resource-constrained world. This Guide to
Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV) is a valuable addition to the
toolkit used by businesses today”.
This first-of-its-kind framework will enable GHD to assist
clients to better understand the value of the ecosystem services
that communities impact and depend on. It will support
improved business decision-making by creating more alignment
between financial, ecological and societal objectives.
“Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are continuing to
escalate, thereby putting business at risk, but if managed
properly, can be transformed into new opportunities,” said Björn
Stigson, President of the WBCSD. “CEV allows business to fully
recognize and value ecosystems and the services they deliver.”
The CEV also provides clarity, consistency and guidance in
approaches and techniques. Fourteen WBCSD member companies,
including GHD, road-tested the CEV Guide and were able to produce
key examples of the opportunities and risks associated with
ecosystems.
GHD road-tested the CEV Guide in partnership with SA Water
Corporation (SA Water), a major urban water utility, with support
from the WBCSD. GHD water and economics professionals provided
advice to the project team at SA Water. The study assessed the
value of ecosystem services provided under several catchment
management options. The ecosystem services evaluation included
aesthetic and recreational values, erosion reduction, carbon
sequestration and clean water.
The Guide “operationalises” The Economics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity (TEEB), a key report released in October 2010 by the
G8+5 Environment Ministers at COP 10 of the Convention on
Biological Diversity. TEEB urges companies to support sustainable
use and management of biodiversity as an integral part of their
business plans. Yet, businesses cannot manage what they don’t
measure, and CEV allows companies to value their ecosystem impacts,
use and management.
The Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV) was unveiled at
a launch event in Geneva, Switzerland on 8 April 2011. For a full
copy of the Guide please
click here.