How can I capitalize on the business opportunities associated with biodiversity maintenance and protection?
New markets for ecosystem services
The increasing recognition of the financial value of ecosystem services is a growing business opportunity for some sectors. The Katoomba Group, which includes representatives from industry, finance, research institutions and conservation organizations, is dedicated to promoting markets for ecosystem services provided by forests, including watershed protection, biodiversity habitat and carbon storage.
While there are a number of examples of market transactions for carbon sequestration or maintenance of water quality and supply, other markets for ecosystem services are just beginning to emerge or are still ideas for the future, including those for natural disaster mitigation, pollination, biomass production and absorption, and maintenance of genetic diversity.