As of 2012, an estimated 300 companies have used the Ecosystem Services Review. In addition, complementary tools and guidance now exist to help companies more fully assess business risks and opportunities emerging from ecosystem change. The ESR remains a fundamental starting point for companies to assess business risks and opportunities related to ecosystem change.
The following information resources are available to help managers conduct an ESR or to explore certain issues in depth. The list is not exhaustive and focuses on those that may be of direct relevance to corporate managers.
Online Networks and Resources
Networks of leading thinkers on ecosystem services science, markets, strategy, and policy. Get in touch with these professionals for ecosystem services information at any stage of the ESR.
Scientific Assessments
Extensive research by the scientific community on issues relating to ecosystems, ecosystem services, and drivers of ecosystem change. Information from scientific assessments typically assist managers with steps 3 and 4 of the ESR.
- Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development
Issue-Specific
Resources to assist with in-depth analysis of particular ecosystem services, drivers of ecosystem change, business strategies to manage risks and opportunities, or the integration of ecosystem services into business performance systems.
- Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool
- Aqueduct
- Global Water Tool
- Waterwiser Water Efficiency Clearinghouse
- Water Sustainability Tool
- TruCost
- Eco-Life Cycle Assessment
- Approach for Reporting on Ecosystem Services
Sector-Specific
Resources focused on particular sectors.
- IFC Guidance Note 6–Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources
- Risk and Opportunity Analysis within the Pharmaceutical Sector
- Oil and Gas Ecosystem Services Guidance
- Good Practices for Mining and Biodiversity
- Initial Biodiversity & Assessment Planning
- Fish Source
- Sustainable Procurement of Wood- and Paper-Based Products
- Landscape Measures Resource Center
- The Sustainable Sites Initiative
- Ecosystem Services Benchmark
Valuation
Tools to help managers assign quantitative values to ecosystem services. Ecosystem valuation is sometimes integrated into steps 4 or 5 of the ESR.
- The Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation
- The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- InVest
- The Environmental Valuation Reference Inventory
Markets for Ecosystem Services & Offsets
Emerging markets and payment schemes that value and conserve ecosystem services present a host of opportunities to business. These resources offer information as well as provide forums to make deals, especially useful for steps 4 & 5 of the ESR.
- Ecosystem Marketplace
- Forest Carbon Index
- Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standard
- Business and Biodiversity Offsets Program
- Speciesbanking.com
- National Mitigation Banking Association
- Regional Internet Bank Information Tracking System
- Water Quality Trading Programs
- Nutrient Net
- Nutrient Tracking Tool
- Watershed Markets
- Ecosystem Credit Accounting
- The Bay Bank
- Fact Sheet: Stacking Payments for Ecosystem Services
Online Networks and Resources
The Ecosystem Services Experts Directory
The Ecosystem Services Experts Directory
Description & Use. This global resource includes a wide range of noted experts on ecosystems and ecosystem function willing to provide specific guidance on particular ecosystem trends or environmental management practices.
- Understand science of ecosystem services
Business & Ecosystem Services Professionals Group
Business & Ecosystem Services Professionals Group
Description & Use. This LinkedIn group allows members to share recent news and best practices, start discussions, and connect with peers about pressing issues at the nexus of business and ecosystems.
- Discuss ecosystem services-related business strategies
- Get up to date news regarding trends in ecosystem services and drivers of ecosystem change
Scientific Assessments
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Reports
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Description & Use. State-of-the-art scientific audit of the condition and trends in the world’s ecosystems and ecosystem services, as well as a review of the drivers of ecosystem change.
- Understand science of ecosystem services
- Understand trends in ecosystem services and drivers of ecosystem change
Climate Change Assessment Reports
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Description & Use. Latest scientific and technical assessments of human-induced climate change, including its observed and projected impacts on the world’s ecosystems.
- Understand how climate change will drive ecosystem service trends
IAASTD Plenary Documents for IPCC
International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development
Description & Use. Reviews global trends in demographics, economics, water use, land cover change, and technology in relation to agriculture.
- Understand risks and trends in agriculture
Issue-Specific Resources
Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool
BirdLife International; Conservation International
Description & Use. Provides access to information about protected areas and biodiversity areas to inform the implementation of corporate biodiversity policies and enhance environmental management systems.
Aqudeuct
* World Resources Institute*
Description & Use. Comprehensive and credible metric for measuring geographic water risks. It consists of a global database and interactive mapping tool that enable companies to quantify and map water risks at a local scale, worldwide.
- Create comprehensive, high resolution maps of water risks tailored to unique risk exposure profile
Global Water Tool
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Description & Use. Excel workbook with on-line mapping features to identify a firm’s relationship to water.
- Identify dependence and impact your firm has on the ecosystem service of freshwater
- Assess trends in fresh water
- Identify fresh water business risks and opportunities
GS Sustain
Goldman Sachs
Description & Use. Framework for analyzing a company’s competitive advantage in mature industries and for identifying leaders in emerging industries with attention to environmental issues.
- Better understand your firm’s potential financing risks relative to industry best practices in environmental management
Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-Based Products
World Resources Institute & World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Description & Use. An information and decision making tool to help companies develop their own sustainable procurement policies for wood and paper-based products
- Develop sourcing strategies related to wood products
Waterwiser Water Efficiency Clearinghouse
American Water Works Association
Description & Use. Interactive website that provides information on how to manage water conservation, efficiency, and demand.
- Obtain data on conservation, efficiency and demand management strategies
Water Sustainability Tool
Global Environmental Management Initiative
Description & Use. Methodology for developing strategies related to fresh water.
- Identify dependence and impact your firm has on the ecosystem service of freshwater
- Assess trends in freshwater
- Identify freshwater business risks and opportunities
- Develop and implement strategies for managing these risks and opportunities
TruCost
TruCost PLC
Description & Use. Independent analysis that ranks companies’ environmental performance through environmental impacts and external damage costs.
- Better understand risks related to ecosystem services
Eco-Life Cycle Assessment
Ohio State University
Description & Use. Ohio State scientists have devised a rigorous method to quantify the lifecycle resource consumption of industrial products and processes, including “embedded” natural capital–ecosystem services.
- Assess and compare products’ ecosystem services impact
GRI Approach for Reporting on Ecosystem Services
Global Reporting Initiative
Description & Use. Guidance on incorporating ecosystem services into an organization’s performance disclosure.
- Incorporate ecosystem services into routine sustainability reporting
Sector-Specific Resources
International Finance Corporation
Description & Use. In 2011, the World Bank Board approved new International Finance Corporation (IFC) performance standards that screen for ecosystem service risks and impacts. These standards require comprehensive screening for project impact and dependencies on ecosystem services. * Better understand how to meet the new IFC standards on ecosystem service and biodiversity
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service: Risk and Opportunity Analysis within the Pharmaceutical Sector
Natural Value Initiative
Description & Use. Report describing the relative biodiversity and ecosystem service performance of ten major pharmaceutical companies using the Ecosystem Service Benchmark.
- Understand risks and opportunities related to biodiversity loss and ecosystem changes for the pharma sector
- Compare companies in the pharma sector on their biodiversity performance
Oil and Gas Ecosystem Services Guidance: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Guide and Checklists
Global Oil and Gas Industry Association for Environmental and Social Issues IPIECA
Description & Use. Guidance and checklists to clarify the relationship between the oil and gas company activities and biodiversity ecosystem services.
- Identify the main ecosystem service dependencies and impacts of oil and gas developments
- Measures for managing risks and opportunities related to ecosystem impacts
Good Practices Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity
International Council on Mining & Metals
Description & Use. Tools to review impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services of mining operations and to develop projects for offsetting impacts when they cannot be mitigated.
- Better incorporate biodiversity considerations into projects
Initial Biodiversity & Assessment Planning
Center for Environmental Leadership in Business at Conservation International
Description & Use. Tool that integrates biodiversity information and conservation planning into the earliest stages of a mining or oil and gas project.
- Understand biodiversity issues early in the project planning phase
FishSource
Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Description & Use. Web interface providing information on the sustainability and environmental performance of fish stocks and fisheries around the globe.
- Identify status and trends of fish stock and fisheries
- Understand risks of fish stocks and fisheries
Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-Based Products
World Resources Institute & World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Description & Use. An information and decision-making resource guide to help companies develop their own sustainable procurement policies for wood and paper-based products.
- Develop sourcing strategies related to wood products
Landscape Measures Resources Center
Ecoagriculture Partners
Description & Use. A 6-step process designed to guide multiple stakeholders on assessing and achieving conservation and agricultural production goals. Steps include measuring current landscape conditions, creating performance criteria and stakeholder engagement.
The Sustainable Sites Initiative
American Society of Landscape Architects
Description & Use. Program to develop voluntary national guidelines and performance benchmarks on sustainable land design, construction, and maintenance practices. Can be applied to national parks, industrial, retail, military and residential areas. Working with U.S. Green Building Council to incorporate concepts into LEED.
Ecosystem Services Benchmark
The Natural Value Initiative
Description & Use. The Ecosystem Services Benchmark is a tool for investors to assess the management of biodiversity and ecosystem services risks and opportunities in companies with an agricultural supply chain
Valuation Resources
Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Description & Use. A framework for improving corporate decision-making through valuing ecosystem services, and a set of resources to navigate through valuation jargon and techniques.
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
United Nations Environment Programme and European Commission
Description & Use. A major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward.
- Find examples of ecosystem valuation
InVest
Natural Capital Project
Description & Use. InVEST models and maps natural capital: the delivery, distribution, and economic value of ecosystem services and biodiversity.
- Understand the value of ecosystem services
The Environmental Valuation Reference Inventory
Environment Canada
Description & Use. The EVRI is a searchable storehouse of empirical studies on the economic value of environmental benefits and human health effects. It has been developed as a tool to help policy analysts use the benefits transfer approach.
Markets for Ecosystem Services & Offsets
Ecosystem Marketplace
Katoomba Group
Description & Use. One of the most comprehensive sources of information on ecosystem services markets and payments programs. Covers water quality, carbon sequestration and biodiversity markets, as well as emerging trends in ecosystem trading.
- Understand markets for ecosystem services
- Find emerging ecosystem markets in your region
Forest Carbon Index
Resources for the Future
Description & Use. Website and interactive maps for investors, analyzing forest carbon offset opportunities in terms of credit costs, availability, and geographic performance.
- Examine geographic regions for forest carbon offset potential
Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standard
Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance
Description & Use. Promotes voluntary standards in the field of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).
- Design and identify land management activities that simultaneously minimize climate change, support sustainable development, and conserve biodiversity.
Business and Biodiversity Offsets Program
Forest Trends & Conservation International
Description & Use. Toolkit for designing and implementing biodiversity offsets that compensate for the unavoidable impact on biodiversity caused by infrastructure projects.
- Develop offsets as a strategy for minimizing risks associated with ecosystem impacts
Speciesbanking.com
Katoomba Group
Description & Use. A centralized information resource for buyers, sellers and other species credit market players. Provides information on banks, credit availability, trader contact information, species inventory and industry trends.
National Mitigation Banking Association
National Mitigation Banking Association
Description & Use. Lobbies for federal legislation and regulatory policy that promotes mitigation and conservation banking, primarily focused on wetlands.
- Get involved in mitigation banking
Regional Internet Bank Information Tracking System
US Army Engineer Research and Development Center
Description & Use. An internet database to monitor United States wetland mitigation banking
- Find and assess wetland mitigation banks in the United States
Water Quality Trading Programs: An International Overview
World Resources Institute
Description & Use. Article assesses successful policy design for water quality trading markets.
- Understand and identify existing water quality or nutrient trading markets
Nutrient Net
World Resources Institute
Description & Use. Web-based tools for water quality trading and reverse auctions. Aims to improve water quality through market-based approaches.
- Understand and engage water quality or nutrient trading markets
Nutrient Tracking Tool
USDA-NRCS
Description & Use. Compares agricultural management systems to calculate a change in nitrogen, phosphorous, sediment loss potential, and crop yield.
- Understand and participate in water quality or nutrient trading markets
Watershed Markets
International Institute for Environment and Development
Description & Use. Provides case studies and analysis on effective watershed markets
Ecosystem Credit Accounting
The Willamette Partnership
Description & Use. Ecosystem Credit Accounting system is a package of protocols, tools, and resources that allow buyers and sellers to trade in multiple types of ecosystem credits. The Willamette Partnership’s Counting on the Environment project is piloting this system from September 2009 through September 2011 in Oregon.
- Understand and participate in a regional bundled wetlands, habitat, nutrient, and water temperature trading market
The Bay Bank: The Chesapeake’s Ecosystem Service Marketplace
Pinchot Institute
Description & Use. The Bay Bank helps private landowners and operators of farm and forest land in the Chesapeake region access multiple ecosystem service markets, as well as traditional conservation programs.
Stacking Payments for Ecosystem Services
World Resources Institute
Description & Use. Factsheet that describes the appropriate use and potential pitfalls of stacking payments for ecosystem services.
