ISEP - Biodiversity and natural capital

We depend on biodiversity and natural capital for living, doing business, and for our wellbeing. Biodiversity and nature are increasingly being recognised as critical for sustainability within business and a key part of climate management. They are, however, under threat from over exploitation, pollution, climate, invasive species and changes in land use. Understanding and managing impacts and dependencies helps control efficiency and risk, and can improve our natural environment.

The Biodiversity and Natural Capital Network is led by a Steering Group that draws together professionals across diverse sectors and disciplines. Their role is to oversee the delivery of an annual work programme of activities, including webinars, workshops, reports and support between members.

Join the biodiversity and natural capital network

Opting to become a member of the network means you'll receive updates about developments in this sphere and the work of the steering group, invitations to apply to join the steering group or get involved in other ways, requests to participate in consultations, and notification of relevant webinars and other ISEP or external events. Use the button below to navigate to the portal and select 'biodiversity and natural capital network' in your subscription preferences.

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Biodiversity and natural capital practical guidance

Biodiversity and natural capital policy engagement

Useful definitions

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity provides the following definition: ’Biological diversity’ means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, interalia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.'

Biodiversity is vital for humans because so much of what we require comes from nature – such as fuel, food and medicines. There are estimated to be 8.7 million species (give or take 1.3 million and excluding bacteria) on Earth (Source: UNEP).

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity Net Gain is development that leaves biodiversity in a better state than before. It is also an approach where developers work with local governments, wildlife groups, land owners and other stakeholders in order to support their priorities for nature conservation.

Natural capital

Natural capital is the stock of renewable and non-renewable natural resources (e.g. plants, animals, air, water, soils, minerals) that combine to yield a flow of benefits to people.

Biodiversity and natural capital steering group members

Faye Durkin AISEP

Head of Nature, Greengage Environmental Ltd

Penny Borton

Senior Associate Director Natural Capital at Jacobs

Anthony Barron

Senior Sustainability Manager at Thakeham Group

Andrew Clark

Principal Coastal Ecologist at Merseyside EAS

Dr Stephanie Hime, FISEP, CEnv

ISEP Fellows Network Steering Group Member

Louise Dunkerley

Associate Director, Green Infrastructure and Planning, Cura Terrae Land and Nature Ltd

Sophie Mairesse

Network Rail Works Delivery Southern Region Ecologist and BNG Lead

Chris Moss

Senior Consultant, Greengage Environmental Ltd

Dr. Stephanie Hime is Managing Director of Little Blue Research, with over 15 years’ experience in sustainability consulting and research focused on environment/nature and social impact analysis. She has served as Technical Director for the Natural Capital Coalition, leading the development of the Natural Capital Protocol, and previously led on the implementation of impact valuation for KPMG UK’s sustainability services on True Value. Stephanie sits on the advisory board of the Capitals Coalition, is a member of the BSI committee on Assessing and Valuing Natural Capital and was project lead for the development of ISO14054 Natural Capital Accounting for Organisations. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP), part of their steering group on biodiversity and natural capital, and has been part of the IFRS, CDSB, and UK Business and Biodiversity Forum working/Steering Groups.