Natural capital and biodiversity
Why is this important?
Taking a natural capital approach, which considers nature as an asset, is critical to our survival. It includes tangibles like water and food, as well as intangibles such as clean air, a stable climate, and biodiversity. These provide the foundations for life on earth, without which the quality and wellbeing of human life would suffer. As our climate changes we therefore need to adapt to ensure impacts to our ecosystem are minimised and we protect and enhance these assets and the benefits they bring to us.
The UK Government has continued to promote the use of a natural capital approach through their 25-Year Environment Plan. This monitors the environment and the delivery of nature-positive outcomes, including those required by environmental markets such as carbon markets. Building on this, the UK has committed to the COP15 international target to protect 30% of our land and ocean by 2030, known as 30x30.
Changes in climate directly impact ecosystems, including the survival of varied species, their behaviour, distribution and abundance. By improving the quality and availability of our habitats in Warwickshire we can provide greater ecosystem resilience to climate change. We can also provide wider ecosystem benefits through adaptation; for example, strategically located areas for ecological restoration can improve water quality by reducing surface run-off and promoting groundwater recharge.
Our natural assets play a vital role in being able to capture and store carbon to help Warwickshire achieve its net zero ambitions.
Ambition
We want a habitat-connected landscape for people to enjoy, wildlife to thrive and to increase our ability to capture and store carbon.
What we need to do
Our overarching objectives for this theme are to:
- 5a. Increase the coverage and connectivity of habitats in Warwickshire as a percentage increase of total land.
- 5b. Increase the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) captured and stored through nature-based solutions in Warwickshire.
- 5c. Improve resilience of our natural habitat through climate change adaptation.
For more information on natural capital and biodiversity, see pages 29-30 of the Sustainable Futures Strategy (PDF, 1 MB).