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As the world grapples with the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, the concept of investing in nature is gaining significant momentum. The "nature-positive economy" encourages businesses, governments, and individuals to protect and restore ecosystems, often by assigning financial value to the services they provide. While this approach can drive meaningful change, it raises an important question: Does treating nature as a commodity undermine its deeper, intrinsic value? Shouldn't we protect nature simply because it's the right thing to do—not just because it’s profitable?
Even more crucially, we must consider the human aspect of this issue, especially regarding rural communities and Indigenous peoples, whose livelihoods, cultures, and identities are intricately tied to nature. These communities often serve as the guardians of the ecosystems that the nature-positive economy seeks to protect. How do we ensure that the commercial approach doesn’t exploit them but instead empowers and respects their role in safeguarding our planet?
At the heart of this discussion lies the need to reconcile economic incentives with ethical responsibility, social justice, and respect for local communities and Indigenous knowledge. Let's explore how these perspectives can be harmonised to create a truly sustainable and equitable future for both people and the planet.
1. Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Value of Nature
At its core, the debate about investing in nature revolves around the distinction between its intrinsic and instrumental value. The intrinsic value of nature is the belief that ecosystems, species, and landscapes hold worth simply by existing. They are precious beyond their economic utility, deserving respect and protection regardless of what they offer in return. Conversely, instrumental value focuses on the benefits nature provides to humanity, such as resources like timber and clean water, or ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and pollination. The nature-positive economy seeks to protect ecosystems by emphasising their instrumental value, ensuring that their financial benefits are recognised and factored into decision-making processes.
However, the intrinsic value of nature must not be overshadowed by profit-driven motives. A sustainable future hinges on acknowledging that nature has worth beyond monetary value and that its preservation is a moral responsibility. By balancing both views—respecting nature for what it is while also harnessing its benefits wisely—we can protect ecosystems in a way that honours their essential, irreplaceable role in the world.
2. The Nature-Positive Economy: A Bridge Between Two Worlds
While some worry that the nature-positive economy commodifies ecosystems, it can serve as a crucial tool in today’s global market. By translating the services nature provides into financial terms, we can create economic incentives for businesses and governments to prioritise conservation. But this approach must not be limited to profits. Nature-positive practices should aim to regenerate ecosystems, support biodiversity, and protect natural systems in ways that serve both humanity and the environment. The real challenge is to use economic mechanisms to reverse environmental degradation while ensuring that ecosystems thrive beyond their immediate usefulness to humans. And critically, the nature-positive economy must work hand-in-hand with local communities and Indigenous peoples, who have been stewards of nature for generations. If economic incentives are designed without their input or participation, the result could be exploitation rather than empowerment. True nature-positive investment should amplify Indigenous leadership, drawing on their knowledge systems while ensuring that they benefite quitably from any financial gains associated with conservation efforts.
3. Cherishing Nature and Driving Systemic Change
The desire to cherish nature—to protect it simply because it’s the right thing to do—should be at the heart of environmental efforts. However, in today’s economic system, this moral imperative alone may not be enough to halt the relentless forces driving environmental destruction. That’s where the nature-positive economy can play a pivotal role, creating systemic change by embedding environmental considerations into the very fabric of financial and economic systems. The goal should be to create an economic framework that respects and supports the intrinsic value of nature, while also providing tangible benefits for the people closest to the land. This will not only ensure ecological sustainability but also contribute to social equity and justice, ensuring that those who have historically been protectors of nature are given the recognition, resources, and autonomy they deserve.
4. Shifting Cultural Mindsets: From Exploitation to Stewardship
For true and lasting change, we need morethan just financial mechanisms; we need a shift in cultural attitudes. This means moving from a mindset of exploitation—where nature is something to be extracted for short-term profit—to one of stewardship and respect. Indigenous peoples and rural communities have long understood this ethos. Their practices often reflect a deep reverence for the land, where ecological balance and human well-being are seen as interdependent. Learning from and amplifying these perspectives can help guide broader societal shifts toward valuing nature not just as a resource but as aliving system that nurtures us all.
The ultimate goal of the nature-positive economy should be to help foster this cultural transformation. By embedding respect for nature into economic systems, we can encourage both businesses and individuals to see the natural world as something to be protected and restored, rather than consumed and discarded.
Conclusion: A Holistic Vision for Nature and Humanity
As we look towards a green and prosperous future, the question isn’t whether we should invest in nature—it’s how. By combining economic incentives with deep respect for the intrinsic value of ecosystems, we can drive meaningful environmental protection. But this approach must also empower local and Indigenous communities, recognising their critical role as stewards of the land.
In the end, investing in nature isn’t just about profit—it’s about building a future where both nature and people thrive. By bridging the gap between commercial approaches and ethical responsibility, we can create a world where the natural world is cherished and protected for its own sake, as well as for the benefit of humanity. Together, we can shift from exploitation to stewardship, ensuring that future generations inherit a planet that is not only economically viable but also ecologically and culturally rich.
