Trends Natural capital 3/4
Many beverage carton manufacturers have put rigorous traceability systems in place
hardly known as an environmental cham- pion, acknowledged in a report that cur- rent growth patterns are unsustainable because of the accompanying environ- mental degradation and advocated plac- ing a monetary value on ecosystems. The report highlighted efforts by the Thai government to place a value on its mangrove swamps. It found that remov- ing the mangrove to create a shrimp farm might generate nearly $10,000 per
hectare, but if the mangrove swamps are retained, and their importance in provid- ing a barrier against floods is taken into account, they could be valued at more than $16,000 per hectare.
One industry where natural capital accounting might drive change most sig- nificantly, particularly as global popula- tion growth continues to put pressure on finite natural resources, is retail, which is heavily reliant on natural assets for
food products, packaging, refrigeration and transport. As the market becomes increasingly competitive, it will be inter- esting to see how this issue plays out amongst the large grocery retailers and food manufacturers.
In the case of packaging, natural resourc- es, and the species which rely heavily on them, do not have to be sacrificed in order for retailers to make economically sustainable decisions. Natural renew-
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