Natural Capital Project

A new paper outlines the co-development of a novel natural capital assessment and account for Colombia’s Sinú Basin, laying the groundwork for compensation programs that protect nature and support livelihoods.

The deep infrasonic rumbles male elephants use to signal group departures tell us something about their complex vocal coordination and strong social bonds.

The Natural Capital Project convened top policymakers from China to highlight the need for collaboration on ecosystem-based approaches to sustainability.

Stanford scientists worked with collaborators in Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize to identify targets for benefiting people and ecosystems across the region.

A new approach quantifies the value of mangrove forests in Belize for carbon sequestration, tourism, fisheries, and coastal protection, then uses the values to target conservation and restoration. The findings hold lessons for coastal countries looking for ways to balance climate goals with economic development.

Our health and economic stability depend on biodiversity, but our governing policies often fail to address it coherently. An analysis of the world’s second most biodiverse country highlights how policies that span sectors and actors can fit together to govern biodiversity more effectively.

Analysis finds that dammed reservoirs could store more than 50% of the water needed to irrigate crops without depleting water stocks or encroaching on nature. The researchers caution against building new dams, however, and urge consideration of alternative storage solutions.

Analysis reveals how restoring relatively narrow forest buffers could substantially improve regional water quality and carbon storage in Costa Rica and elsewhere. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply.

Researchers modeled how investing in environmental conservation and protection can help San Mateo County adapt to rising seas. The findings provide incentives for policymakers to prioritize nature-based approaches when planning for sea-level rise.

By 2100, sea levels are expected to rise by almost seven feet in the Bay Area. New research shows how traditional approaches to combating sea-level rise can create a domino effect of environmental and economic impacts for nearby communities.