Originally published on August 4, 2015
What is the role of nature in cities? How can business and government leaders align environmental stewardship with economic growth?
On September 14, the Institute for International Economic Policy at The George Washington University hosted a panel of experts to answer these questions at a live, in-person webcast at the Elliott School of International Affairs. The participants included Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy, Rob McDonald, Senior Scientist for Sustainable Land Use at The Nature Conservancy, and Professor David Rain of GWU. The panel largely discussed Mark Tercek’s book, Nature’s Fortune, and its ideas for valuing ecosystem services to be used in business plans.
Led by Marcus King from The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs, they examined how public and private sector leaders can use natural resources to both impact the bottom line and benefit society, and how ecosystem services and natural infrastructure can enhance cities and neighborhoods. With their combined expertise from the fields of conservation, ecosystem services, environmental security, and corporate finance, they aimed to challenge conventional thinking about the importance of environmental resources and economics as key tools in creating a sustainable world.
