The Dutch online Natural Capital Atlas offers hundreds of maps that portray ecosystem services in the Netherlands. The Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, initiator of the Atlas, wants to further develop the website with users. We guided a consultation process with municipalities and companies to identify their needs, and wishes. Results are a crystal clear list of directly implementable recommendations for accessibility, categorization, expanded data needs, interactivity and functionality.
Download the report (in Dutch) with our findings at the bottom of the page.
In the coming years citizens, companies and governments will increasingly start working together on nature based solutions. This requires open access to data and a symbiotically developed vision on nature and the economy. That offers a perfect breeding ground for the Natural Capital Atlas.
Our research showed that both municipalities and companies see potential value in the Atlas, both during their daily operational processes as during project preparation and execution. Municipalities expect the Atlas to contribute to their relationship with citizens, companies and community groups. Companies see potential value in reducing the impacts of their production processes and at a later stage in supporting Natural Capital Accounting.
This is just the start. With an ecosystem approach the Atlas can stimulate the development of natural capital as a movement in the Netherlands while simultaneously offering data to incorporate natural capital in decision making processes. We developed a road map to ensure the tool's maturation into a self-directing, self-learning and interactive platform.
We firmly believe that the Natural Capital Atlas can grow into an indispensable tool for every professional that works with natural capital.
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Integrated Sustainability