Nature's Fortune
Author(s): Mark Tercek
What is nature worth? The answer to this question--which traditionally has been framed in environmental terms--is revolutionizing the way we do business. In "Nature's Fortune," Mark Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conservancy and former investment banker, and science writer Jonathan Adams argue that nature is not only the foundation of human well-being, but also the smartest commercial investment any business or government can make. The forests, floodplains, and oyster reefs often seen simply as raw materials or as obstacles to be cleared in the name of progress are, in fact as important to our future prosperity as technology or law or business innovation. Who invests in nature, and why? What rates of return can it produce? When is protecting nature a good investment? With stories from the South Pacific to the California coast, from the Andes to the Gulf of Mexico and even to New York City, "Nature's Fortune" shows how viewing nature as green infrastructure allows for breakthroughs not only in conservation--protecting water supplies; enhancing the health of fisheries; making cities more sustainable, livable and safe; and dealing with unavoidable climate change--but in economic progress, as well. Organizations obviously depend on the environment for key resources--water, trees, and land. But they can also reap substantial commercial benefits in the form of risk mitigation, cost reduction, new investment opportunities, and the protection of assets. Once leaders learn how to account for nature in financial terms, they can incorporate that value into the organization's decisions and activities, just as habitually as they consider cost, revenue, and ROI. A must-read for business leaders, CEOs, investors, and environmentalists alike, "Nature's Fortune" offers an essential guide to the world's economic--and environmental--well-being.
General Information
- :
- : The Perseus Books Group
- : Basic Books
- : 0.454
- : 01 May 2013
- : United States
- : 01 August 2013
- : books
Other Specifications
- : Mark Tercek
- : Hardback
- : 243
More About The Product
"Publishers Weekly"
"The authors convincingly argue that corporate responsibility is not only the right ethical tactic, but the right business move....According to this savvy book, both environmentalists and business executives need to understand 'how nature contributes to economic and ecological well-being.'"
"Kirkus Reviews"
"A hopeful message that a sensible marriage of business and environmental interests is in the cards, which until now has mostly been trumped by shortsightedness."
William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America
"By breaking conservation down into dollars and cents, Mark Tercek shows that economic growth and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive goals. "Nature's Fortune" takes a pragmatic approach to an important issue, and turns the conversation from ideology to arithmetic."
Alan Weisman, author of "The World Without Us" and "Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope on Earth"
"In this encouraging, intelligent book that comes none too soon, Mark Tercek and Jonathan Adams show that the corporate world ultimately can't flourish unless the natural world does, too. Through stories equally compelling to entrepreneurs or environmentalists, CEOs or scientists, we see how Nature's Fortune and our own are inextricable. If we conserve and nurture our planet's gifts like any other crucial asset or investment, we profit--or, we squander them at our own peril. Happily, this book shows why we needn't, ever."
Chris Anderson, TED Curator
"This book makes plain as day why we need to stop taking nature's gifts for granted. Its thoughtful solutions can underpin conservation goals with a powerful business logic. From an alarming premise, we are given reason to hope."
Daniel Yergin, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World"
"Mark Tercek presents a timely argument for 'valuing' nature that will be meaningful as much to bus
Mark R. Tercek is president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy. Tercek was previously a managing director and Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he led various business units and later was tapped to build and lead the firm's environmental strategy. He lives in Washington, DC.
Jonathan S. Adams is a science writer and conservation biologist. The author of "The Myth of Wild Africa," "The Future of the Wild," and co-editor of "Precious Heritage," he lives in Rockville, Maryland.
All proceeds from "Nature's Fortune" benefit The Nature Conservancy.
