The Final Report of the Ecosystem Markets Task Force (EMTF) called 'Valuing Nature: Harnessing ecology to strengthen the economy' was published on Tuesday 5 March 2013 at an event in London.  

The report states the business case for why nature matters. It makes practical recommendations for both government and business where interventions would assist in the creation and development of new markets, enhancing opportunities for growth that also benefit the environment. The report affirms that business is often unaware of its true reliance on nature, and that a new approach is needed to maximise opportunities and manage future risks.

The Report highlights 5 ‘headline’ or priority recommendations, as follows:

1. Biodiversity Offsetting: securing net gain for nature from planning and  development
2. Closing the loop: anaerobic digestion and bioenergy on farms
3. Local woodfuel supply chains: active sustainable management supporting local economies
4. Nature-based certification and labelling: connecting consumers with nature
5. Water cycle catchment management: integrating nature into water, waste water and flood management.

For each recommendation the report highlights the size of the opportunity, both in terms of its economic value and its potential benefits to nature.

Download the full report from Ecosystem Markets Task Force website.