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Natural Capital

…with regard to policy and legislation?

Barriers concerning policy and legislation can obstruct the mainstreaming of natural capital. Lack of knowledge, the complexity and size of natural capital, short-term thinking, deficient market incentives and regulations, and conflicting interests impede the integration of natural capital in decision-making.

Four barriers

To achieve integration of natural capital, cooperation between multiple stakeholders is essential. An important barrier is the often-sectoral organisation, where through split tasks, aims and budgets opportunities for synergy remain unused. Four other barriers are the lack of knowledge, the complexity and cross-sectoral properties of natural capital, the strong short-term thinking, and deficient market incentives and regulations.

PBL (2014), p. 16. (in Dutch)

Conflicting interests

Conflicting interests are at play when creating new policy and regulations. Spatial planning serves as an example: agricultural land is needed for the food supply, but this often monofunctional use of the available space does not take natural capital into account. By striving for synergy the food supply can be secured, while at the same time natural capital is taken into account.

PBL (2014), p. 22. (in Dutch)