Measuring natural capital at city scale

Natural Capital Singapore is a 3-year research program involving more than 15 researchers over a three-year period. The purpose is to provide a baseline data set for incorporating nature into "holistic planning at a national scale". Services such as the value of trees in providing shade and reducing surface temperatures are well-understood by scientists and the public alike, but other functions such as reducing stormwater runoff—which reduces burdens on the island's drainage network—were studied in depth. The project's detailed findings and assessment of preparedness for use of the data in decisionmaking indicate that while a great of work lies ahead if cities are to realign long-term planning for transformational sustainability based on natural capital benchmarking, there is a clear road map, large base of evidence and growing public support for more aggressive steps. This points toward a future where many other cities are likely to embark on similar, and ongoing assessments of this sort, in order to create data streams that drive strategic decision making.