An Investigation on Ecosystem Services, the Role of Investment Banks, and Investment Products to Foster Conservation

Abstract

As they have done in the past with global challenges such as rebuilding in the aftermath of WWII and financing the industrial revolution, banks have a central role to play in helping society meet their development goals in a resource-constrained world. In preparing for the challenges of this next century, society will need to manage issues such as population growth, food and water scarcity, and climate change while preserving the ecosystem services that underpin economic growth. “Sustaining innovations” in a banks’ business model are required—those that transform banking products to generate environmental and societal benefits. Banks can manage risk and seek opportunities by deploying latent capital into revolving funds, leverage public-private partnerships to develop the absorptive capacity of potential clients (particularly private equity investors), and establish innovative financial products that conserve ecosystem services in support of healthy, sustainable societies.