Biodiversity economics & finance

Nature underpins economic activity, community wellbeing and the resilience of natural systems, yet biodiversity value, dependencies and risks are not consistently incorporated into economic and investment decisions.

WABSI’s Biodiversity Economics & Finance Program starts with the needs of businesses, governments, investors and other decision-makers seeking to understand and manage these issues. Through consultation, the program identifies critical knowledge gaps and develops a prioritised research agenda to address them.

Research explores how biodiversity can be understood in economic terms, how nature-related risks and dependencies can be identified, and how evidence can inform investment and financial decisions.

The program connects independent science with economics, finance, policy and industry practice, translating research into practical evidence and tools. Its purpose is not simply to quantify nature, but to improve decisions that affect biodiversity and the economy, while identifying opportunities for investment that support sustainable and nature-positive outcomes.

Economic decisions increasingly need to account for biodiversity, but decision-makers often lack the evidence, methods and information needed to understand nature-related value, dependencies, risks and opportunities.

Biodiversity is fundamental to productive landscapes, resource development, infrastructure, agriculture, communities and many other parts of the economy. Yet conventional economic and financial decisions can overlook the value of ecosystems and the risks associated with biodiversity decline.

This creates uncertainty for businesses, governments and investors seeking to manage environmental dependencies, assess exposure to nature-related risks or identify opportunities for positive outcomes.

Western Australia also needs to translate developments in natural capital accounting, disclosure and nature-positive finance into approaches relevant to local industries, ecosystems and policy settings.

End users need evidence that is credible, practical and proportionate to the decisions they face. WABSI responds by identifying priority knowledge gaps and coordinating research that connects biodiversity science with economics and finance.

The program explores how biodiversity values can be better understood, how risks and dependencies can be incorporated into decisions, and where investment can support measurable biodiversity outcomes.

This creates a pathway from scientific evidence to economic decisions, strengthening sustainable growth while improving outcomes for nature.

WABSI begins with the decisions end users need to make and the information they need to make them confidently.

The program brings together biodiversity scientists, economists, finance specialists, government, industry and investors to identify priority knowledge gaps and coordinate research around shared needs.

Research is designed to be relevant to Western Australia’s environmental and economic context while connecting with national and international developments. Independent science provides the evidence base, while collaboration with end users helps translate findings into approaches that can be applied in policy, business strategy, risk management and investment.

The program recognises that biodiversity and economic outcomes are interconnected. By examining both, WABSI helps identify where better knowledge can reduce uncertainty, strengthen resilience and create new opportunities.

The result is a clearer pathway from biodiversity science to economic decision-making and measurable outcomes.