Natural Capital in the Rural Sector - Putting Theory into Action

Introduction

Thinking about the rural environment in natural capital has until recently been restricted to academics, economists, and policymakers. But it is now mainstream, and the natural capital approach now underlines the future development of public support schemes, the encouragement of so-called blended and green finance. What does all this mean? Where will this take the management of farms, woodland, and rural land in future? What will it mean for rural business profitability and what will rural clients be seeking from their professional advisers?

The Agriculture Act 2020 and the Environment Act 2021 are just two examples of the impact of natural capital approaches. We are also seeing its influence in new support schemes for rural land and environmental management; the path to net zero and in particular dealing with carbon are also examples of natural capital in action. Development in some areas is also now facing the challenge to demonstrate nutrient neutrality.

Where did all this come from? What does it mean in practice today? How can you be sure you are match-fit to meet future client requirements and what’s just over the horizon? We will be addressing all these questions and more in this session.

This virtual classroom seminar is aimed at professional advisers working with rural clients or in the rural environment, as land management consultants, property valuers, solicitors, rural accountants, rural finance and farm business consultants. The focus on the Environment Act 2021 will tend to emphasise practice in England, although the broader principles are relevant throughout the UK.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive session will cover the following:

• Policy background to the development of natural capital approaches
• Legislative and policy expression of natural capital approaches
• Carbon and its management
• Biodiversity Net Gain and its role in planning policy and law following the Environment Act 2021
• Green finance and blended finance - what they are and how they work
• Nitrate and phosphate pollution - nutrient neutrality in practice
• Environment Act 2021 Conservation Covenants - what they are and where they fit
• Key take home messages: what you can be doing for yourself and your clients, today and tomorrow

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.