The natural world is an incredible wonder that inspires us all. It underpins our economy, our society, indeed our very existence.Because nature is free, we often take it for granted and overexploit it, without taking account of the impact this will have. By not taking into account the benefits we get from nature, we create huge social and economic costs for ourselves.

We need to look at the value of nature in economic and social terms to help us better understand the full implications of the choices we make. Instead of making decisions based on short-term financial interests, we can look at the longer-term benefits for people and the economy – and of course nature itself.