The cheapest way to prevent floods is not concrete, but beavers. That’s because nature isn’t a cost item to be minimized or a luxury to protect once the “real” infrastructure is built – it is the infrastructure, and it’s quietly becoming one of the most promising emerging asset classes on Earth.
This is the message Ben Goldsmith, co-founder of the natural capital company Nattergal, shares in his DLD26 talk.
Humanity has always valued nature, he insists: “We’ve been valuing it at zero in our decision making. And yet we know that the value is more than zero.”
Goldsmith shares how rewilding his own farm became both a mission and a lifeline after the sudden death of his daughter. In his darkest moments, he found relief and solace outdoors, he says. “I felt hugged by nature in that moment.”
Rewilded landscapes, he explains, “are like a sponge”, offering the cheapest defense against flooding, while wetland restoration in Florida mitigates agricultural pollution and firms like Ecosystem Investment Partners generate “12-14% returns for their investors.”
Watch the video to explore this talk in detail.
