"Natural capital should be recognised as critical national infrastructure" (ISEP/report)

"To futureproof the economy and provide resilience against the increasing impacts of climate change, natural capital should be recognised as critical infrastructure and integrated more effectively into the UK economy and fiscal policies", declared Sarah Mukherjee, ISEP CEO, on 08/01/2026. "This will align with the scientific advice, with current forecasts predicting that nature-related risks, unless addressed and properly integrated into decision-making, will negate any of the potential gains in economic growth that the government is striving to deliver."

Her declaration follows the release of a policy report from the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) in collaboration with Jacobs titled 'Natural capital is critical infrastructure: Putting natural capital at the heart of UK growth and resilience'. Its conclusions highlight that natural capital should be formally recognised as critical national infrastructure in the UK to strengthen the country's economic resilience, drive sustainable growth, and meet its environmental goals.

Natural capital refers to…