12.18.2007 - 11:59pm ET

(CSRwire) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - December 18, 2007 – In response to increasing requests from members for guidance and collaboration on corporate environmental strategy, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has published "The New Markets for Environmental Services: A Corporate Manager's Resource Guide to Trading in Air, Climate, Water and Biodiversity Assets.” This new 63-page resource guide explains market-based mechanisms related to the environment and provides the information that corporate managers need to assess the risks and opportunities associated with the emerging concepts of environmental services and growing domain of environmental markets.

In 2005, results from the World Resources Institute's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a study of 1,300 scientists and 95 countries, suggested that over 60 percent of environmental services — including clean air and reliable water flows - are being degraded faster than they can recover. "Businesses rely on well-functioning ecological systems for raw material inputs, water needs, energy sources, real estate value and production process inputs," said Emma Stewart, Ph.D., director of environmental strategy at BSR. "While these services are essential to the operating infrastructure of all businesses, they have seldom been recognized as such and are increasingly on downward trends."

The response of many environmental advocates - in regulatory, scientific, and advocacy roles - has been to seek out new approaches to conservation and incentives for restoration. Environmental markets, some regulatory and others voluntary, are trading credits as well as derivatives. Regulatory environmental markets are operating in Europe, the United States, Australia and other countries around the world. Voluntary markets and business-to-business "payments for environmental services" (PES) deals are also underway, in both industrialized and developing countries.

"These markets and transactions are sending price signals about environmental values," said Sissel Waage, Ph.D., co-author of the resource guide and part of BSR's research and development team. "The result is that businesses can place a financial value not only on environmental compliance, but also increasingly on voluntary actions."
BSR's "New Markets for Environmental Services" is a valuable reference tool based on interviews with dozens of researchers and practitioners around the world. It describes the various market mechanisms and provides illustrative case studies, materiality assessment resources, as well as lists of service providers and potential partner organizations. BSR would like to thank BG Group, BP, Chevron and Shell for their thought partnership in the Environmental Markets Initiative and seed capital for this resource guide, which is available at www.bsr.org/reports/BSR_environmental-services.pdf.

About BSR

Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing socially responsible business solutions to many of the world’s leading corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco and with offices in Europe, China and Hong Kong, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.

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Post a comment below: John Atkins    2007-12-20 08:42:37 Your New Markets for Environmental Services paper is high level and sophisticated, but seems to miss what to me is a key point for business -- operating efficiencies have have competitive advantages. Waste, energy and unsustainable buildings cost money... and profits. Efficiency pays. with many world markets already going green, US companies will have to "go green" and work hard to keep up. Unlike the '80's, this time the bubble is not likely to burst; it's more like a bell that cannot be un-rung. A parallel is the quality movement of the 1970's. Many US manufacturers decried the "high cost" of quality and the danger that reliable, longer lasting products would devastate sales and stock market values. Asian and European (that includes me) competitors embraced the TQM philosophy, saved ourselves and our customers a lot of money and gained market share as a result. Others soon saw better, less expensive products showing up on US shores to compete brutally with their same old products. The US had ceded much of manufacturing to others. Getting in the game late did not work and still is not working. After 30 years, Ford is still trying to build credibility for its quality; Toyota is off to other things, like zero waste, that will put new pressures on the Fords of the world. Going green is a competitive strategy. That is helps all the environmental factors you point out is a happy benefit. *Your Comment: *Name: *E-mail (will not be displayed):   Notify me when others add comments to this discussion. Verification String (Six characters shown at left)