On Dec. 6, 2015, at the Global Landscapes Forum in Paris, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) launched an online platform, Natural Infrastructure for Business. The platform seeks to increase awareness of the business opportunities in investing in ecosystems – or natural infrastructure – and to increase action. The ultimate objective of the initiative is that by 2020, companies will systematically assess natural infrastructure options when investing in new sites or projects.

Natural infrastructure is a planned or managed natural systems, such as mangroves or wetlands, that can help companies harness the services that nature provides as a supplement to gray infrastructure.

Developed in collaboration with CH2M, The Nature Conservancy, The Dow Chemical Co., and Shell, as well as a group of more than additional 30 companies, the online platform strengthens the business case for investing in natural infrastructure. The platform demonstrates cost-efficient natural solutions with compelling co-benefits for society and the environment. It also includes case studies from different industries leveraging various ecosystem services and tools to guide business decision-making, such as a cost-benefit analysis tool.