The Natural Capital Approach in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is the home of the Urban Pioneer programme testing new tools and methods for investing in and managing the environment.
This is about how we can have a better natural environment for people and wildlife, ensuring it is accessible for everyone to connect with and benefit from.
Natural capital is a way of describing the natural world as ‘assets’ that provide us with benefits, such as clean air, soil, food and water – all of which underpin our way of life.
A natural capital approach is about everyone understanding the benefits – ensuring the protection and enhancement of natural assets are fully considered in decision making, ultimately leading to positive change for people and wildlife.
Contains O
S data © C
rown copyright and database right 2017.
Land Cover M
ap 2007 ©
NER
C (CEH
) Crow
n copyright 2017.
WiganWigan
BoltonBolton
SalfordSalford
TraffordTrafford
ManchesterManchester
OldhamOldham
RochdaleRochdale
BuryBury
TamesideTameside
StockportStockport
km2 km2km2km2km2
UrbanEnclosed farmland
Semi- natural grassland
Mountains, moors & heaths Woodland
Open water, wetlands & floodplains
km2391
31%
15
1%
84
7%
87
7%
585
46%
113
9%
Valuing Greater Manchester’s Natural CapitalA natural capital account has been developed for Greater Manchester and its 10 districts. It aims to measure the benefits provided by the city-region’s natural assets, so we know what we currently have and can monitor them over time.
The map to the right highlights the spatial distribution of land use types throughout Greater Manchester. Manchester City Centre District has the largest urban area coverage, at 79%. Other districts have significant agricultural areas.
TOTA
L B
EN
EFI
T (p
er y
ear)
= £
860m
Value Measure Flow/yr Flow Measure
Avoided healthcare costs due to pollutant removal
Welfare from recreation
Avoided healthcare costs due to physical activity
Avoided healthcare costs from improved mental wellbeing
Avoided healthcare costs from reduction of stress caused by noise
Avoided costs to business due to cooling by green spaces
Value of carbon sequestered in vegetation
Estimated gross margins from areas farmed
Market value of tonnes of aggregates extracted
54 ppbn
95.8m
4,600
165,000
Up to430,000
0.75
38,000
56,000
1.75m
Removal of PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3
Visits to open spaces
Quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) saved due to physical activity
Point reductions on General Health Questionnaire(GHQ) index
Buildings with noise mitigated
°c cooling from green space
Tonnes of CO2
Hectares of land farmed
Tonnes of aggregates
Value per year
Air quality £41m
Recreation £372m
Physical health £56m*
Mental health £264m
The analysis does not include the significant value of regulation of flood risk and water quality; or of maintaining biodiversity.
* For physical health £92m/year of the welfare value of QALYs gained is not included in the sum as may double-count recreation value.
Evidence is peer reviewed or based on published guidance
Based on assumptions grounded in science and using published data but with some uncertainty regarding the combination of assumptions
Evidence is partial and significant assumptions are made that require further research
Noise £3m
Local climate £10m
Carbon £2m
Food £50m
Minerals £74m
£860m the ‘conservative’
estimate of the value that Greater
Manchester receives from its
natural capital each year from
the services valued
£24bn the total asset
value of natural capital to Greater
Manchester over the next 60 years
£11bn The total value of avoided
healthcare costs over the
next 60 years from the
positive difference
to physical and mental
health, reducing financial
pressures and demand on
the NHS and Local Authority
health providers through :TOTA
L B
ENEF
ITS
HE
ALT
H
BEN
EFIT
S O
F
NA
TUR
AL
CA
PIT
AL
Variation across Greater ManchesterThe distribution of environmental assets and benefits is not even across Greater Manchester :
• Natural capital in the Manchester City Council area has the highest total value, but the lowest value per resident
• Physical health and air quality benefits are highest in Central Manchester, due to high concentrations of people and the higher levels of air pollution that vegetation helps reduce
• Larger amounts of green space in the outer areas of Greater Manchester have lower values for physical health and air quality, but may do more to improve mental health for residents
Air Quality Regulation
Preventing 370 hospital
admissions, avoiding
1,200 life year’s lost
and around 60 deaths
per year
Noise Regulation
Up to 430,000
buildings benefit from
reducing traffic noise and
stress caused by noise
Physical Activity
135,000 people use
green spaces to meet their
physical activity guidelines
giving over 4,600
Quality-adjusted life-years
(QALY)
Estimated Physical Health Benefits Per YearShowing total value for each district and value per resident
£23mWigan
£213pp
£19mBolton
£238pp
£13mBury
£231pp
£14mRochdale£233pp
£16mOldham£210pp
£14mTameside£246pp
£17mTrafford£210pp
£17mSalford
£220pp
£20mStockport£196pp
£36mManchester
£196pp
Next StepsManaged in the right way, natural capital can provide sustained benefits to society. Natural capital values have implications for transport, public health, the work force, manufacturing and many more sectors.
The natural capital account estimates the value of benefits natural capital assets can deliver for future generations. Some benefits, like cooling during heatwaves and reducing flood risk, may become more important in future due to climate change.
Development of a natural capital investment plan will inform the scale of interventions required and the opportunities for viable financial investments to maintain, enhance or create natural assets.
Talk to us!
1 Share your feedback, comments and views with us
2 Tell us about any projects where you’re taking a natural capital approach and embedding nature into your decision making
3 Let us know if and where you have shared or used this information to support your work
Contact us at : [email protected]
Find out more : www.naturegreatermanchester.co.uk/ projects/urban-pioneer
Together there’s lots of things we can do across the city-region... to make sure people here have clean air to breath, and quality green spaces to enjoy…
– Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Mayfield Development near Piccadilly Station, © U&I Development Artist impression
What can you do?
1 Consider how you can incorporate a natural capital approach in to your strategy and plan development
2 Build natural capital in to your projects to maximise the value that the environment brings
3 Use our evidence to support your funding bids and applications