ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will introduce and discuss the concepts of natural capital, ecosystem services (ES), the resilience and complexity issues that surround their management, as well as the role natural capital and ES can play in the resource nexus. From an ecosystem management perspective, diverse natural capital (e.g. tropical forests) and the services they provide require deliberate maintenance and optimal utilisation as unsustainable patterns of use will leave many regions with scarce resources, food-insecure populations and poorer economies (Avishek et al., 2012). Moreover, in light of the short timelines available to mitigate climate change, large gaps exist between the immediate objectives of food, energy and water security and the long-term goals of conservation initiatives of natural capital that are simultaneously taking place in many countries especially in the global south. These themes are connected at landscape level yet remain divided by different purposes, stakeholder interests and conflicting policies at local, national and international scales. This presents a set of scientific, policy and management issues that are critical for ecosystem sustainability and which need to address the complex interrelationships within natural capital and ecosystem service research and policy.
