Hotspots of potential natural capital depletion in marine environments

Hotspots of potential depletion of marine natural capital were identified by overlaying the hotspots of human pressure with the combined layer of marine natural capital assets. These hotspots show areas with the greatest potential for multiple natural capital assets to be depleted due to human-caused pressures such as land-based pollution, fishing, climate change, commercial shipping, and invasive species. The overlap between multiple natural capital assets increases the risk of disrupting ecosystem services provided by those assets, and therefore the risk for businesses and investors. Hotspots where multiple natural capital assets are potentially being depleted include the following geographies: In South-East Asia: The South China Sea, Sunda Shelf, Indonesian through-flow, Andaman, Bay of Bengal, and Western Coral Triangle; The Red Sea; In the Caribbean: Tropical North-western Atlantic, and Inter American Seas; and
The Northern European Seas.

As with the terrestrial analysis, these hotspots of depletion not only indicate where investors should be particularly mindful of the market, credit and operational risks associated with the potential loss of natural capital, but also where investments could have a positive outcome by halting this loss through a transition to nature-positive activities