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

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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

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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

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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 : urbanpioneer@environment-agency.gov.uk

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