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What Is Natural about Natural Capital during the Anthropocene?

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  • C. Tyler DesRoches

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5502, USA
    School of Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5502, USA)

Abstract

The concept of natural capital denotes a rich variety of natural processes, such as ecosystems, that produce economically valuable goods and services. The Anthropocene signals a diminished state of nature, however, with some scholars claiming that no part of the Earth’s surface remains untouched. What are ecological economists to make of natural capital during the Anthropocene? Is natural capital still a coherent concept? What is the conceptual relationship between nature and natural capital? This article wrestles with John Stuart Mill’s two concepts of nature and argues that during the Anthropocene, natural capital should be understood as denoting economically valuable processes that are not absolutely—but relatively—detached from intentional human agency.

Suggested Citation

  • C. Tyler DesRoches, 2018. "What Is Natural about Natural Capital during the Anthropocene?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:806-:d:136231
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barbier,Edward B., 2011. "Capitalizing on Nature," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107007277, January.
    2. Graciela Chichilnisky & Geoffrey Heal, 1998. "Economic returns from the biosphere," Nature, Nature, vol. 391(6668), pages 629-630, February.
    3. Bates, Samuel & Saint-Pierre, Patrick, 2018. "Adaptive Policy Framework through the Lens of the Viability Theory: A Theoretical Contribution to Sustainability in the Anthropocene Era," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 244-262.
    4. Bates, Samuel & Saint-Pierre, Patrick, 2018. "Adaptive Policy Framework through the Lens of the Viability Theory: A Theoretical Contribution to Sustainability in the Anthropocene Era," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 244-262.
    5. Gowdy, John & Krall, Lisi, 2013. "The ultrasocial origin of the Anthropocene," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 137-147.
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    Cited by:

    1. Priddat, Birger & Schlaudt, Oliver, 2025. "Beyond conservation of natural capital: Rethinking sustainability in the Anthropocene," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    2. H.O. Partyn & A.H. Zahorodniy & L.M. Pylypenko & O.V. Didukh, 2020. "Natural Capital: Essence, Types and Evaluation Procedure," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(3), pages 202-214.
    3. Stanislav E. Shmelev & Linus Agbleze & Joachim H. Spangenberg, 2023. "Multidimensional Ecosystem Mapping: Towards a More Comprehensive Spatial Assessment of Nature’s Contributions to People in France," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-32, May.
    4. Tyler DesRoches, C., 2020. "The preservation paradox and natural capital," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    5. Giorgos Meramveliotakis & Manolis Manioudis, 2021. "History, Knowledge, and Sustainable Economic Development: The Contribution of John Stuart Mill’s Grand Stage Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, January.

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