Natural Capital Index

Natural Capital Index

Measuring environmental health and resource sustainability

Natural Capital is the stock of natural resources and ecosystem services that support economic activity and human well-being. It includes forests, water resources, biodiversity, clean air, and fertile soil. The health and availability of natural capital directly impacts a country's long-term competitiveness and sustainability.

The Natural Capital Index measures how well countries maintain and protect their environmental resources across key categories including biodiversity, forest resources, water resources, air quality, and climate-related factors.

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Natural Capital Indicators

Key clusters to measure environmental richness and health

Water

Availability of natural water resources, water usage and water efficiency, water stress, water pollution and the ability to generate freshwater from non-freshwater resources.

Biodiversity

The natural occurrence and abundance of biodiversity and biomass, as well as the level of intactness and natural degradation.

Food security

Calculated based on the availability of arable land, combined with water, fertility and harvest indicators.

Natural resource availability

Calculated based on the availability of natural organic, mineral and physical resources

Climate change risks

Evaluation of the exposure to short- and long term climate change risks

Soil

Evaluation of the agricultural sector based on soil and fertility indicators as well as expected impacts of climate change on biodiversity and fertility

Why Natural Capital Matters

Environmental resources drive economic resilience and long-term value creation

For Investors

  • Reduced exposure to climate-related financial risks
  • Access to growing sustainable and green markets
  • Lower regulatory and compliance costs in environmentally stable regions
  • Protection against resource scarcity and price volatility
  • Enhanced portfolio resilience through environmental stability

For Businesses

  • Reliable access to clean water and natural resources
  • Reduced operational disruptions from environmental degradation
  • Enhanced brand reputation through sustainable operations
  • Lower costs from pollution control and environmental remediation
  • Competitive advantage in ESG-conscious markets

Bottom Line: Countries with strong natural capital provide stable, sustainable environments that reduce environmental risks and create long-term value for investors and businesses.

The State of the World

A global snapshot of natural capital performance and trends

Global Scores

Lowest29%
Global Average45%
Global Best62%
Ideal World100%

Global Trends

Positive Trends56%
No Trend15%
Negative Trends30%
Overall Sentiment+25.9%
More NegativeMore Positive

Key Observations

1

The Natural Capital Index is topped by countries with abundant water availability, high forest cover, and comparable small population density from all continents

2

48% of all indicators globally in the Natural Capital dimension show negative trends - the data suggest natural capital will decline even further in the future

3

Several countries with a large population in the less developed world (e.g. Pakistan, Egypt, Iran) are performing low in Natural Capital, raising concerns about the future ability to sustain their population amidst rising climate disruption

4

Nordic countries prove that advanced economies can maintain natural capital and a high standard of living. Sustainability and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive; they are two sides of the same coin

5

The two most populated countries, India and China are both affected by a combination of arid climate, high population density and high natural depletion levels, raising concerns over long-term environmental stability

6

The gap from the global average of 45 to an ideal state is 55. That is not a good basis considering we are facing rapidly increasing climate change impacts

Natural Capital Rankings

Explore how countries compare across natural capital indicators

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Rank
Country
Score
1Russia62.32
2Finland61.35
3Laos60.33
4Central African Republic59.78
5Bhutan59.73
6Canada59.49
7Belarus56.92
8Lithuania56.48
9Peru56.40
10Cambodia56.32
11Ukraine56.06
12Colombia55.43
13Zambia55.33
14Sweden55.03
15Bolivia54.60
16Brazil54.49
17Gabon54.45
18Latvia54.28
19Slovakia54.21
20Papua New Guinea54.03
21Venezuela53.82
22Bulgaria53.70
23Fiji53.36
24Albania52.88
25Paraguay52.70
26Australia52.57
27Bosnia and Herzegovina52.49
28Cameroon52.31
29Iceland52.24
30Panama52.14

Note: Showing top 30 countries. Click column headers to sort.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About natural capital and how it is measured in the GSCI

Natural capital is the stock of natural resources and ecosystem services that support economic activity and human well-being. It includes forests, water resources, biodiversity, clean air, fertile soil, and mineral resources. Natural capital provides the foundation upon which all economic activity ultimately depends, making it a critical factor in long-term national competitiveness.
The GSCI Natural Capital Index measures countries across six indicator clusters: water availability and efficiency, biodiversity and ecosystem intactness, food security based on arable land and harvest indicators, natural resource availability including organic, mineral and physical resources, climate change risk exposure, and soil fertility including projected climate impacts on agricultural capacity.
Natural capital directly affects a country's long-term ability to sustain its population and economy. Countries with depleted natural resources face higher costs for basic inputs like water and food, greater vulnerability to climate disruption, and reduced resilience to external shocks. Nordic countries demonstrate that advanced economies can maintain strong natural capital alongside high living standards, proving that sustainability and competitiveness reinforce each other.
The Natural Capital Index is topped by countries with abundant water availability, high forest cover, and comparatively small population density from all continents. Nordic countries consistently rank among the top performers, demonstrating that it is possible to maintain environmental health while achieving high economic development.
The trends are concerning: 48% of all indicators globally in the Natural Capital dimension show negative trends, suggesting natural capital will decline further in the future. Several heavily populated countries in the developing world perform poorly, raising concerns about their future ability to sustain their populations amidst rising climate disruption. The global average score of 45 out of 100 leaves a significant gap to an ideal state.

Explore All Six Capital Dimensions

Discover how Natural Capital connects with Economic, Social, Intellectual, and Governance Capital

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