Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP)

“NCP” stands for “Nature’s Contributions to People,” and it refers to what are brought about by nature or its contributions. This idea, introduced by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), encompasses all the benefits humans gain from nature, in other words, “nature’s contributions to people.” A related term is “ecosystem services,” but NCP is regarded as a broader concept that incorporates a wider range of cultural perspectives and values. The terms “ecosystem services” and “NCP” are treated interchangeably in Japan Biodiversity Outlook 3 (JBO3), published by the Ministry of Environment. Moreover, the TNFD framework, which guides corporate nature-related disclosures, uses the term “ecosystem services” rather than NCP.

NCP can be grouped into three broad categories.

① Nature’s material contributions (Material NCP)

Material contributions refer to what are often called “provisioning services,” including nature’s supply of freshwater resources and biomass such as food and timber. According to the IPBES report, these contributions are described as “substances, objects, or other material elements from nature that sustain people’s physical existence and infrastructure.”
As most material NCP is physically consumed, excessive use may lead to their depletion.

② Nature’s regulating contributions (Regulating NCP)

Regulating contributions correspond to “regulating and sustaining services,” such as maintaining the quality of air, water, and soil; influencing climate; and reducing disasters such as flooding and soil erosion. Forests, for example, filter water, moderate floods, and protect mountain soils, which are all forms of regulating contributions.
The IPBES report characterizes nature’s regulating contributions as the “functional and structural aspects of organisms and ecosystems that modify environmental conditions experienced by people, and/or sustain and/or regulate the generation of material and non-material benefits.”

③ Nature’s non-material contributions (Non-material NCP)

Non-material contributions correspond to “cultural services.” These include intangible benefits, such as spiritual and aesthetic value, recreational experiences, and places that support local culture and spiritual practices. For instance, striking natural scenery attracts tourism and may become an object of reverence. Mount Fuji, a national symbol of Japan, can be viewed as a non-material contribution as well.
The IPBES report defines non-material contributions as “nature’s contribution to people’s subjective or psychological quality of life, individually and collectively.”

Social and economic activities depend on the benefits provided by natural capital. However, using NCP often creates trade-offs with social and economic development. The IPBES report notes that most NCP cannot be fully replaced, and some have no substitutes at all. Using mangroves as an example, the report states that storm surges can be reduced by manufactured structures, such as levees and seawalls, and mangrove forests. Nevertheless, artificial infrastructure is extremely costly to build and maintain, and it does not provide additional advantages, such as fish and shellfish habitat or recreational uses. The report concludes that manufactured alternatives often fail to deliver the broad set of benefits supplied by nature. For additional details, please refer to “Relationship Between Business/Economic Activities and Nature.”

Ecosystem services and NCP also interact with human rights. There has recently been growing emphasis on establishing systems for management, monitoring, and engagement with all stakeholders who may be indirectly affected by the negative impacts on nature around business sites, and the TNFD requires disclosure on “engagement with indigenous peoples, local communities, and affected stakeholders.” Environmental degradation resulting from business activities may lead to human rights risks for companies.

• For additional details, please refer to Marubeni Group’s Human Rights Policy
• For additional details, please refer to Marubeni Group’s TNFD Disclosure