Improving acceptance of natural capital accounting in land use decision making: Barriers and opportunities

Environmental issues are becoming more urgent. Biodiversity loss, climate change, extreme events and global pressures on resources place increasing importance decision making about how natural should be managed. Natural capital accounting (NCA) is gaining popularity as a systematic approach to recognise the full value of such soil, vegetation, animals, water, biodiversity. To understand perceptions opportunities for awareness behaviour change relating use NCA, we conducted discourse analysis 57 interviews with stakeholders across Australia. Our aim promote discussion reflection forms capital, role NCA underpin management practice support sustainability. We identify four key areas contestation that relate values, complexity, digital technology, desired future vision in society. Findings include conflicting views around whether have diversity tailored approaches or consistent all technology has will continue shape way conducted. our knowledge, this first paper take accounting.