Natural Capital Committee (NCC)

The Natural Capital Committee advises the government on natural capital, such as forests, rivers, minerals and oceans.

Role of the group

The Natural Capital Committee (NCC) is an independent advisory committee.

It provides advice to the government on the sustainable use of natural capital - that is, our natural assets including forests, rivers, land, minerals and oceans.

The committee’s broad remit also covers the benefits we derive from natural assets, such as food, recreation, clean water, hazard protection and clean air.

The second term of the committee runs from 2016 to 2020. Professor Dieter Helm continues to chair the committee, which will focus primarily on helping the government develop its 25 year environment plan.

The committee’s initial term ran from 2012 to 2015.

Terms of Reference

Natural Capital Committee terms of reference (PDF, 85.7KB, 3 pages)

Membership

The committee consists of 7 experts.

  • Professor Dieter Helm – Chairman
  • Professor Colin Mayer
  • Professor Diane Coyle
  • Professor Georgina Mace
  • Professor Ian Bateman
  • Professor Kathy Willis
  • Professor Paul Leinster

Natural Capital Committee members' biographies (PDF, 81.5KB, 2 pages)

Minutes of meetings

We aim to publish minutes as soon as possible after each meeting.

NCC’s advice to government, publications and research

Dieter Helm, on behalf of the Natural Capital Committee, wrote an introductory letter to Andrea Leadsom MP (following her appointment as Defra Secretary of State) emphasising the important of the Pioneer projects which Defra is developing to test out various aspects of the 25 year plan; and the 25 year plan itself. Andrea Leadsom’s reply sets out a commitment to both.

Publications from the first term of the committee - including the committee’s annual state of natural capital reports and government responses - are available in this document collection.

Contact details

naturalcapitalcommittee@defra.gsi.gov.uk