Martin Lok Email and Phone Number

Natural Capital can be defined as Earth’s natural assets (soil, air, water, flora and fauna), and the ecosystem services resulting from them, which make human life possible. It is the basis for our economy but frequently not taken into account when businesses, financial institutions or governments take economic decisions. As program manager for natural capital it is my task to facilitate the transition to change this. My ambition is to achieve an inclusive green growth that incorporates natural capital in economic decision-making of businesses, financial institutions and governments. Creating more transparancy on impacts and dependencies of natural capital is key to this. To achieve this ambition I have initiated several policy-tracks, in close cooperation with a broad range of private and public partners. For example:► Government Dialogue on Natural Capital, with the aim to share and collaborate governments efforts to create an enabling environment for natural capital approaches ► A partnership program to scale up and accelerate natural capital approaches at sector-level with business, NGO's and government Within these tracks I am following a three-step approach:Ⓐ develop and share best practices to measure impacts and dependencies of natural capitalⒷ explore possibilities to make this measurement easier by standardizing methods and toolsⒸ create an enabling environment that promotes use and upscaling of these methods and tools

Natural Capital can be defined as Earth’s natural assets (soil, air, water, flora and fauna), and the ecosystem services resulting from them, which make human life possible. It is the basis for our economy but frequently not taken into account when businesses, financial institutions or governments take economic decisions. As program manager for natural capital it is my task to facilitate the transition to change this. My ambition is to achieve an inclusive green growth that incorporates natural capital in economic decision-making of businesses, financial institutions and governments. Creating more transparancy on impacts and dependencies of natural capital is key to this. To achieve this ambition I have initiated several policy-tracks, in close cooperation with a broad range of private and public partners. For example:► Green Deal 'Transparency of Natural ald Social Capital' (a coalition that includes > 13 businesses)► Community of Practice 'Financial Institutions and Natural Capital' (a community of 15 experts)► Support for organizations that endeavour transparancy of natural capital, such as True Price and the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO)► Piloting the UN SEEA framework for the Netherlands (in co-operation with Statistics Nehterlands)► Aligning Natural Capital activities within government and with partners outside government.Within these tracks I am following a three-step approach:Ⓐ develop and share best practices to measure impacts and dependencies of natural capitalⒷ explore possibilities to make this measurement easier by standardizing methods and toolsⒸ create an enabling environment that promotes use and upscaling of these methods and toolsThe formal starting point for my work is defined by several policy briefs. The two most important ones are the Nature Vision (Rijksnatuurvisie, 2014, p. 37) and the Green growth policybrief (Tussenbalans Groene groei, 2015, p.8), both in Dutch.

The ambition of the program 'Green Growth' was to boost the greening of the economy, to make the economy more sustainable and to strengthen the link between businesses and the environment. It was a strategic project for the Directorate General Nature and Regional Affairs, aiming at a stronger and greener Dutch economy.As program manager I was inspiring and managing a small core-team of professionals, that was seeking cooperation with colleagues throughout the Ministry and beyond. Together we formulated an inclusive green growth strategy for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. A strategy that was the core building block that the Dutch Cabinet presented three months later to Parliament.Part of my responsibilty als program manager Green Growth was also to coordinate the Green Deal program for the Directorate General Nature and Regional Affairs. The Green Deal Program is focusing on society driven initiatives for greening the economy.

As Policy Coordinator I have been responsible for several policy dossiers. Ranging from Wetland policies, to the Implementation of the EU Birds- and Habitats Directives, and International Biodiversity policies. During the period I was inspiring and managing teams of policymakers ranging from 6 -12 colleagues.

As Lead Project Manager I was responsible for the 2nd Dutch strategic nature policy plan, 'Natuur voor mensen, mensen voor natuur' (Nature for people, people for nature, 2000, July). The policy plan presented the biodiversity strategy for 2000-2010.

Development of strategic environmental planning Publications (one of the authors):National Environmental Policy Plan 2 and 3 (NMP2 en 3) of the NetherlandsEnvironmental indicators (development of environmental indicators for The Netherlands, OECD and UN-ESCAP)