Created by IDEEA Group – global leaders in Natural Capital Accounting – Data4Nature (D4N) is a complete and comprehensive solution to establish and manage information about your natural capital, using the latest global measurement standards.
Data4Nature simplifies the process of taking environmental data and turning it into practical outputs, leaving you with more time to do your job.
Data4Nature provides an intuitive web interface to collect and organise natural capital data. The D4N analytics provides the tools to systematically produce natural capital reports for ESG, banking and finance and participation in environmental markets.
TAKE THE PAIN OUT OF DATA MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE
Data4Nature is a web-based platform designed to manage natural capital data and provide tailored outputs. Natural capital includes nature related data, nature-based data and environmental assets that are place-based (spatial) and exist within a land or seascape context.
Users can record all property level spatial data on natural capital and transform it into tailored outputs for their application. It enables users to input and store many different types of information and then readily analyse the data.
Data4Nature uses globally accepted natural accounting standards that align with financial standards. Data4Nature offers a staged approach that considers your starting point, context and journey. You can start using D4N at any time, you don’t need to be an expert.
SEEA INSIDETM
Data4Nature incorporates the concepts and definitions outlined in the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA); a global natural capital statistical standard that provides a common framework for organising and integrating environmental and economic data.
All applications draw from the same system of information. Data can then be used in outputs, such as balance sheets and profit and loss statements, and in different analytics such as scenario analysis and cost benefit analysis.
AUDIT and ASSURANCE
Data and information systems can be audited to ensure appropriate meta-data and data storage standards have been followed (for instance ISO 14001, 8000). Due diligence has been given to ensure the accounting system meets the needs of business and there is documentation of steps 1 to 6 and any decisions that have been made in their implementation. The enables a business to repeat the process further contributing to audit, continuous improvement and reducing the cost of managing environmental-economic information.
Your natural assets are important and your efforts to care for them should be rewarded.
There are many opportunities for managers to participate in Carbon markets and Biodiversity offset markets, make efficiency and productivity improvements, report on ESG and Sustainability, and comply with Certification standards.
Source data includes data that may be used to classify natural capital (wetland, river, forests, riparian zones, bays, estuaries, etc), its landscape context/connectivity and any other features or attributes considered relevant. The platform can be used easily by agronomists and other data gatherers to input data and administer surveys.
Integrating platform where all data cleaning and transformation is undertaken to link environmental and economic data.
Analytics can be undertaken on the environmental and economic data, and different models can be run to measure ecosystem services. Applications can be built into the system for users who need to undertake regular analysis.
Outputs can be tailored for different applications, for example, risk assessments, and formats. These outputs can be standardised to reduce time and effort, and once they are built, updated outputs only require new source data. We can develop outputs in several ways including reports, spreadsheets and dashboards.
Data4Nature has two components.
D4N Web allows users to draw or import spatial data on their assessment area, for example, their farm. Within each assessment area the user will draw all assets across produced (sheds, roads, houses) and natural capital (ecosystems, rivers, wetlands, paddocks, crops, trees). The web service will store all data including the assessment area, produced and natural capital (in geojson format for transfer and or export), and information on attributes in text and numeric format.
D4N analytics is a desktop application that connects to D4N Web. D4N analytics imports the data from D4N web and performs analysis, for example, landscape connectivity for species. The analytical outputs are pushed back up to the web for the user. An example of an output produced by D4N analytics is natural capital accounts. D4N analytics can hold any data and can be connected to other modelling services. D4N analytics holds data for species, biodiversity, EVCs, landuse, soil type, climate, rainfall, temperature, slope, aspect, elevation, and can be used to run advanced water modelling.
Users, such as farmers, banks, certification bodies, and government, can access data and outputs from the D4N system.
The D4N system can connect different users, from the farmer to the agronomist, to the bank to easily communicate information and reduce the cost of organizing data. At all times the farmer or primary user has full control over all their data.
BANK
A bank’s diverse agri-portfolio is exposed to a range of environmental shocks including climate change and ecosystem collapse through biodiversity loss.
Data4Nature brings together several environmental datasets to provide risk profiles for varied assets and locations. This information enables banks to determine their loan profile and manage increasing risks.
FARMER
Farmers increasing access to and participation in markets for carbon and biodiversity requires due diligence and economic appraisal to remove uncertainty and determine the benefits derived from proposed changes to the landscape.
Data4Nature provides a platform to map potential areas of change and then model expected profit and other co-benefits required for reporting to the market.
FINANCE MARKETS
Investors are increasingly concerned about the allocation of resources in financial markets to sustainable long-term investments and in many instances require certification of results.
Data4Nature provides a platform to manage data and provide consistent and industry-comparable reporting on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).
INSURANCE
Insurance industries price insurance based on an assessment of risk and average risk scores based on available data.
Data4Nature provides a platform for insurers to establish detailed information on natural capital and presents an opportunity for lower insurance prices based on farm specific measures of profitability, productivity and risk.
GOVERNMENTS
Governments are obliged to report on their nation’s economic and environmental performance; however, the infrastructure is not currently available to support micro level data capture.
Data4Nature provides a solution to improving the data at a micro level, which can then be incorporated into national reporting on environmental targets.