Making the value of biodiversity count in the decisions that shape our future
Who we are
The Dragon Capital Chair in Biodiversity Economics is a ten-year program (2020-2030) at the LEEP Institute, University of Exeter Business School. It is led by Professor Ben Groom and is funded in partnership with Dragon Capital.
We research how biodiversity’s value can be reflected in economic, political and financial decisions, and work with governments, businesses and charities to put that research into practice.
Our Themes
- Biodiversity value: How can we price the absence of birdsong?
- Nature and climate: How can we work with nature to heal the climate we have altered?
- Intergenerational fairness: In the decisions we make today, how can we weigh the interests of generations not yet born?
Why it Matters
Biodiversity underpins the global economy and human well-being. Yet because those who damage it rarely bear the cost, it is routinely left out of economic decisions and public policy. Our work aims to change that.
Explore our Work
Our research combines empirical insights and theoretical advancements, with a primary aim to inform and shape public policy and influence day-to-day decisions in a way that accounts for biodiversity. Our research is deeply aligned with the evolving global policy landscape, which features pivotal agreements such as the Montreal-Kunming Agreement under the Convention on Biodiversity. As the Dasgupta Review makes plain, the economy is embedded in the environment, and biodiversity is to ecosystems what trust is to society, a kind of glue that holds the environment and hence economies together. Things fall apart if we lose biodiversity. This is what motivates the Dragon Capital Team.
Professor Ben Groom
News and Events
2026/10/28: Social discount rate cut for the first time in 25 years
2026/09/07: 27th BIOECON Conference
Latest Publications & Reports
Kelley, D. I. et al. (2025) Earth System Science Data
Balmford, B, Day, B, Bateman, I et al. (2025) Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists
Balmford, A, Ball, T, Balmford, B, Bateman, I et al (2025) Science
Newsletter
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