7.1.8—Dynamic natural capital value
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 7.1.8
- Level
- SL
Value Moves When Context Moves
Natural-capital value changes with scarcity, demand, technology, ethics, policy, knowledge and available substitutes.
| Named resource | Direction of change | Main drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | declining priority in many decarbonization pathways | climate impacts, net-zero policy and renewable substitutes |
| Lithium | rising strategic value | batteries for electric vehicles and storage of renewable electricity |
A higher market value can coexist with greater environmental or social cost: lithium demand may rise while extraction adds water pressure and pollution risk.
Always state whose value changed, when, why and which alternative or new risk altered the comparison.
Changing price is only one signal; cultural, intrinsic, environmental and technological values can move differently.