Our Mission
NATUCAP-HUB’s central goal is to overcome the persistent externality problem wherein natural assets are undervalued—or not valued at all—in economic decisions. The project develops an AI-Integrated Sustainable Value Creation Framework to:
- Quantify, model, and value ecosystem services and natural capital using AI;
- Integrate nature’s value into public and private financial statements;
- Advance AI-enhanced carbon accounting, ESG performance, and sustainability reporting;
- Empower municipalities, businesses, and policymakers with actionable, evidence-based tools.
Research Themes
NATUCAP-HUB is structured around three interconnected research themes:
- AI for Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services Valuation
Creating innovative AI models to assign economic value to nature’s contributions. - AI Empowerment for SMEs
Designing accessible AI tools for small and medium-sized enterprises to enhance sustainability and ESG integration across supply chains. - Transforming Sustainability Communication
Building AI-driven frameworks for dynamic ESG and sustainability reporting to promote transparency and mitigate greenwashing.
A Partnership Built on Trust
NATUCAP-HUB is a seven-year, $2.5 million national partnership research initiative is seeking support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) through its Partnership Grant Program. This program encourages co-leadership, knowledge co-creation, and capacity-building across institutional and sectoral boundaries. Our ideal partners contribute through intellectual leadership, strategic collaboration, and in-kind or cash contributions.
Our partnership includes:
- 12 Canadian universities (including Brock University);
- Indigenous organizations, municipal and policy stakeholders;
- Industry leaders (e.g., IBM);
- Global organizations and foundations (e.g., UN agencies, Gates Foundation);
- Accounting and governance bodies (e.g., CPA Canada, CPA Ontario);
- Applied research institutes (e.g., Vector Institute).
Research Approach
NATUCAP-HUB adopts an interdisciplinary and collaborative model:
- Roundtable Collaboration: Engaging diverse stakeholders to refine scope, identify challenges, and guide strategic direction.
- Community and Indigenous Engagement: Co-developing frameworks with Indigenous communities to integrate traditional ecological knowledge.
- Bias Mitigation and Ethics: Ensuring AI fairness through diverse datasets, transparent algorithms, and anti-washing safeguards (e.g., greenwashing, AI-washing).
Expected Outcomes
- Methodological Advancements: New AI frameworks for valuing ecosystem services in financial and policy systems.
- Empowered SMEs: Equitable access to sustainability tools for Canada’s 90% SME workforce.
- Transparency and Accountability: AI tools to enhance ESG integrity and detect misleading practices.
- Policy and Global Impact: Supporting national and international sustainability standards and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Website and Knowledge Sharing
This website serves as a platform to share information about the NATUCAP-HUB partnership, including:
- Current student-led and faculty research projects;
- Profiles of partner organizations and team members;
- Research publications, policy briefs, and media contributions;
- Summaries of roundtables, workshops, and past events.
It is also a hub for knowledge mobilization, public engagement, and collaboration across research, policy, and community sectors.
Call to Action
We invite organizations, communities, and researchers to collaborate on this ambitious initiative. Together, we can redefine how Canada values its natural environment and create data-driven solutions for a more sustainable, equitable future.
Meet our research team
Abdulaziz Alwathnani, Al Yamamah University, KSA
Peter Easton, University of Notre Dame, USA