Definitions
Built Capital:
Built capital is the human-made infrastructure that is constructed or
retrofitted to suit community needs. Examples include:
houses, utility and transportation infrastructure, factories, markets,
shops, and schools.
Human Capital:
Human capital is the aggregation of the knowledge, skills, and
abilities possessed by the members of the community that enable members
to contribute to the creation, development, and sustenance of the
community. It is actively acknowledged that such knowledge and skills
may be either innate or acquired, and that each member brings a unique
and valuable contribution to the total of human capital.
Social Capital:
Social capital is “the institutions, relationships, and norms that
shape the quantity and quality of society’s social interactions”
(http://www.worldbank.org/poverty/scapital/whatsc.htm). Social
capital be thought of as the glue that holds people and society
together. Having a strong base of human connections is correlated
with the degree of sustainability that can be achieved through a
particular development path. Social capital is expressed not only
through interpersonal relationships within a society, but also through
participation in governance, and the various overlapping interactions
that form human lifestyles.
Natural Capital:
Natural capital is all of the natural infrastructure of the planet,
which produces ecosystem goods and services that contribute to the
well-being of human and other species. This includes: mineral and
biological raw materials, renewable energy and fossil fuels, waste
assimilation capacity, and vital life support functions provided by
functioning ecosystems.