The Capital of Earth
There are four primary types of capital that contribute to our wellbeing: natural capital, human capital, built capital, and social capital. When economic analyses, strategies, and policies understand the links and interdependencies that exist between these different types of capital, they are better able to meet the goals of sustainable human health and contentment.
The four types of capital can be defined as follows:
Natural Capital refers to land and the many natural resources it contains, including ecological systems, mineral deposits, and other features of the natural world.
Human Capital includes both the physical labor of humans and the know-how stored in their brains.
Built Capital encompasses all the machines and other infrastructure like buildings, roads, and factories that compose the human economy.
Social (or Cultural) Capital includes the web of interpersonal connections, institutional arrangements, rules, and norms that facilitate individual human interactions.
