Natural Capitalism Field and Category

Emcee: Debra Poneman

Hunter Lovins, President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, is a woman who walks her talk. I was impressed last night when the Brosnans did not show up in a limo but rather in a Sierra Hybrid. But Hunter took the L here from the airport.

Natural Capital Solutions (NCS) educates senior decision-makers in business, government and civil society to restore and enhance the natural and human capital while increasing prosperity and quality of life. In partnership with leading thinkers and implementers, NCS creates innovative, practical tools and strategies to enable companies, communities and countries to become more sustainable.

Trained as a sociologist and lawyer (JD), Hunter co-founded the California Conservation Project (Tree People) and Rocky Mountain Institute, which she led for 20years. Hunter has consulted for scores of industries and governments worldwide. She has consulted with large and small companies including International Finance Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell, Interface, Clif Bar and Wal-Mart. Governmental clients include the Pentagon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and other agencies, numerous cities, and the governments of Jamaica, Australia, and the U.S. She also serves as an advisor to the Energy Minister of the Government of Afghanistan.

Recipient of such honors as the Right Livelihood Award, Lindbergh Award and Leadership in Business, she was named Time Magazine 2000 Hero of the Planet. She has co-authored nine books and hundreds of papers, including the 1999 book, Natural Capitalism and 2006 Climate Protection Manual for Cities. She has served on the boards of governments and non- and for-profit companies.

Hunter's areas of expertise include Natural Capitalism, sustainable development, globalization, energy and resource policy, economic development, climate change, land management, fire rescue and emergency medicine. She developed the Economic Renewal Project and helped write many of its manuals on sustainable community economic development. She is currently a founding Professor of Business at Presidio School of Management, one of the first accredited programs offering an MBA in Sustainable Management.