Water and Nature Risk Assessment/Gap Analysis
Expert assessment of the impact of your company’s current water and nature stewardship practices and how current operations align with international standards requirements for disclosure and target setting. Includes assessment of operational water and biodiversity performance alongside regional physical, regulatory, and reputational risk, using internationally recognized datasets and GIS-based spatial analysis.
- Water + Nature
Analysis Solution
Our process
Build resilience, mitigate environmental impact, and ensure long-term business viability.
Understand and gather.
In our risk assessment process, we start by understanding your organization and gathering data related to your organization’s water and nature-related dependencies and impacts.
Analyze.
We analyze relevant operational water and biodiversity metrics alongside basin- and landscape-scale physical, regulatory, and reputational risk, using spatially explicit datasets and GIS-based modelling.
Compare.
We use a variety of best practice tools and frameworks such as the Volumetric Water Balance Accounting methodology, the Water Council’s WAVE Water Stewardship Verified program, science-based targets for nature (SBTN) frameworks to produce the highest quality and best-practice aligned assessments.
Plan ahead.
If we conduct a gap analysis after the risk assessment process, we’ll identify the difference between your current water and nature-related practices and the desired state, using similar best-practices frameworks or regulatory requirements, to help you prioritize actions to address identified risks and implement opportunities.
Case Study
Fresh Coast and Great Lakes WISE: Regional Water Stewardship Gap Analysis
Fresh Coast partnered with Great Lakes WISE to develop the first comprehensive regional gap analysis for the Great Lakes region, providing a foundational understanding of the current state of water resources and identifying key areas for improvement. By illuminating the complex landscape of water use, quality, and governance, this analysis is poised to drive action from private stakeholders and inform solutions to the region’s water challenges, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for the Great Lakes.
The Water + Nature team at Fresh Coast Climate Solutions was fantastic to work with on the Great Lakes WISE Regional Gap Analysis. Their expertise and attention to detail made a complex project both smooth and impactful. The final report is a valuable tool for advancing regional water stewardship.”
Lora Shrake, Interim Executive Director, Council of the Great Lakes Region
Key Benefits
Identify and Characterize Risk Areas
Prioritize Focus Areas for Action
Demonstrate Industry Leadership
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Water and Nature Risk Assessment, and why is it important?
It’s an evaluation of the business and financial related risks associated with water and nature issues, such as water scarcity or biodiversity loss. Understanding these risks is crucial for organizations seeking to build business resiliency, mitigate their environmental impact, and ensure long-term business viability. Water and nature risk assessments provide the critical data infrastructure for managing business-critical dependencies that most organizations don’t yet understand. Over half of global GDP depends on nature, but most companies lack systematic approaches to identifying and managing these dependencies. Risk assessments deliver:
- Business Continuity Planning: Identify which operations face highest exposure to water scarcity, ecosystem degradation, or biodiversity loss
- Financial Risk Quantification: Translate physical risks such as floods, wildfires, temperature change and transition risks such as regulations, customer preferences into financial exposure
- Strategic Investment Guidance: Prioritize mitigation investments based on materiality rather than assumptions
- Insurance & Capital Access: Provide the risk data increasingly required by insurers and lenders
- Regulatory Preparedness: Build the foundation for TNFD, CDP Water, and other emerging disclosure frameworks
- Operational Resilience: Understand dependencies before they become crises
What types of organizations benefit most from a Water and Nature Risk Assessment?
Water and Nature Risk Assessments are particularly relevant for organizations seeking a structured, science-based understanding of how their operations interact with local water systems and ecosystems. This includes companies and public-sector organizations preparing for evolving disclosure expectations, strengthening stewardship programs, or laying the groundwork for target-setting and action planning. The assessment provides a screening-level foundation to prioritize locations, issues, and next steps before committing to detailed site-level studies or interventions.
What is a Gap Analysis, and how does it relate to Water and Nature Risk Assessment?
A Gap Analysis identifies the difference between your current water and nature-related practices and the desired state, often defined by industry best practices, regulatory requirements, or certification requirements from programs such as CDP or AWS. It helps prioritize actions to address identified risks and opportunities.