The Natural Assets Project examines the scope for reducing poverty through asset building in the form of natural capital. Natural assets include both environmental sources and sinks. "Sources" include raw materials, renewable and non-renewable, such as forests, fisheries, soil, and minerals. "Sinks" are the capacities of media such as air and water to absorb and decompose the wastes from production and consumption. The institute aims to design pro-poor natural asset- building strategies to further its goals of both conversation and environmental justice or equity.