Financing Nature

What kind of standards, codes and governance structures are needed for investors to have confidence in buying carbon credits? In the UK, many carbon codes are under development to allow for the sale of credits from nature restoration. Professor Mark Reed has been a leading voice in the role of governance, as well as being the architect of the Peatland Carbon Code and involved in the development of other codes across the UK. In this episode, he shares his thinking on the next steps around governance infrastructure for the emerging UK environmental markets. 

Australia has been a pioneer in the development of a market for soil carbon, among other carbon markets in the the land sector. In this episode, Louisa Kiely, Director at Carbon Farmers of Australia, talks us through how the market is evolving. 

Natural Asset Companies, or NACs, are the creation of Intrinsic Exchange Group (IEG). They offer a new asset class to investors seeking nature positive opportunities - publicly listed companies dedicated to the restoration and preservation of nature, and with values based on natural assets. In this episode, Douglas Eger, founder of IEG walks us through how they work, and when we can expect the first listing. 

In 2016, ASN Bank set itself a target to become a nature net-positive bank by 2030. That commitment led the bank to measure the biodiversity impact of its loan portfolio and investments, and, more recently, for ASN Impact Investors to establish the first listed fund for nature investments for the retail sector. Roel Nozeman, who leads the bank's biodiversity work, in addition to being the programme chair of the Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials, shares more about work of the bank and broader financial sector ambitions for a nature-positive future. 

How can private equity investments in early stage technology firms support large-scale land restoration projects? And, what do investors in each look for? In this episode, Anne-Laurence Roucher, Deputy CEO of Mirova, shares her firm's approach to natural capital in both land and marine restoration and through private equity investments, as well as touching on the barriers and solutions to driving greater private capital into nature. 

The Taskforce on Nature Markets launched at the end of March. In this episode, co-chairs of the Secretariat, Simon Zadek and Marcelo Furtado of Finance for Biodiversity, share about the Taskforce's ambitions, and its work to embed "nature positive and equitable impact" across global markets. 

The Scottish National Investment Bank was set up at the end of 2020 to provide debt and equity investment to businesses in Scotland that support net zero, innovation and equality. Natural capital features high on its agenda, and chair of the Bank, Willie Watt, shares his insights on nature-related investment opportunities in Scotland and the Bank's strategy. 

Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is revolutionising the way companies can measure their impact on nature. Katie Critchlow, CEO of NatureMetrics that has brought eDNA into the mainstream, shares the work her firm are doing in supporting the move to nature positive, and creating investment opportunities in nature restoration. Katie also shares her insights into the role of data and technology in supporting the broader mission of financing nature.

How do eNGOs begin to adopt commercial finance in order to pay for conservation or restoration aims? Gwyn Williams, head of conservation investment, shares the experience of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) as the charity has expanded to debt and equity finance, in addition to exploring forms of private finance - such as peatland carbon credits or biodiversity net gain - in order to meet conservation demands. 

The social impact investment market in the UK has grown to almost £10billion. What can we learn from its development and apply to the emerging nature investment space? Richard Speak, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Finance Earth and Managing Director of Finance for Sustainability, shares his experience from working in both social finance and nature finance, and highlights the key building blocks that helped the growth in social impact investment market that could be replicated to boost nature finance.