Ground Truth from Eden: People+Planet

Nature-Based Carbon Markets: Maximizing ROI Through Vertically Integrated Solutions

Listen Later

In this strategic episode of Ground Truth, Eden: People+Planet CEO Bryan Adkins and host Glen Prior unpack the complexities of carbon markets and reveal how vertically integrated nature-based solutions deliver superior returns across multiple bottom lines while avoiding the inefficiencies that plague traditional approaches.

01:00-05:00 | Carbon Market Fundamentals for Decision-Makers
  • The critical difference between voluntary and compliance carbon markets
  • How the Paris Agreement (Article 6) is reshaping regulatory frameworks
  • Why carbon markets have evolved over two decades but remain imperfect
  • The strategic advantage of entering markets now versus waiting for perfect systems
    • 05:00-11:00 | The Triple-Bottom-Line Business Case for Nature
    • Why nature-based solutions provide superior returns versus single-variable alternatives
    • How biodiversity benefits translate to agricultural system stability
    • The overlooked community resilience factor in long-term project success
    • Why direct air capture creates singular returns while nature delivers multiple value streams
      • 11:00-18:30 | Overcoming Capital Deployment Inefficiencies
      • The hidden cost of multi-layered funding mechanisms in international development
      • How consultants and subconsultants diminish capital effectiveness
      • Why Eden’s vertical integration model ensures maximum on-the-ground impact
      • The competitive advantage of direct relationships between investors and implementers
        • 18:30-23:00 | Strategic Risk Management Through Systems Thinking
        • Reframing “uncertainty” versus “risk” in nature-based investments
        • How ecosystem investment de-risks supply chains for commodities like coffee and tea
        • The long-term stability advantage of landscape-scale versus fragmented approaches
        • The business imperative for systems thinking in environmental strategy
          • 23:00-26:00 | Practical Guidance for Corporate Leaders and Investors
          • Why ESG officers should emphasize de-risking rather than carbon accounting
          • How green capital funds can structure investments for long-term returns
          • The strategic value of landscape-scale thinking versus one-dimensional metrics
          • Multi-decade investment approaches that incorporate natural capital accounting
            • Recommended Resources for Professionals
            Eden: People+Planet Resources
            • Eden: People+Planet Website – Official website for more information on landscape restoration approach
            • Ground Truth Podcast – Full episode archive and additional resources
              • Strategic Frameworks
              • Natural Capital Protocol – Framework for identifying, measuring and valuing impacts and dependencies on natural capital
              • TNFD Framework – Emerging disclosure standards for nature-related financial risks
                • Implementation Resources
                • Restore the Earth’s EcoMetrics Model – Methodology for measuring the social, environmental and economic ROI of landscape-scale restoration
                • Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard – Leading certification standard for carbon credits in voluntary markets
                  • Industry Reports
                  • Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets Final Report – Comprehensive blueprint for scaling voluntary carbon markets
                  • McKinsey: A blueprint for scaling voluntary carbon markets – Strategic analysis of market growth opportunities
                  • World Economic Forum: Natural Climate Solutions for Corporations – Guide for corporate engagement with nature-based solutions
                    • ...more
                    View all episodesView all episodes
                    Download on the App Store
                    Ground Truth from Eden: People+PlanetBy Eden: People+Planet