Combining Nature-based Solutions And Sustainable Investment
When it comes to climate change and land degradation, the major unseen problem is that the earth’s ability to produce oxygen and absorb CO2 is steadily decreasing. Experts refer to this as oxygen depletion and increase in eco-toxicity. For you, this means massive amounts of CO2 released in the environment, declining fertility of soil and a more than evident biodiversity crisis.
The carbon cycle is essential for life on Earth,. Within the carbon cycle, the soil is the major reservoir. In the face of this pressing need for soil, ecosystem and biodiversity preservation, comes the introduction of nature-based solutions. To extract (let’s call it sequester) carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, nature-based solutions entail preserving, repairing, or improving the management of ecosystems. They play a significant role in climate change adaptation and the development of resilience in communities and landscapes, protecting human well-being and the environment. That is why adoption of nature based solutions is increasing, they work, and there is data to prove it.
As all things, real impact is achieved when solutions are applied at scale. One of the motivations we had to launch Nature+ is that interesting options for investing in Nature are lacking. So, with science, technology and entrepreneurship we created a model that produces real measurable impact on ecosystem, but also offers and attractive return for investors. Models like this have been successfully applied by IKEA, or the Rockefeller Foundation.
Simply put Nature+ is creating an investment pathway to restore Earth’s regenerative capacity and facilitate scaling of sustainable investment, for the benefit of all.
As Sinnet Bödewadt, our Chief Visionary Officer puts it, “We are enabling investment for solutions which, when given the proper environment and conditions, produce the fastest results, the most impact on ecosystems, and the best return for our investors.”
Adoption of Nature based solutions is actually a shift from conventional industrial production methods to regenerative agricultural approaches, starting from continuous soil cover, minimization of soil disturbance and the integration of livestock. Applied to wild land it is about forestry, wetland-related and ocean-based practices to allow the complete rebirth of forests, peatlands and coastal wetlands, and the marine ecosystem.
“When playing the cards right, i.e. creating the proper environment for soil, we can rebuild it in a period of 2 to 5 years, all with the right plants, conditions and above & underground working in synergy. The same principle applies in 1 hectare, or in 10 million hectares. Time is of valuable essence, so we look for solutions that are practical, easy to implement, effective and low-cost- all characteristics of nature-based solutions.
“Our intervention helps kickstart the process and provide the right conditions for soil, then, with an amazing synergy, the natural cycles do the work in favor of every living creature’s health and well-being.”
As a result, all impact indicators improve, the natural asset increases value, data is generated and turned into an asset, and a yield is produced for our investors. By turning degraded ecosystems into productive land and powerful Carbon sinks, Nature+ is turning the tide from potentially disastrous consequences to Nature positive (Nature+!) ecosystems.
Capital greatly contributes to the advantages of nature-based solutions on weather and climate resilience by boosting farmer adoption of regenerative approaches and by producing tools that enable it, at scale. Nature+ represents an attractive opportunity for Corporations, Venture Capital firms and even traditional funds with a bold vision, and who can benefit of uplifting their value chain (like the food industry), their brand and customer engagement, and naturally their ESG profile. In the future, we dream of making this opportunity accessible to people.
To put things in perspective, investing in nature-based solutions produces incredible impact in the very short term, and is a proven way to sequester more CO2 and lock it on the earth than other approaches. On the other extreme you have all sorts of investments on emission reduction strategies and technologies (like electric cars and efficient batteries), but if you think of it, these are long shots, that hypothetically would bring a benefit when/if implemented at scale within the right time frame. That means a distant future/hypothetical approach to the most pressing problem we are living right now.
Fundamentally, the Nature+ solutions emanate from our vision: to rebuild and restore Earth’s regenerative capacity for the people and the planet.
This vision helps us to constantly increase the number of holistic solutions that are rooted in an inclusive surplus mindset, rather than a reductive controlling one. This includes connecting companies with farmers, and farmers with customers, creating a combined ownership through which farmers who are handling the natural resources are helped, impact is followed, and every individual involved in the process is making a difference. Improvement and optimization comes from every direction.
Imagine, nature-based solutions CAN actually create the basis of a production system free of artificial input to produce the best yield and only get stronger and stronger. A combination of nature-based solutions and sustainable investment can lead to lower and hopefully eliminate chemical inputs and runoff, improve soil water-holding capacity, and increase the ecosystem’s overall resilience.
Inspired?
Contact us for detail on how to qualify Nature+ as an investment opportunity,