The AFOLU sector (Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use) is responsible for about one-third of total global emissions. At the same time, the IPCC finds that the same AFOLU sector can offer significant near-term mitigation potential, with measures in forests and other natural ecosystems providing the largest share of the AFOLU mitigation potential between 2020 and 2050¹.

Natural climate solutions (NCS) offer an opportunity to transform the AFOLU sector through protecting, restoring and improving the management of natural ecosystems. High-quality NCS deliver a significant range of “core” benefits including climate mitigation, improved biodiversity and livelihoods for rural communities, providing about a third of the climate mitigation needed by 2030 to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement⁴.

According to the IPCC's latest report, there is sufficient global capital and liquidity to close investment gaps for climate mitigation. An additional USD 165 billion per year from G20 countries for nature-based solutions is needed to meet currently agreed global targets by 2050.

Sadly, there’s still a great gap between investors seeking carbon and other nature based benefits to meet their net zero commitments and NBS projects requiring funding. This is where we come in.

Bridging the financial gap between companies interested in investing in Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) projects and landowners or project developers is crucial for climate change mitigation. However, AFOLU projects, such as insetting and afforestation-reforestation, struggle to attract investment due to perceived complexity, longer-term nature, and lack of standardized methodologies for quantifying carbon removal. Closing this gap requires supportive policies, innovative financing mechanisms, and increased collaboration. We focus on the collaboration aspect as we believe it’s easier to go far if we’re together.

To ensure the long-term credibility and viability of NBS projects, strong Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, as well as on-the-ground engagement, are crucial. Robust MRV systems accurately measure and track environmental benefits, such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, providing transparency and accountability. On-the-ground engagement involving local communities fosters ownership, aligns projects with local needs, and enables adaptive management. It enhances social equity, strengthens project resilience, and promotes social acceptance.

Integrating strong MRV systems and on-the-ground engagement establishes credibility and long-term viability for NBS projects. Transparent monitoring and reporting mechanisms provide evidence of environmental and social impact, attracting funding from investors seeking verifiable outcomes. On-the-ground engagement incorporates local knowledge, enhances social equity, and strengthens project resilience. This collaboration fosters sustainable development and contributes to achieving climate change mitigation goals that are reliable, science-based, verifiable and therefore bankable.