The financial world is moving away from considering nature finance as conservation-focused, low-return vehicle dependent on public or philanthropic capital. Nature risks as biodiversity decline or water scarcity impacts a business’ financial health and are therefore transferable to banking sector.
Financial institutions have a profound influence on the real economy through the way they allocate financial capital to companies and initiatives. They can act for nature, and at scale, if they understand their dependencies and impacts on nature, and there is no shortage of tools and data to help them on that journey.
Together experts from A-Track partners VITO, UNEP-WCMC, CISL, ICAEW and Capitals Coalition, the session provides a primer on what financial institutions are doing today using existing tools and processes. Sample cases are shown how banks and investors are already avoiding, minimising harm and restoring nature through everyday decisions about what they finance, underwrite and invest in – at scale and with commercial viability – using existing tools and processes.
The session will also offer a preview of the innovative Nature Information Pathway framework – a harmonised approach to source, process and use nature-related data, organised through ecosystem accounting, to support financial decision-making.
The session will be interactive, including the audience through a moderated poll and open discussion to share experiences in mobilising finance and availability of metrics to support it.
Global Biodiversity Framework Targets
- Target 14 (Integrate Biodiversity in decision-making): A-track ensures that natural capital values are measured and embedded into public regulations and corporate governance strategies.
- Target 15 (Businesses Assess, Disclose and Reduce Risks). A-track builds standardised methods for companies and financial institutions to monitor, disclose and reduce their biodiversity-related risks and impacts.
- Target 19 (mobilise financial resources): A-track designs innovative financial instruments to scale up private sector investments, aligning financial flows with nature restoration.
Target audience
- Practitioners in financial institutions
- Policymakers
- Academics and other experts
- Data and solution providers