Nature Finance Forum Europe- Key Takeaways

The inaugural Nature Finance Forum Europe, held in collaboration with the Sustainable Investment Forum Europe and UNEP FI, marked a pivotal moment in the movement to align financial systems with nature-positive outcomes. Designed to be catalytic in both content and tone, the event brought together institutional investors, nature funds, corporates and project developers working at the landscape level, all united by the urgency to price in nature-related risks, unlock capital for nature based solutions at scale and accelerate the transition towards a sustainable future. 

A Turning Point for Nature Finance

NFF-EU made it clear: nature is no longer a niche concern, it’s mainstream. With economic systems fundamentally reliant on healthy ecosystems, the stakes have never been higher. Referencing the WWF’s Living Planet Report, Romie Goedicke den Hertog, Co-Lead Nature at UNEP FI, reminded attendees that we are nearing tipping points across multiple ecosystems, and failure to act will come with significant economic risk. 

At the heart of the Forum was a call to action. While encouraging signs of progress are emerging, from growing non-state actor involvement to increasing recognition of nature-related financial risks, current efforts remain insufficient. We are not yet on track to achieve the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature, as laid out in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). 

The challenge, as stated during the opening remarks, is what we do when the glass appears both half full and half empty. The answer: we fill it- with innovation, collaboration, and action. 

Highlights from the Day 

Throughout the day, sessions addressed key areas of nature finance, including: 

• The role of institutional investors in scaling nature-positive investment. 
• The role of European policymakers in pricing and measuring nature into the financial system 
• Nature-linked themes such as freshwater systems, regenerative agriculture and clean energy, as well as the role of carbon and biodiversity markets as co-benefits of ecosystem approaches. 
• The critical contributions of the insurance sector  
• How the new Tropical Forest Finance Facility (TFFF) will help spur investment and scale finance for forest preservation 

Speakers shared powerful insights, reinforcing the need for a united, cross-sector response: 

• Anita de Horde, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, celebrated a milestone: the FFBF Pledge has now surpassed 200 signatories. 
• Cate Lamb, Freshwater Lead at UNEP FI, reminded us that “nature risk is water risk”—placing water security firmly on the nature finance agenda. 
• Santiago Gowland, CEO of Rainforest Alliance, highlighted that resilience is the name of the game in the face of compounding environmental challenges. 
• Libby Sandbrook, Business & Nature Director at Fauna & Flora, cautioned that “clean is not always green,” calling for integrity in relation to renewable energy deployment. 
• Emmanuelle Assouan (Banque de France), Chris Adamo (Danone), Kristin Hughes (Diageo), Martin Lines (Nature Friendly Farming Network) and Ingmar Juergens (Climate & Company) all emphasised the most important step to align business and finance with nature: “Just start somewhere”. 
• Karen Ellis, Chief Economist at WWF UK, highlighted that if the TTTF gets a triple AAA rating, it will be hard to beat as an impact investment going forward- a gamechanger on a global scale. 

The Road Ahead 

As the event closed, there was a palpable shift in energy. The mood was optimistic, with participants encouraged by the momentum seen across the finance and policy landscape. Yet, Romie left us with two fundamental challenges: 

1. How do we leverage more than $1 trillion in nature-impact finance? 
2. How do we drive an economy-wide transition toward a truly nature-positive future? 

The Forum offered a strong starting point: a collective space for ambitious dialogue, shared solutions, and concrete action.