Nature Finance UK 2024, the UK’s key conference dedicated to unlocking private capital for nature restoration, is set to gather over 350 experts in nature finance, land management, and sustainable investment on 5th November 2024, IET London; Savoy Place in London. Now in its seventh year, the event organised by Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN) is poised to be one of the most significant milestones in the UK’s drive towards financing nature recovery, accelerating both climate resilience and the achievement of Net Zero.
The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted places, in the bottom 10% globally, and it has been estimated that the combined impact of nature degradation and climate change could cause a 12% loss to UK GDP. As public funding alone cannot meet the vast financial requirements for restoring nature and biodiversity, there is a growing realization of the opportunities that flow from an increased role for private money. With the latest figures from WWF’s Living Planet Report 2024 showing a 73% decline in the average size of observed population sizes of 5,495 vertebrate species over just 50 years, the need for urgent investment in natural capital has never been more pressing.
The conference will bring together landowners of all sizes with private investors, aiming to bridge the gap and accelerate investment flows to protect and enhance the UK’s ecosystems. Scottish Government’s Minister for Employment and Investment, Tom Arthur MSP, will provide an opening address, with the keynote from distinguished business leader Sir Ian Cheshire. Mary Creagh CBE MP, HM Government’s Minister for Nature will also speak.
EKN Director Bruce Howard said, “The UK’s natural assets, from land to marine areas, are central to both climate resilience and achieving Net Zero. Private finance will play a pivotal role in this transformation. Without restructuring how we finance the stewardship of land and water, there will be no meaningful path to Net Zero or climate security.”
WWF’s report also shows a staggering 75% of Earth’s ice-free land has been significantly altered by human activity, underscoring the urgent need for effective land management and restoration. In the UK, where over 60% of land is owned privately, private investment is critical for restoring ecosystems, enhancing biodiversity and driving sustainable land use.
Mary Creagh CBE MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature), HM Government, said:“Nature underpins everything – the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Reversing the decline of the natural world is critical if we are to tackle climate change and grow the economy, and private finance is at the heart of scaling up our response. I’m looking forward to speaking and hearing from experts from a wide range of industries about how we can unlock the capital needed to put nature into recovery.”
Revenue opportunities through carbon and biodiversity credits are growing, with experts predicting that billions in private finance could flow into thousands of UK farms and rural businesses in the next decade. James Farrell, Head of Rural Consultancy at Knight Frank, highlighted the opportunity:
“Rural property can deliver so much for nature, for net zero and for a climate-resilient economy. Knight Frank is delighted to be Lead Sponsor of the Nature Finance UK Conference. It is a sign of our commitment to showing how the UK’s diverse tapestry of rural businesses can be brought into new productive relationships with corporates and the owners of private capital. Public finance and philanthropy must now work with private finance to ensure that farmland isn’t water-logged, that tourism is able to thrive, and that businesses and homes are climate resilient.”
The urgency to protect the UK’s natural assets is reinforced by its commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the revision by HM Government of the statutory Environmental Improvement Plan for England. Events like Nature Finance UK elevate this agenda, showcasing the opportunities for the UK to lead the world in sustainable land use and biodiversity recovery.
EKN’s Bruce Howard added, “If we don’t align private finance with nature recovery, the UK will miss a crucial opportunity to lead in climate resilience and biodiversity. Our natural systems are in peril, and it is only through collaboration between landowners, financiers, and policymakers that we will see real change.”
Further information – Nature Finance UK 2024