By Rob Sisson
Nature finance has long been a difficult conversation. On one hand, the need for investment in nature is clear—without it, we face significant consequences. For example, the UK could lose 12% of its GDP due to nature degradation (1). But on the other hand, the big question remains: who will pay for its restoration?
We could point fingers and say, “That group should!” or “No, it’s those people!” While blame-shifting may feel justified, it wastes time and energy on arguments rather than solutions.
Plus, does forcing someone to act out of reluctance lead to success? It doesn’t build stronger partnerships; by Rotary’s standards, that’s not an effective long-term strategy.
Instead, we should focus on making nature and biodiversity relevant to business.
Yes, that means bringing the often-controversial topic of money into the conversation.
I know, I know—profit and money are often seen as the enemy (and there are valid reasons for this perspective) (2,3). But we also live in a world where economic incentives drive decision-making. If we want large-scale change, we need to align the needs of the planet with the financial motivations of businesses and investors.
So, how do we make protecting nature profitable?
The best approach I’ve seen is commercially relevant nature-based solutions. This means using nature’s ecosystem services to create financial value for businesses, then ensuring a portion of that revenue is reinvested into maintaining and restoring the environment.
This is difficult, but possible.
In the UK, the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund is supporting exactly this kind of work (4). Projects range from using natural flood management solutions to reduce risk (and monetizing that value) to restoring degraded lowland peat and generating income through sphagnum farming. These examples demonstrate that financial benefits for businesses can be directly tied to nature restoration, making conservation sustainable.
Rather than simply saying we need more funding for biodiversity, what if we worked to make biodiversity generate its funding?
On a personal note, this is exactly what my nature finance firm focuses on—helping businesses make nature work for them. For example, in early 2025, we’re conducting feasibility research on using wetlands to reduce cooling costs for data centres. If you’re interested in exploring how similar solutions could apply to a Rotary project you’re considering, I’d love to chat!
