Financing Nature

Green Finance Institute

How can we mobilise investment into nature restoration? Financing Nature from GFI Hive aims to better understand how we can unlock private sector investment into nature restoration and nature-based solutions, and move towards a nature-positive economy. Each episode features interviews with leaders in finance, policy and the environment to discuss solutions. Hosted by the Green Finance Institute.

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54 episodes
Updated July 17

Episodes54

Newest first

July 17 · 45 min
UK Special Series, Episode 3: Luke Baldwin, Co-founder and CEO, Nature Broking
In this third episode of the GFI's special series on UK nature finance, host Phoebe Tucker is joined by Luke Baldwin, Co-Founder and CEO of Nature Broking, to explore the UK’s nature-based carbon market space and, specifically, what needs to happen to unlock growth from a demand-side perspective. For listeners who want to learn more about Nature Broking's work, you can visit its website, or contact Luke Baldwin on LinkedIn.
July 9 · 39 min
UK Special Series, Episode 2: Jack Spees, CEO, Ribble Rivers Trust
In this second episode of the GFI's special series on UK nature finance, host Phoebe Tucker is joined by Jack Spees, CEO of the Ribble Rivers Trust, to talk about how we can unlock investment into nature-based solutions from the UK's water industry. The discussion centres around the Mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions (MNBS) Programme, a collaborative partnership between 23 organisations that is supported by the Ofwat Innovation Fund to test solutions across eight regions in the UK. Here we talk about the water industry and their recent pressures, regulatory constraints, explorations and potential solutions in scaling investment into nature – and what is needed to unlock this opportunity amid wider water industry reform. For listeners who want to learn more about the MNBS Programme, you can visit its official website.
July 2 · 40 min
UK Special Series, Episode 1: Seren Patterson, Water Stewardship Manager, The Rivers Trust
In this first episode of the GFI's special series on UK nature finance, host Phoebe Tucker is joined by Seren Patterson, Water Stewardship Manager at the Rivers Trust, to talk about its Replenish model - also known as Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting - in channeling private sector investment into water storage and water quality outcomes. For listeners who want to learn more about the Replenish model, you can visit the Rivers Trust's Replenish Toolbox, the underlying VWBA methodology (2.0), and a recent blog post written by Patterson (26.06.26) on the rise of water stewardship and the VWBA methodology. You can also read about the Coca-Cola Replenish partnership, mentioned in the episode.
April 29 · 44 min
R4N Episode 12: Justin Adams, Ostara
In this final episode of the R4N series, host Helen Avery speaks with Justin Adams, co-founder of Ostara and Reimagining Nature Finance fellow with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance about the challenges of nature finance, and some big ideas for change.
April 22 · 57 min
R4N Episode 11: Harvey Locke
In this episode, we're joined by Harvey Locke who has been an adviser to governments on conservation for decades, as well as currently holding the position of Vice Chair for Nature Positive for the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. Over the last 18 months, Harvey has been bringing experts together around the world to develop some big and bold financial solutions to solve our wicked problem of biodiversity loss.
Sep 11, 2025 · 45 min
R4N Episode 10: Adam Davis, EIP
In this episode, we dive into the U.S. mitigation banking market as part of our ongoing exploration of compliance models and regulated markets. Helen Avery is joined by Adam Davis, co-founder and managing partner of Ecosystem Investment Partners (EIP), a private equity firm that has raised over $1 billion and restored more than 53,000 acres of wetlands and 260 miles of streams across the U.S. since 2007. Adam shares an in-depth look at what’s actually happening on the ground. He walks us through how EIP set up mitigation banks - from identifying suitable locations to developing and selling credits. Adam also shares key insights into investor appetite, and what’s driving increased interest in nature-based investment opportunities. The episode also explores what has enabled the U.S. mitigation banking market to scale as it has, with some of the key lessons learned, why it remains attractive to investors, and how other countries could replicate its success.
Aug 15, 2025 · 47 min
R4N Episode 9: Tim Male, EPIC
In this episode, we’re joined by Tim Male, Founder and Executive Director of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), to dive into U.S. mitigation banking and the broader role of regulatory markets. The U.S. is home to the one of the world’s largest regulatory markets, where billions of private-sector dollars are flowing into nature restoration. In this episode we talk about why these models and markets are essential for getting capital moving towards nature. For listeners who want to learn more about U.S. mitigation banking, check out the R4N Guidebook, co-written with EPIC. It explores how the model was created, the challenges it faces, and key lessons learned along the way.
Aug 8, 2025 · 51 min
R4N Episode 8: Thomas Pickford (TNC) and Glenn Anderson (Wendling Beck)
In this episode Helen Avery is joined by Thomas Pickford, UK Partnerships and Policy Lead at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Glenn Anderson, Co-Founder and Strategy Lead at the Wendling Beck - a landscape scale project which has been selling Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units in the UK. In this episode they talk about the BNG market, what it is, how it works and the implications for the EU. They also discuss what this looks like for farmers and land mangers who are engaging with BNG. For those interested in the Wendling Beck Project’s development, the GFI Hive has also written a detailed set of case studies, all found on the GFI Hive Investment Readiness Toolkit: https://hive.greenfinanceinstitute.com/gfihive/toolkit/projects/wendling-beck/
Jul 18, 2025 · 42 min
R4N Episode 7: Emily McKenzie, TNFD
In this episode Emily McKenzie joins us on Financing Nature to share how we move from disclosures into action. She shares where the TNFD is to-date on working with businesses and financial institutions around the world, differences in regional approaches, transition plans and the road to investment.
Jul 11, 2025 · 32 min
R4N Episode 6: Tom Curtis, Landscape Enterprise Networks
In this episode, Helen Avery speaks with Tom Curtis, founding partner at 3Keel and Landscape Enterprise Networks about the LENs model that brings together businesses to pay farmers for environmental outcomes across a shared landscape.
Jul 4, 2025 · 35 min
R4N Episode 5: Vanessa Garcia, Terrassos
In this episode, Vanessa Garcia at Terrassos shares about mitigation banking in Colombia and their model of establishing habitat banks to provide biodiversity units into that market.
Jun 20, 2025 · 42 min
R4N Episode 4: Michal Zrust, The Rimba Collective
In this fourth episode, Helen Avery is joined by Michal Zrust, Founder and CEO of Lestari Capital to discuss the Rimba Collective, a financial mechanism that supports companies to finance a portfolio of forest conservation and restoration projects across Southeast Asia. Rimba Collective members make payments that are proportionally linked to the amount of palm oil procured. In return for funding the projects, participating companies can claim against the environmental outcomes for their sustainability commitments and supply chain resilience.
Jun 16, 2025 · 29 min
R4N Episode 3: Nicolas Pascal, Blue Alliance
In this third episode, Helen Avery is joined by Nicolas Pascal, Founder of Blue Alliance to explore its innovative model that creates local reef-positive business rooted in the blue economy. These social enterprises then direct a portion of their profits toward the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) – helping MPAs to become financially self-sustaining.
Jun 6, 2025 · 29 min
R4N Episode 2: Elizabeth Beall, Fisheries Improvement Fund
In this second episode, Helen Avery is joined by Elizabeth Beall, Managing Director of Finance Earth to discuss supply chain models including the Fisheries Improvement Fund (FIF) and how it can be replicated and scaled. The FIF brings together actors across the entire seafood supply chain to fund the full costs of a Fishery Improvement Project or wider fishery improvements. The investment is then re-paid by a volume-based fee paid by supply chain actors.
May 29, 2025 · 41 min
R4N Episode 1: Pedro Moura Costa, Responsible Commodities Facility
In this episode, Helen Avery is joined by Pedro Moura Costa, founder of Sustainable Investment Management (SIM) and BVRio, to discuss the Responsible Commodities Facility (RCF), and how it can be replicated and scaled. RCF provides a financially sustainable vehicle that incentivises soy farmers in Brazil, and helps meet the growing international demand for zero-deforestation supply chains.
Jan 19, 2024 · 36 min
Farming Toolkit Special Episode: Archie Ruggles-Brise, Spains Hall Estate
Join us for this special episode of our mini-series, Farming Nature, as Archie Ruggles-Brise shares his experience and advice on preparing for Biodiversity Net Gain. We also hear about interventions across his Essex farm such as the introduction of beavers for flood management. This episode is designed to support farmers working through Milestone 5 of our Farming Toolkit. Our regular podcast, Financing Nature, will return in April 2024.
Jan 10, 2024 · 38 min
Farming Toolkit Special Episode: Timothy Coates, co-founder Oxbury Bank and third generation farmer
From January 2024 to the end of March 2024, GFI's Financing Nature podcast is becoming Farming Nature - a series of audio interviews designed to support UK farmers in understanding nature markets as part of the newly-launched Farming Toolkit on GFI Hive. In this episode, Timothy Coates, co-founder of Oxbury Bank and third generation farmer shares why he is adapting his farm ready to sell units and credits, his views on pricing and 'no regrets' decisions and his work with the Northeast Cotswolds Farmer Cluster. Financing Nature will be making its revamped return in April 2024 interviewing representatives from project developers, policy makers and financial institutions around the world in the lead up to COP16.
Dec 16, 2022 · 54 min
COP15 Special: Live from Montréal
In this episode of Financing Nature in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme for COP15 in Montréal, we speak to those on the ground to hear why they have come, what they are hoping for from the negotiations on the crucial Global Biodiversity Framework, and their own work in halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. Topics cover the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and data; financial sector engagement; business engagement and the role of subsidies; indigenous peoples and local communities; and the role of governments and public sector finance. Guests include representatives from the TNFD, NatCap Research, Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, Federated Hermes, Schroders, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Nestlé, Junglekeepers and UNEP FI.
Dec 7, 2022 · 27 min
COP15 Special: Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, and David Ainsworth, Information Officer, UN Convention on Biological Diversity
In this special episode at the start of COP15 in Montreal in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, guests Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, and David Ainsworth, Information Officer, at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity join the Green Finance Institute's Helen Avery. Together they share what we need to see over the 12 days of the Conference including within the Global Biodiversity Framework and its targets, commitments to reduce harmful subsidies, and greater actions to increase financial flows for nature restoration and protection.
Nov 2, 2022 · 32 min
COP27 Special Series, Episode 5: Susan Gardner and Ivo Mulder
In this final episode of our COP27 Special Series with the United Nations Environment Programme, we are joined from UNEP's Ecosystems Division by Susan Gardner, Head of the Ecosystems Division and Ivo Mulder, Head of the Climate Finance Unit. Susan and Ivo wrap up the series by sharing what they hope to see happen at COP27 and the actions we collectively need to take to ensure that nature restoration and nature-based solutions receive the investment they urgently require.