A coalition led by the World Climate Foundation (WCF) is aiming to mobilise “tens of billions” from the private sector for nature-based investments by 2030. Launched during London’s Climate Investment Summit, the Nature Investment Coalition (NIC) is a global cross-sector collaborative platform focused on plugging the financing gap for nature-based solutions, and reversing biodiversity loss. The foundation described the initiative as a “first-of-its-kind” public-private partnership across finance, business, and government to drive investment in ecosystem protection and restoration. The UN Environment Programme estimates that global finance flows to nature-based solutions should triple to around US$542 billion per year by 2030 to meet the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency says global clean energy investments need to triple and reach US$4 trillion per year to achieve net zero by 2050. “In order to set humanity on the path to a net-zero future by 2030, we need to see an explosion of financing for innovative climate solutions,” World Climate Foundation CEO Jens Nielsen said. In parallel, the foundation’s existing Climate Investment Coalition (CIC) – a public-private partnership facilitating large-scale financial commitments and partnerships across the Nordics – has announced global expansion plans. The NIC will now seek to replicate the success of the CIC, which in 2021 secured a total US$130 billion in commitments from 42 pension funds across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and the UK – to be invested in climate solutions by 2030. The subscribed funds will report their progress annually. “The CIC’s success in the Nordics has shown what can be achieved through collaboration and coalition-building at a regional level,” said Nielsen. The coalition is now due to expand globally to address the “escalating urgency” of climate change – a “universal challenge requiring coordinated, cross-border efforts”, according to Nielsen. “A global reach will allow [us] to harness diverse financial markets, tap into a wide array of innovative green technologies, and foster international partnerships,” he added.
