Gilad Goren on scaling nature-positive investments

What are the biggest barriers to scaling nature-positive investments, and how can they be overcome?

There are no insurmountable barriers, and that’s the good news. We do need better nature data (both baseline and post-intervention) but both will be solved through innovations in the MRV and AI,  so the excuses not to mobilize are evaporating. The main challenge now is to design investment vehicles that can align the risk/reward expectations of investors with the actual needs of those working to advance the nature-positive transition. In other words, it is time for investors committed to driving impact to double down on their efforts and accept some risk in order to unlock both prosperity and planetary health.

What policy changes are needed to unlock greater private-sector investment in biodiversity and ecosystem services?

In an ideal world, there would be policies ensuring nature credit markets align with all nine of the planetary boundaries. In lieu of this miraculous feat, we could swing for new agricultural subsidy policies that incentivizes a broad transition to regenerative practices, instead of trapping farmers into chemical-heavy monocultures.

What is your organisation prioritising as we look towards COP30 in Belem?

Beyond our ongoing community development and matchmaking efforts, central to our commitment to supporting those driving the nature-positive transition, we are incubating a new set of initiatives focused on commodity-specific transition plans. Our initial focus is on cattle, rice, and tuna, though we welcome collaboration across other commodity sectors.

What are you most looking forward to discussing or hearing about at the Nature Finance Forum Europe?

I am most looking forward to connecting with pioneering firms and individuals who are willing to take a hands-on approach for driving funds to nature today. There are meaningful investment opportunities that could usher a paradigm shift in the impact of nature finance, we just need courageous leaders who’ll lead the way.