3rd November 2023, by jclough@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk

The Scottish Nature Finance Pioneers group, or the ‘Pioneers’, is a community of practice bringing together anyone with an interest in nature finance, with the aim of developing new avenues for directing investment into nature projects and creating a high-integrity nature finance market in Scotland.

There are currently over 600 individuals involved in the Scottish Nature Finance Pioneers Basecamp platform, an open and collaborative working space for the group bringing together a mix of expert advisors, those delivering nature-based solutions and those enabling market infrastructure.

This is a summary of the key posts, activities and discussions from the last quarter.

Join the Pioneers Basecamp to read more Scottish Nature Finance Pioneers – Scottish Forum on Natural Capital (naturalcapitalscotland.com)

 

Event summaries

• Deep networking event – Held on 28^th September at Beldorney Castle a small group of Pioneers network members shared hopes and informal conversations, reflecting on what’s emerging in the nature finance space. Activities included facilitation sessions run by Osbert Lancaster and Morag Watson of Realise Earth, drawing out differing opinions and goals and a tour of the Beldorney estate led by Jeremy Leggett of Highlands Rewilding. Read more reflections here.

 

• Pioneers Network survey results – 96 members completed the survey and the results were presented and discussed at a webinar on 28th September. Watch the webinar recording What You Told Us! – Nature Finance Pioneers Survey Results Webinar – YouTube. The breakout groups explored the activities and topics the network would like to engage with and linkages with other groups already active in these areas.
  There were calls for:
  SPEED NETWORKING – platforms to help connect delivery orgs with buyers/investors
  BEST PRACTICE – lessons learned from earlier projects, with assistance aimed at landowners in particular
  PROJECT UPDATES – short updates from the diverse membership and the work they’re engaged in and
  SPECIFIC TOPICS/THEMES such as Business Models/Proof of Concept, Gaps in market development from an economic capital perspective, Codes and Standards and Scientific Evidence Base

 

• Nature Finance Scotland Forum – Held in Edinburgh on 2nd October key highlights include the Minister for Energy and the Environment mentioned in her keynote attracting investors to Scotland as a ‘destination’ and encouraging investment in the drivers for long term natural capital management, such as rural housing, to keep skills in the local area for ongoing maintenance of sites and to support established and growing communities. Read the event report. On-demand recordings are available to buy, contact naturefinance@ecosystemsknowledge.net

 

• TNFD Tutorial 10^th October – a practical, in person session which provided an overview of the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures Framework, and how to begin evaluating and assessing risks and opportunities as an organisation. Read the summary here.

 

Publications

• Community engagement Roadmap published by Highlands Rewilding

 

• Measuring biodiversity in Scotland: research into approaches – Form the Scottish Government and SRUC. Main findings include, at present there is no single agreed Scottish biodiversity metric or measurement tool to assess biodiversity at the site, or project, scale. An agreed Scottish approach to measuring biodiversity would allow for consistent and comparable assessment of losses or gains in biodiversity across sites and allow comparison and trading across sectors.

 

• State of Nature Report

 

• A feasibility study into a community-oriented investment vehicle

 

• Nature Markets Principles 

 

Lively Discussions

• Put your money where your biodiversity is (not) – Mapping exercise from the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) which highlights a global mismatch between the level of biodiversity richness and environment-positive expenditure. ? Put your money where your biodiversity is (not) (basecamp.com)

 

• The debate in the Scottish Parliament on the motion on protecting Scotland’s nature – helpful to understand the political opposition to encouraging private finance, and to hear again the message from all parties that delivery is a major barrier, regardless of where the funding comes from. The debate in the Scottish Parliament on the motion on protecting Scotland’s nature. (basecamp.com)

 

• Guidance on community benefits from the Scottish Land Commission Guidance on community benefits from the Scottish Land Commission (basecamp.com)

 

• UK Nature Accelerator and UK Nature Impact Fund (UK Nature) UK Nature Accelerator (basecamp.com)

 

• In the Riverwoods finance group – Case studies for private finance monitoring requirements requested – reflections on monitoring standards that investors and buyers are seeking for nature restoration projects they engage. Case studies for private finance monitoring requirements? (basecamp.com)  

 

Updates on Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS) projects

• Community Benefits Standard for the UK Nature Investment Market, to be developed in Scotland Community Benefits Standard for the UK Nature Investment Market, developed in Scotland (basecamp.com)

 

• An online event for successful FIRNS and IRNS projects will be held by NatureScot in November to allow the participants to familiarise themselves with the projects and each other and find out what’s needed for a community of practice.

 

• Awarded Projects to be announced soon.

 

• Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland – open for new Expressions of Interest FIRNS – How to Apply | NatureScot