Realise Earth

leadership for sustainability

building confidence in nature finance

Building Confidence in Nature Finance

Round Table, 6 & 7 November 2024, Stirling

The regeneration of nature across the UK is crucial and urgent

Nature finance markets are widely seen as the only realistic way of funding this essential work at the pace and scale required.

But that potential cannot be realised unless there is:

  • Real confidence that nature finance will deliver for nature, for communities and for investors;
  • Mutual understanding, respect and trust between the various stakeholders, including communities, landowners, investors, regulators and government.

Crucial questions include:

  • Does nature finance have the integrity it needs? 
  • What would it take for stakeholders to have confidence in nature finance and each other?
  • Who needs to take action, and how, to evolve nature finance so that stakeholders can be truly confident it will deliver for all?

Finding ways forward together

This round table will bring together representatives from a wide range of contexts and perspectives to explore these crucial questions and identify practical and effective ways to build confidence in nature finance.

This event creates the time and space for the kinds of conversations that are urgently needed:

  • Conversations that get beneath the surface to find common ground while recognising we might not agree on everything.
  • Conversations that acknowledge not only that we face an existential nature crisis, but also that we need to take practical, effective steps within existing constraints.

Outcomes will include:

  • Greater mutual understanding, respect and trust between stakeholders.
  • Shared understanding of what is needed to continue building confidence in nature finance.
  • Willingness to work together on practical actions to build confidence in nature finance.

This event is part of the Community Benefits Certification Mark project. The purpose of the Certification Mark, only applicable to UK-based projects, will be to improve long-term project and community outcomes, by embedding community participation within projects and setting higher standards for inclusion and prioritisation of local community benefits.

Project partners include Kana (a natural capital investment platform),  Deciding Matters (community participation experts), Realise Earth (designing and facilitating this roundtable), Scottish Land Commission, Strathclyde Institute for Sustainable Communities, SRUC, Soil Association Certification, Trees for Life (a Scottish natural capital developer) and Nattergal (an English natural capital developer).

The project is supported by The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland (FIRNS). Delivered by NatureScot in collaboration with The Scottish Government and in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

6 & 7 November 2024, Stirling

This round table will be held at the Stirling Court Hotel, on the University of Stirling Campus. All meals and single occupancy accommodation (on Wednesday night) included.

Starts 2:30pm Wednesday 6th and ends at 3:30pm Thursday 7th November 2024.

To maximise the value of the round table for everyone, it’s important that participants commit to being fully present throughout the event, including the evening meal and staying on campus.

What to expect

Expect a mix of facilitated plenary dialogues and focussed small group discussions, plus time for informal conversations.  Subject to the weather we may take some of the conversations outside into the green campus and surrounding wooded hillside. 

Who should attend?

The round table will convene a diverse group of people from communities, landowners, investors, regulators, government and more. People who:

  • Bring experience and insights from their work in or around nature finance;
  • Are excited to participate fully in the genuine conversations that are needed;
  • Are keen to share the results of the event with their networks.

If this is you, please apply.

To create the space for deep, worthwhile, conversations, numbers are limited to 20. If the event is oversubscribed we will select participants to ensure a diversity of contexts and perspectives.

Fees

The participation fee is £295 per person and includes one night accommodation (single occupancy), meals and refreshments. Subject to sponsorship reduced cost places may be available.

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Thanks to National Lottery Players