FROM FRINGE TO FRONTLINE: THE VALUE OF NATURE IS COMING SHARPER INTO FOCUS FOR THE FINANCE COMMUNITY

Imagine, $123 trillion USD of value is tied to the resources and services nature provides to our global society and global economy. Yet, for over a century we have taken the gifts of nature for granted.

In my conversation with Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chair of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)- it is clear that the voice and value of nature is finally capturing the attention of the banking, investment, finance community.  And, part of the reason for this is that it our planetary impact on the quality of living organisms and ecosystems is becoming more obvious, real, and scary. And, part of the reason for this is that the scientific community has leapt out of their comfort zone to better communicate science more clearly and enter conversations with the business community.

In her interview with me, Naoko challenged the finance community to do the same; to educate themselves on the crisis and opportunity for investing in nature- in transforming the energy sector, in transforming the food sector, and for creating circular economies across all sectors of business. The good news is that as we breech ecosystem tipping points-  we realize more and more that not only are the global commons as risk; but so is the global economy.  And de-risking these threats to the ecology and economy of the planet must become everyone’s global mission.

In this regard, partnership is key. And, GEF is one of the largest environmental funds-dedicated to advancing transformative, socially good projects to both protect the environment and to develop sustainably in emerging economies through leveraging their capital to attract other partners and create transformative, positive change in our environment.