A Journey from Data to Intelligence to Investment: The Role of Data in Nature Finance
Only a fraction of natural capital’s value is reflected in market prices, though valuations are increasingly being adjusted to account for nature-related risks and opportunities. Despite this, data needed to support assessments remains fragmented, limiting our ability to make informed decisions. This session explores the whole-of-society approach needed to enable better alignment and action on nature. It highlights the Global Ecosystems Atlas as a catalyst for greater coherence across public and private sectors.
Framing this topic
This short section provides context for the event to ensure all participants, regardless of prior knowledge, are equipped to engage with the discussion.
Without a reliable, harmonized ecosystems dataset, public and private entities struggle to plan sustainable land use, infrastructure development, and conservation strategies; assess and mitigate climate and environmental risks; comply with emerging regulations on nature and climate-related financial and policy disclosures, risk management requirements; unlock nature-positive finance and investment opportunities. The Atlas is designed around resolving a major bottleneck currently holding back nature and climate finance – the need for consistent ‘nature’ data, in a format that enables compatible insights, on where nature is, changes to extent, and its estimated condition – enabling a more advanced quantitative understanding of commercial activities interactions with the natural world.