The European Commission has launched a ‘Roadmap towards Nature Credits’, an initiative aimed at mobilising private investment for nature protection and restoration across Europe and beyond. The move is intended to complement public funding, drive innovation, and reward those who actively contribute to ecosystem recovery.
Nature credits are a new voluntary instrument that assigns value to nature-positive actions — such as wetland restoration or afforestation — undertaken by businesses, financial institutions, public bodies or individuals. These actions can be independently verified and certified, providing investors with transparency and accountability while supporting biodiversity.
Speaking at the launch, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We have to put nature on the balance sheet. That’s exactly what nature credits do. When well-designed, they will provide an efficient, market-driven instrument that encourages the private sector to invest and innovate.”
The Commission highlighted that around 75% of businesses in the eurozone rely on natural ecosystems. Nature degradation and climate-related risks are already raising insurance costs and disrupting supply chains, with potential losses estimated at up to 7% of annual profits by 2035 if no action is taken.
The proposed nature credits system seeks to address this by creating incentives for businesses to support nature restoration. It offers new income streams for farmers, fishers, foresters, landowners, and local communities — while enabling a wider range of investors, including small private entities, to participate in biodiversity financing.
The roadmap, developed in consultation with stakeholders, outlines plans for robust certification, clear standards, and governance mechanisms to ensure the credibility of the nature credit market and avoid greenwashing. The framework will build on existing standards while aiming to minimise administrative burdens for participants.
The initiative supports the EU’s wider goals under the EU Competitiveness Compass and Clean Industrial Deal, and aligns with the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It also complements other strategies, including the Vision for Agriculture and Food, Water Resilience Strategy, and European Ocean Pact.
Pilot nature credit schemes are already under way in France, Estonia and Peru. The Commission is also collaborating with international bodies such as the Biodiversity Credit Alliance, the World Economic Forum, and the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits.
To ensure inclusive development, the Commission has opened a public feedback period on the roadmap until 30 September 2025 and launched a call for expressions of interest to join a new expert group, with initial applications due by 10 September 2025.
With the EU committing 10% of its budget to biodiversity by 2026–2027 and doubling its external biodiversity spending to €7 billion, the roadmap aims to help bridge the estimated €65 billion annual biodiversity financing gap by attracting private capital at scale.
