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Sustainable Finance Live.2025: Blended finance and repeatability as keys to nature investment

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Blended Finance: Leveraging Public and Private Capital

Blended finance has long been touted as the engine that can bridge the gap between the vast funding required for ecosystem projects and the risk appetite of private investors. Finextra highlights that the conference will feature a dedicated track on “Blended Finance for Nature,” showcasing case studies where public funds, philanthropic contributions, and commercial debt or equity have been combined to de‑risk and amplify returns. Key players such as the World Bank’s Nature Finance Hub, the European Investment Bank’s Nature Investment Lab, and the African Development Bank’s Nature‑Based Solutions Fund will be presenting operational frameworks that illustrate how to structure multi‑layered capital stacks.

The article points out that blended finance is not merely a token gesture; it is a systematic approach that aligns incentives across stakeholders. For instance, a typical model involves a sovereign or development bank providing a low‑cost bridge loan to an early‑stage project developer. This is matched by a philanthropic grant that covers the risk‑free portion of the loan, thereby reducing the overall risk premium required by private equity or infrastructure funds. The result is a more attractive risk‑return profile that can attract venture capital, institutional debt, or even impact funds that traditionally shy away from high‑risk, high‑uncertainty nature projects.

One of the highlighted case studies involves a peatland restoration project in Indonesia. The project secured a €3 million grant from a multilateral agency, matched by €4 million of private debt, and a €2 million equity contribution from a sovereign wealth fund. The blended structure enabled the project to reach the critical scale of 20,000 hectares, delivering both carbon sequestration and flood mitigation services while generating a modest but consistent revenue stream from carbon credits and ecosystem service payments.

Repeatability: Scaling Proven Models

While blended finance focuses on the mechanics of capital deployment, repeatability tackles the question of whether successful projects can be replicated across different geographies and regulatory contexts. Finextra notes that the conference will host a series of panel discussions on “Designing Repeatable Nature Finance Models.” These sessions aim to dissect the core elements that make a nature investment model portable: standardized metrics, robust data platforms, and adaptable legal frameworks.

A key takeaway from the article is the emphasis on digitalization as a catalyst for repeatability. FinTech firms such as Climate Tech Group and Bionetworks are slated to showcase their blockchain‑enabled platforms that can track biodiversity metrics, verify carbon sequestration, and automate payments to local communities. By embedding these verification mechanisms into the capital stack, investors can more confidently replicate the same model in other countries without having to reinvent the compliance machinery each time.

The repeatability theme also dovetails with the European Union’s forthcoming “Nature Taxonomy,” an extension of its existing Sustainable Finance Taxonomy that will provide a standardized classification for nature‑related investments. The conference will feature a roundtable on how the taxonomy can be leveraged to create a “Nature Investment Pipeline” that automatically routes capital to projects meeting specific ecological criteria. According to the Finextra coverage, the EU taxonomy is expected to reduce the “red tape” that currently hampers the scaling of nature finance.

Key Speakers and Thought Leaders

Finextra’s article lists an impressive roster of speakers, underscoring the conference’s multidisciplinary nature. Among them:

  • Dr. Maria Rojas, UNEP’s Director of Ecosystem Finance, will open the event with a keynote on “Nature’s Economic Value and the Role of Finance.” Her talk is expected to provide a global perspective on the scale of investment required to meet the 2030 biodiversity targets.
  • Jonas Andersson, Chief Investment Officer at the European Investment Bank, will present a deep dive into the bank’s Nature Investment Lab. His presentation will cover the lab’s approach to structuring blended finance for large‑scale nature projects in emerging markets.
  • Lena Kwan, CEO of Bionetworks, will showcase the firm’s blockchain‑enabled platform that integrates satellite imagery, community monitoring, and carbon accounting. The demo will highlight how the platform can reduce transaction costs and enhance transparency for investors.

Additionally, representatives from major development finance institutions such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank will participate in a panel on “Financing the Nature Economy in the Global South.” Their insights will illustrate how blended finance can be tailored to local contexts where land tenure issues and institutional capacities vary widely.

Broader Context: From Policy to Practice

The article also situates the conference within the broader policy landscape. It references the UN’s Nature-based Solutions Global Initiative and the World Economic Forum’s “Nature Investment Framework,” both of which are shaping the narratives that underpin the market. The Finextra coverage notes that the conference will feature a session on the evolving regulatory environment, particularly the EU’s proposed “Nature Credit Market” and the forthcoming rules for “Nature‑Related Financial Disclosures.”

The coverage further highlights the significance of “Nature as a Service” models, where communities and private entities pay for ecosystem services such as water purification, pollination, and climate regulation. The conference will explore how such service agreements can be integrated into blended finance structures, creating additional revenue streams that enhance the financial viability of nature projects.

Follow‑up Links and Additional Resources

Within the article, several hyperlinks provide deeper dives into related topics:

  1. Sustainable Finance Live 2025 – Official Event Page
    The link directs to the conference’s official website, offering a detailed agenda, speaker bios, and registration information. The site also hosts a virtual “Explore the Venue” section that showcases the London location, as well as a downloadable conference guide.

  2. Nature‑Based Finance Toolkit – UNDP
    This resource outlines best practices for structuring blended finance for nature projects, including templates for risk assessment, impact measurement, and stakeholder engagement.

  3. EU Nature Taxonomy – European Commission
    The taxonomy page explains the classification criteria for nature‑related investments, providing a database of approved projects and a user‑friendly search tool for investors.

  4. Bionetworks – Blockchain for Ecosystem Monitoring
    The company’s product page details how its platform aggregates satellite data, local observations, and credit trading, emphasizing the transparency it brings to the supply chain of nature credits.

  5. World Bank Nature Finance Hub
    The hub offers a repository of case studies, technical assistance guides, and policy briefs that illustrate how blended finance can be effectively deployed across different sectors, from forestry to fisheries.

By weaving together these threads, Finextra’s coverage of Sustainable Finance Live 2025 paints a compelling picture of a finance ecosystem that is not only ready to invest in nature but also equipped with the tools to do so at scale. The combination of blended finance and repeatability emerges as a powerful paradigm shift, turning nature conservation from a noble aspiration into a viable, attractive, and globally replicable investment strategy.


Read the Full Finextra Article at:
[ https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/46861/sustainable-finance-live2025-blended-finance-and-repeatability-as-keys-to-nature-investment ]