In a bold move to put nature at the center of climate action, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and WWF have teamed up as ESG partners to boost Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Europe 🤠. Their mission? To supercharge climate resilience and biodiversity by making Europe’s landscapes work for both people and the planet. The timing couldn’t be better, as Europe—the fastest-warming continent on Earth—is facing down a serious lineup of climate woes, from wild floods to searing droughts and a grim wave of biodiversity loss.

The Incubation Facility: Accelerating NbS Projects 🚀

The new partnership, officially signed at the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (COP16) in Colombia, marks the start of a four-year game plan. The duo is combining EIB’s financial muscle with WWF’s conservation clout to launch an “Incubation Facility” dedicated to jumpstarting NbS projects. Think of it as a climate start-up fund, fast-tracking promising ideas from the sketchpad to investment-ready ventures. Target areas include agriculture, urban planning, and renewable energy—all aimed at turning degraded ecosystems into resilient, climate-adapting landscapes.

High Stakes for Europe’s Ecosystems 🌍

And the need for this couldn’t be clearer. WWF’s recent report reveals a shocking 35% drop in species populations across Europe and Central Asia since 1970. So, yes, the stakes are high. EIB and WWF are pushing investments in practical, nature-backed solutions like forest restoration, sustainable farming, and wetland revival—all designed to restore ecosystems while giving Europe a fighting chance against climate impacts.

Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling NbS 🤝

But let’s be real: scaling NbS comes with its own set of hurdles. For one, many investors still have a ‘What even is NbS?’ mindset, and community collaboration is key to success 🤝. Transparency, standardized ESG reporting metrics, and open data could be game-changers here, making it easier for investors and communities to understand the tangible impacts of NbS initiatives (don’t take our word for it—read what the academics are saying yourself). EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle isn’t blind to these challenges, noting that partnerships with experts like WWF can turn obstacles into opportunities.

A Future for Europe: Thriving in a Nature-Positive Way 🌿

This initiative aligns with Europe’s recent policy momentum, like the new EU Nature Restoration Law and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Through this partnership, EIB and WWF are giving a much-needed boost to Europe’s climate and biodiversity efforts, aiming for a future where Europe isn’t just surviving climate threats but thriving in a nature-positive way 🌿.

Sources

Anderegg WRL, Trugman AT, Wang J, Wu C (2022) Open science priorities for rigorous nature-based climate solutions. PLoS Biol 20(12): e3001929. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001929. Retrieved from: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.3001929

Boost for climate adaptation in Europe as EIB and WWF join forces to develop Nature-based Solutions at scale. (2024, October 29). WWF. Retrieved from https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/freshwater_practice/?12484891/Boost-for-climate-adaptation-in-Europe-as-EIB-and-WWF-join-forces-to-develop-Nature-based-Solutions-at-scale

'Boost for climate': European Investment Bank and conservation group WWF partner up. (2024, October 30). The Brussels Times. Retrieved from https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/1291091/boost-for-climate-european-investment-bank-and-conservation-group-wwf-partner-up

Boost for climate adaptation in Europe as EIB and WWF join forces to develop Nature-based Solutions at scale. (2024, October 29). European Investment Bank. Retrieved from https://www.eib.org/en/press/all/2024-402-boost-for-climate-adaptation-in-europe-as-eib-and-wwf-join-forces-to-develop-nature-based-solutions-at-scale