Private investment

Data from the Green Finance Institute shows that public spending, even if funding increases, will not be enough to reach the UK’s nature recovery goals. Additional private investment is crucial to build a Nature Positive economy, to protect nature and reverse its decline, improve water and air quality, facilitate carbon storage, and improve mental and physical health.

We believe that careful use of public money can ‘crowd in’ private sector funding through creating new, high-integrity environmental markets.

Governments must scale up incentives for private sector investment in nature restoration through: 

• Adopting net gain principles, or equivalent in planning and development
• Measures to drive more investment in natural flood risk management, water catchment restoration and other ecosystem services

There will be many other motivations for business and finance to invest in nature as economic challenges and opportunities evolve. Part of this transition will come from a growing understanding of the relationship between outcomes for nature and business.

We developed a natural capital account for our nature reserves in England as a contribution to this process, showing how the private sector can best measure the value of nature in decision-making. 

Restoring habitats is key to a nature-positive future and vital in tackling and adapting to climate change.

RSPB research showed nature restoration delivers fantastic returns, for example generating as much as £4 in benefits for every £1 spent on peatland. It also creates jobs and income for people.