EKN Learning Zone

The Nature Finance UK Conference 2024 showcased the latest developments in the emerging UK nature market, including leading project case studies, funding mechanisms, and buyer and investor perspectives. Access all all the plenary sessions from the conference with this bundle.  Hear addresses from three government representatives:  Tom Arthur MSP,  Minister for Employment and Investment, Scottish Government Mary Creagh CBE MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature), HM Government Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water, Australian Government Gain an insight into the business perspective from Sir Ian Cheshire, Chair, We Mean Business Coalition, and discover how leading businesses are seizing the nature finance opportunity from our panel led by the Aldersgate Group, with representatives from Nestlé Waters UK, British Chambers of Commerce, Leonardo UK and Brabners LLP. Other key sessions include: Nature Investment Standards. With BSI, Soil Association Certification Ltd, CLA, eftec: economics for the environment consultancy Finding opportunity in rural land at a time of heightened climate and biodiversity concern. With Knight Frank, Trinity Natural Capital Group, ​National Parks Partnerships and Trinity NCM Evidencing environmental outcomes at the landscape scale. With the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Barclays, abrdn Investments The Nature Investment Partnership – Building a new model for responsible investment in nature and carbon in Scotland. With the University of Edinburgh Business School, abrdn Investments, National Wealth Fund, Palladium, NatureScot  With £5 Trillion in UK Pensions and Wealth: Mobilising asset owners to drive impact on nature—from stewardship to direct investment in natural capital. With Rebalance Earth, Redington and West Yorkshire Pension Fund What are the needs and constraints for UK businesses in becoming involved in nature finance? With Little Blue Research and Biodiversify Due to high demand we have also included the seminar "Investing in what matters most – the role of natural capital accounting in nature finance" with eftec, the UK's leading environmental economics consultancy.   Nature Finance UK Conference was our seventh annual nature finance conference, bringing together over 400 professionals across financial services, corporate sustainability, conservation, land management and government. In addition to plenary sessions, the in-person programme featured a series of seminars and networking opportunities, including an evening drinks reception. Tickets sold out prior to the event this year. If you are interested in joining next year please do register your interest here to be the first to receive updates on the programme and tickets.   Ecosystems Knowledge Network The Nature Finance UK Conference was organised by the Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN); an award-winning, independent forum that is harnessing the role of a healthy environment in people’s lives. We are a social enterprise and registered charity, working for the benefit of people like you throughout the UK. Your purchase of these recordings play a part in enabling us to provide more online and in-person events, e-learning courses, insights and e-news, as well as ensuring that we can make resources discoverable via our website. Join our nature finance hub,  to access further EKN resources, webinar recordings and receive our monthly e-news. If you have any questions or feedback, please do reach out to us at conference@ecosystemsknowledge.net   Read more

In the UK, nature markets are likely to become one of the main ways by which we secure the natural environment that everyone needs to thrive. Whether you are from a big business or a small community, it is important to know about this aspect of green and blue enterprise. Join this pioneering course to become familiar with what nature markets are all about and how to participate in them. The course doesn't require prior knowledge. It is designed for professionals who are prospective buyers, sellers and intermediaries in trading for nature-based carbon, biodiversity enhancement and other environmental outcomes. This course has been designed and created by the Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN), the award winning, knowledge-sharing charity, and organisers of the Nature Finance UK Conference, running since 2018. Read more

Nature Tech Expo 2024 was the UK’s first event dedicated to digital technologies that enable nature recovery. Hear from leaders in digital technology and nature recovery, providing their insights on a broad range of nature technologies, with sessions including: How tech can unlock finance for nature Demonstrating the power of citizen science and satellites for nature recovery  Artificial intelligence for nature recovery Deploying eDNA intelligently: key factors for success How to integrate acoustic and other data into the assessment of nature recovery Powering nature recovery with smartphones Powering nature recovery through digital games and visualisation Earth Observation, AI and nature recovery in UK rural landscapes Optimising and enabling nature recovery in river catchments through digital technologies Advancing digital technology for urban nature The role of Earth Observation   Presentations and panel sessions were led by experts across leading organisations that included the IUCN, the Natural History Museum, Amazon Web Services, the National Biodiversity Network Trust, Cognizant, Envance, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Nature Metrics, South of Scotland Enterprise, Highlands Rewilding, Gentian and more...   Explore our Nature Tech 2024 event page to explore the programme and speakers further here.   The event and on-demand access were organised by the award-winning Ecosystems Knowledge Network (EKN), an independent forum for harnessing the role of a healthy environment in people’s lives. We are a social enterprise and registered charity.   We aim to make all our resources accessible to those who need them. If you are unwaged or belong to a voluntary group, get in touch with us for discounts via conference@ecosystemsknowledge.net. Read more

Hear experts in environmental science, finance and investment explore the importance of working at the landscape scale to drive environmental outcomes through nature finance. UKCEH scientists will present how large-scale ecosystem management reveals critical interconnections and dependencies in nature. They highlight how science and monitoring are essential in understanding these complexities and predicting long-term environmental benefits. The panel explain how landscape-scale approaches can attract investment, exploring how data-driven insights can help forecast and track the financial returns of nature-based projects. Dr. Stuart Wainwright, Chief Executive of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Chair) Dana Clouston, Head of Sustainable Finance, Barclays Fraser Green, Head of Natural Capital Investment, abrdn Richard Pywell, Head of Biodiversity Research, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology   Session recording available as part of the Nature Finance UK 2024 bundle. Read more

Huge social and economic value can flow from the restoration of land, water and nature. In response, leading businesses and investors are seeking to work with current and future stewards of rural land in the UK. Join this session to discover how these relationships work in practice. It is led by experts from leading property business, Knight Frank, and invited guests. James Farrell, Head of Rural Consultancy, Knight Frank (Chair) Holly Story FAAV, Head of Nature Based Solutions, National Parks Partnerships Hosein Khajeh-Hosseiny, Founder, CEO & Chairman, Trinity NCM   Session recording available as part of the Nature Finance UK 2024 bundle. Read more

Learn how leading businesses are finding ways to become involved in funding and financing the natural environment that they and wider society need. This panel session with representatives of a diverse set of businesses is be chaired by Rachel Solomon Williams, Chief Executive of the Aldersgate Group. Rachel Solomon Williams, Chief Executive, Aldersgate Group (Chair) Emma Mansbridge, Sustainability Manager, Nestlé Waters UK Alex Veitch, Director of Policy and Insights, British Chambers of Commerce Ben Knight, Head of Sustainability, Leonardo UK Simon Lewis, Partner, Brabners LLP   Session recording available as part of the Nature Finance UK 2024 bundle.   Read more