Nature-Based Solutions: the new pillar of the environmental transition

The protection of ecosystems has become one of the new pillars of global climate action—this was the clear signal sent by COP30, held for the first time in the Amazon, a region emblematic of major environmental and economic challenges. Forests, soils and mangroves play a decisive role in carbon sequestration, climate adaptation and territorial resilience.

Yet the challenge remains immense. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), nearly five million hectares of forest disappear every year, making the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C increasingly fragile. Beyond climate issues, the economic stakes are equally significant: according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), half of global GDP directly depends on nature-related ecosystems. Their rapid degradation weakens value chains, food security and access to drinking water. 

The rise of nature risk

In response to this situation, COP30 reinforced the role of Nature-Based Solutions and validated several structuring advances, including the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF). Supported by 53 countries, this initiative was accompanied by funding commitments of $6.7 billion, with the ambition of mobilizing large-scale financing for forest protection and restoration.

However, this remains insufficient. According to the State of Finance for Forests 2025 report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), forest financing requires an urgent response from the financial sector. Investments will need to more than triple by 2030 to meet climate and biodiversity objectives.

Ardian, a pioneer in Nature-Based Solutions strategies

For institutional investors, biodiversity is becoming a tangible issue. Ecosystem degradation exposes companies—and therefore portfolios—to growing physical, regulatory, political and reputational risks worldwide. Nature risk is increasingly emerging as a structuring factor in capital allocation, on par with climate risk.

Convinced that decarbonization cannot be addressed solely through emission reductions, Ardian was one of the first major European asset managers to structure a large-scale, credible and deployable NBS strategy. With Averrhoa Ardian Nature Based Solutions, Ardian launched in 2024 an Article 9 fund, subject to strict requirements in terms of measurable outcomes, additionality and monitoring. As explained by Damien Braud, Head of NBS: “For this type of project to make sense, it must demonstrate concrete and measurable impacts over time.”

The fund was launched in partnership with aDryada, a specialist in the development and management of ecosystem restoration projects. “We don’t know how to plant trees, but we do know how to finance and support developers capable of doing it at scale, with local expertise and robust governance,” says Damien Braud.

The fund targets projects in reforestation, agroforestry, ecosystem restoration and regreening, including wetlands and mangrove restoration, across Latin America, Africa and Asia. The ambition is to recreate biodiversity-friendly habitats, support local economies and generate high-integrity carbon credits. “The goal is to create new carbon sinks, not simply preserve existing ones,” Damien Braud emphasizes. The objective is to sequester approximately 85 million tonnes of CO₂ over 40 years. 

The growing success of high-integrity carbon credits

Ardian’s Nature Based Solutions strategy is anchored within its Infrastructure platform and benefits from the expertise of Ardian’s teams. This organization reflects Ardian’s intention to treat Nature-Based Solutions as genuine long-term physical assets—capital-intensive and based on structured economic cash flows. This approach is consistent with Ardian’s broader transition strategy, already illustrated by HY24, dedicated to hydrogen infrastructure.

Beyond environmental impact, the NBS strategy fits into a long-term economic rationale. With the growing number of companies pursuing trajectories validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)—more than 11,000 worldwide today, compared to just a few hundred five years ago—the need for reliable and credible solutions to offset unavoidable emissions is increasing. In this context, several major international groups have already expressed interest in long-term purchase agreements for high-integrity carbon credits. This provides revenue visibility and makes large-scale initiatives financeable. 

Next step: biodiversity credits

Ardian is also anticipating the next phase of this momentum: the emergence of biodiversity credits. Still at a pilot stage, these mechanisms aim to financially value biodiversity restoration or protection by integrating criteria related to habitats and species.

“Carbon is a logical first step because the market is already structured. But biodiversity is just as essential. In the long term, biodiversity credits will also play an important role,” analyses Damien Braud. 

A structuring first closing

The announcement, during COP30, of a first closing of €100 million for Ardian’s Nature Based Solutions fund marks a key milestone. Supported by several major international development institutions—the European Investment Bank (EIB), Proparco, British International Investment, and the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF)—this financing plays a crucial anchoring and credibility role. In June 2026, Société Générale announced a €100m investment in the Fund.

The NBS team continues to develop its strategy thanks to a strong pipeline in Latin America, based on rigorous developer selection. In January 2026, a new partnership was announced with NatuRe, a local developer, for the reforestation of 15,000 hectares. These recent developments illustrate Ardian’s ability to industrialize nature-based solutions, mobilize large-scale financing and deliver on the ambitions set out at COP30.

Supported by major international institutions, underpinned by solid operational expertise and integrated into a global transition strategy, Ardian’s Nature Based Solutions fund offers a rare combination within European finance. It also stands out for its long-term vision, extending beyond political cycles and short-term fluctuations.

“There may be phases of slowdown linked to the political context, but there will be no turning back,” Damien Braud believes, remaining confident in the lasting commitment of economic and financial players.