13th July 2023

James Alexander, chair at Finance Earth, explains why we urgently need to invest billions in restoring nature

Welcome to 20/30 Visions, a new Bridges series in which we ask experts and thought-leaders from around the globe: what needs to change if we want to build a more sustainable and inclusive future in the next decade? And how do we make that change happen?

We are hugely reliant on nature; it is the bedrock of a healthy society and a healthy economy. Yet the human race continues to damage nature in profound ways. We urgently need to invest in restoring nature – but the current funding gap between existing commitments and the amount required is thought to be around $700bn a year globally.

For this episode of 20/30 Visions, we caught up with James Alexander, chair of Finance Earth, a social enterprise set up to try and channel more private and public capital to invest in nature, climate and communities. We discuss:

  • The scale and urgency of the challenge we face when it comes to nature
  • Why natural capital solutions may be the key to tackling climate change
  • How the UK government is trying to kick-start the market
  • Marrying his passion for sustainability with his interest in innovative finance
  • The challenge of human nature
  • Why it’s time to mandate action – and punish laggards
  • and more

 

Watch our conversation here:

Or you can download James’s insights to read as a PDF here

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