Nature restoration is increasingly recognised not only as an environmental imperative, but also as a foundation for long-term economic competitiveness, resilience and security. Healthy ecosystems underpin food and water security, strengthen supply chains, reduce vulnerability to climate shocks, and support sustainable economic growth. Yet the key challenge remains how to move restoration from a grant-dependent activity to a revenue-generating investment opportunity capable of attracting private capital at scale.

This event will bring together governments, private investors, project developers and multilateral development banks to examine the business models, funding mechanisms and risk-sharing arrangements that can make restoration commercially viable. The discussion will focus on how restoration projects can generate sustainable revenue through mechanisms such as payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity and carbon markets, resilient agricultural and forestry value chains, water-related revenues, and outcome-based public incentive schemes.

Speakers will explore how public funding, philanthropy, concessional capital and MDB support can catalyse private investment, address residual risks and create investable portfolios that deliver measurable benefits for nature while enhancing economic resilience, strategic autonomy and long-term prosperity. The session will seek to answer a critical question: how can nature restoration move from being a cost to society to becoming an investable asset that strengthens both ecosystems and economies?