Nature's Curtain Call - Act 2

In this “Act 2” edition, we spotlight the pivotal moments and emerging themes that followed New York Climate Week in the lead-up to COP30. Investors, policymakers, innovators, and storytellers alike are beginning to recognize Nature not as a backdrop, but as foundational infrastructure — integral to climate action, economic resilience, and human flourishing. 

The script is still being written, but the direction is unmistakable: optimism is in the air, Nature’s starring role in the global economy is moving to center stage, and we’re fortunate to witness — and help shape — this transformative performance.

(In case you missed it, view "Act 1" here)

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What we have been up to

THE NAT GALA

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New York Climate Week kicked off in style with THE NAT Gala, marking the beginning of a 10-year cultural movement for Nature to close the $711 billion annual nature finance gap. This Forbes' article, "Inside the Met Gala for Nature: Can Star Power Close a Billion-dollar gap?", sums up what’s possible when creativity meets conviction.  It also gives a nod to our small and mighty team, along with the voices of our NAT Stewards, extraordinary speakers, and honorees including Stella McCartney, Sylvia Earl, Harrison Ford, Billie Eilish, Jane Fonda, Peter Seligmann, Al Gore, and many more. 

What’s next:

• Funds raised from the Gala go to THE NAT FUND in support of restoration projects for forests and oceans with Conservation International, empowering youth storytellers through Open Planet, and educating the next generation of nature stewards with UNICEF.

• Continue to build off this simple equation:

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THE NAT SOLUTION SERIES

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This solution series spotlighted:

• Finance — reframing nature as an asset class, shifting capital flows from exploiting nature to protecting and restoring it; and mobilizing capital at scale (read Hari's crazy Finance session takeaways here) 

• Fashion — challenging extractive norms and elevating regenerative design  

• Innovation — showcasing frontier tech and AI-based pilots  

• Food — reimagining supply chains and celebrating biodiversity as a business imperative 

• Futures — inspiring the next gen with how to make nature part of their future  

What’s next:  Integrate feedback into the Nature Investment Playbook that mimics the rise of infrastructure finance over the past 20 years. Geared to institutions, this Playbook will focus on practical solutions and deployment pathways for nature-positive finance.  We aim to launch a beta version, with community input, in time for Davos in January.

“Nature is generous. Nature is incredibly resilient. If we give it a chance, it actually comes back with a product, with a result, with a financial return. And that is what this movement is about.” - Patricia Zurita, Chief Strategy Officer, Conservation International 

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What's catching attention

In October, Hari had the privilege of joining agri-food leaders for the EAT x Re:food Solvable Summit and the Stockholm Food Forum to reimagine the future of food systems. A key highlight: the release of the scientific roadmap for feeding 10 billion people by 2050 within planetary limits: the 2025 EAT–Lancet Commission Report. 

This report updates the Planetary Health Diet and shows how a global shift in diets could restore both people and planet.

Systemiq's report, Returns on Resilience: Investing in Adaptation to Drive Prosperity, Growth and Competitiveness, shows that investing in climate and nature resilience could create over 280 million jobs and unlock a trillion-dollar market opportunity across emerging markets by 2035.

Key finding: investments in adaptation deliver four times more benefits than costs, with an average annual return rate of 25%.

The Exponential Business Playbook 4.0 is a guide for CEOs, managers, and employees aiming to drive and accelerate the rapid economic transition needed to secure a livable planet.

Focused on 4 Climate Pillars, the playbook offers a strategic framework for target setting, transition planning, implementation, and disclosure that aligns with the 1.5°C ambition.

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What else is gaining momentum

AI FOR GOOD:  A key theme from the Climate Collective’s AI Explorers Summit was this: how can we decrease AI’s ‘footprint’ (negative environmental and social impacts) and increase our ‘handprint’ (positive contributions).   

• On decreasing AI’s ‘footprint’, know which tech companies are powering AI with clean renewable energy versus dirty energy. Not all AI is created equal when it comes to climate change. In fact, some AI platform queries have lower emissions contributions than simple web searches (check out MIT Technology Review's article on the math on AI’s energy footprint).

• On increasing our ‘handprint’, use earth-aligned AI to advance your vital work. The Exponential Roadmap Initiative released this AI white paper that speaks to the Earth Alignment principle and four sustainable tipping points to drive sustainable transformation.

As Samhir Vasdev, founder of Dev Design Consulting said during the Summit, “The time to ‘ah ha’ is shorter”. How will you ‘ah ha’ to leverage AI’s potential while adopting practices to minimize its environmental impact?

A NEW WAVE OF OCEAN PROTECTION: The UN High Seas Treaty will officially take effect in January 2026. This ‘ocean-mark’ agreement will trigger a new era for ocean conservation of the high seas, which covers two-thirds of the world’s ocean area beyond boundaries, helping to achieve international biodiversity targets.

COUNTING CARBON, VALUING NATURE: There’s growing global pressure for higher-quality carbon credits and stronger regulation. At COP30, the focus will be on getting the technical rules and integrity guardrails right to make carbon markets operational under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.This Forbes article, "New UN carbon market rules could reshape how investors value nature", speaks to the permanence of carbon markets (how long CO2 must stay stored to count towards offsetting emissions) and how nature-based solutions (like forests, soils, and mangroves) are being treated as investable climate assets.

Why it matters: For investors and companies pursuing net-zero goals, the outcome will determine which credits count, which don’t, and how transition portfolios are priced in the coming decade.

What’s needed: A portfolio approach that blends solutions across time horizons and risk levels. As TNC’s Beatriz Granziera notes, “We need solutions that act now and later.”

EMISSIONS TO INFLUENCE: Corporate climate action is shifting toward a more holistic approach — recognizing companies not just for decarbonizing supply chains, but also for investing in solutions, shaping policy, and influencing culture.

Futerra and Oxford Net Zero's white paper on Spheres of Influence, a framework that widens the picture on how company's report on emissions to include its net zero influence to enable systemic change through product/service innovation, financial flows, or policy advocacy.

ROI GETS AN UPGRADE: When you think about "ROI", think about Nature's Return on Investment and the Risk of Inaction. Companies and portfolios are feeling the climate effects of both physical and transition risks now.

• Markets are channeling more investment into clean energy and resilient infrastructure, while adapting to climate impacts already here.

• The risk of inaction costs more.

Though the specific language may change, the story of risk reduction and value creation remains the same.

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eCOaDVISORS PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Our team, in partnership with Conservation International, is supporting a Southern African Rangelands restoration project in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, spanning South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. This multi-partner project aims aligns with the Global Biodiversity Framework to help build nature-positive economies across 4.8 million hectares of vital habitat.

As part of this effort, Jessica Donovan and Heidi Gjertsen recently led a Resilient Women's Leadership Conservation Training program, empowering 34 women from 10 partner organizations. Through sessions on leadership styles, resilience, communication, and vision-setting, participants formed ongoing support circles and began individualized coaching to strengthen their leadership journeys. Many described the training as transformative—an inspiring step toward more resilient and inclusive conservation leadership!

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Nature is the most foundational infrastructure we have, yet it is largely undervalued and underinvested. The next 'Act' aims to change that.

Like any great performance, it's best experienced together. Whether it’s the family you were born into or the cast and crew you build along the way, the real magic happens when we come together.  As alluded to earlier on, THE NAT, supported by EcoAdvisors, was created to build that community — a family centered around Nature. Grateful to have you as part of the Nature family.