Biodiversity finance: What has been achieved and where is it heading

The planet's natural resources and that biodiversity are showing a marked decline. In this paper we examine the role financial markets are taking in addressing the nature crisis. To date, the scale of financial capital being directed into nature and biodiversity solutions is well below required levels. We highlight the plentiful nature-related resources already available, despite a financial markets perception to the contrary, and discuss why the capiatl markets may be resistant to financing nature. Financial markets are great innovators, evidenced by the number of nature-related instruments available, showing that intellectual capital is being applied to this issue. We propose ways in which the academic community can be instrumental in directing the necessary financial flows into nature recovery solutions.