Phase II funding for the Integrating Finance and Biodiversity Programme was announced in March 2024, and will extend to December 2026.
The original programme was launched in April 2023 with twelve pilot projects. They explored the gaps between the financial system and biodiversity, and have engaged with over 250 organisations. The emerging outcomes of Phase I prompted NERC to provide further support until April 2026 to shift from a project portfolio to an integrated Programme.
The vision is to build national capability bridging scientific, finance, policy and third sector communities, harnessing and catalysing world-leading science to enable the greening of finance for nature, and mobilisation of capital for nature recovery. This aligns with the goals of the 2023 UK Green Finance Strategy and Environmental Improvement Plan and helps set the global agenda.
Work is organised within three Flagship initiatives
Flagship 1: Financing Green Sector Transitions
Flagship 2: Greening Finance for Nature
Flagship 3: Financing Biodiversity
Supported by three Themes and the Hub
The Flagships are underpinned and supported by three Themes that are overseen by a Strategic Coordination and Integration Hub.
Theme 1: Data, tools and metrics
Theme 2: Capacity and innovation
Theme 3: UK nations and international co-operation
The Hub
The Programme as a whole will create an active and ongoing network of researchers and finance practitioners across the public, private, and third sectors.
Independent advisory group
The UK Financial Institutions for Nature Group, established by the Green Finance Institute, will act as the Programme’s independent advisory group. This group of 20 financial organisations will provide guidance on emerging research challenges, feedback on outputs and dissemination, and Programme delivery.