Sustainable Festival: UNEP's Mulder says asset owners must take nature-based investment more seriously

Investment gap must be closed

There is a huge need to invest in assets that protect our nature and climate, according to Ivo Mulder, head of the climate finance unit at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), who highlighted a startling lack of funding for sustainable land and other nature investments.

Speaking at the Sustainable Investment Festival, Mulder highlighted a huge discrepancy between the reliance of our financial systems on nature and the amount currently invested in nature-based solutions. Pointing to data from the World Economic Forum, he noted that around 50% of the global economy is dependent on nature, translating to some $22trn in assets. However, at present, investment in nature-based solutions represent just 0.1% of global GDP. While it is encouraging that renewable energy is now seeing higher levels of investment that fossil fuels every year - $280bn versus $10...