Financing Nature in and from Europe

Norfolk Water Fund

United Kingdom

The Norfolk Water Fund, one of Europe’s first dedicated water funds, demonstrates how public, private and philanthropic capital can be aligned to scale nature‑based solutions (NbS) that deliver measurable environmental, economic and community benefits.

The NWF business plan demonstrates how environmental markets can deliver NbS that strengthen water security, improve ecological health and create a new investment pathway for long‑term watershed resilience.

TNC played a central role in shaping the fund’s development, contributing technical expertise, watershed modelling and partnership support to help establish a robust business plan and a scalable portfolio of projects aimed at reducing water risk across the region.

Wendling Beck Biodiversity Net Gain

United Kingdom

The Wendling Beck Project demonstrates how the biodiversity net gain (BNG) market can support large-scale habitat restoration, regenerative agriculture and eco-tourism.

Covering approximately 800 hectares, the project shows that habitat banking can align economic incentives with biodiversity goals, offering opportunities for private sector investment whilst integrating regenerative agriculture, supporting wider farm income diversification and improving access to nature for local communities.

TNC provided seed funding, project development and management support, and collaborated on communications planning and business case building.

Driving the EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL)

European Union

The Nature Restoration Law aims to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and seas, with specific targets including reversing the decline of pollinators and restoring 25,000 kilometres of rivers to free-flowing conditions. The aim is to align EU policy with global commitments made by almost 200 countries to restore and protect at least 30% of our planet’s degraded ecosystems by 2030. 

TNC is working actively to support and drive the implementation of the NRL through pilot projects that contribute toward the achievement of targets and goals. Additionally, we publish research, frameworks and policy briefings designed to maintain the momentum behind the NRL and assist the development of effective institutional structures and funding programmes.

Enduring Earth: Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) Model

Gabon, Namibia & Mongolia

Enduring Earth is an ambitious NGO collaboration that works with governments, local communities and other stakeholders and rightsholders to mobilise ambition, resources and permanent funding for nations to address biodiversity loss and climate change.

The Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model is where governments, communities and relevant stakeholders formally commit to a plan to achieve long-term conservation outcomes and establish sustainable financial mechanisms to secure funding flows to cover the costs.

TNC shares staff and technical expertise with participating countries to help develop long-term, holistic conservation plans and uses its network in European donor communities to facilitate the necessary funding.

Impact Investment Funds

Global

Impact investment funds channel capital into businesses and projects that aim to deliver measurable impact alongside investor returns. TNC often works with private sector collaborators to structure and implement these types of funds to achieve conservation, climate and community impacts at scale.

TNC’s dedicated impact investing team, NatureVest, works across sectors such as forestry and carbon, water and agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, renewable energy, and conservation tourism. In many cases, NatureVest collaborates with experienced fund managers and serves as the impact manager or conservation advisor throughout the life of the fund.

NatureVest’s portfolio represents more than $4 billion USD in committed capital for projects across more than 25 countries. Public and private European and U.S. financial institutions, both impact‑focused and conventional, drive much of these capital flows. These projects offer opportunities to collaborate with TNC on scalable, nature‑positive solutions.

Nature Bonds & Debt Refinancing

Seychelles, Belize, Barbados, Gabon, The Bahamas & Ecuador

Nature bonds, or debt-for-nature swaps, are deals that refinance portions of a country's national debt in a way that secures funding for conservation activities, enables valuable returns to improve the resilience of economies and communities, and can help reduce the country’s debt burden.

An approach pioneered and led by the NatureVest team, TNC works with private finance partners from across Europe and the U.S. to provide credit enhancement and commercial capital, often leading to a reduction in outstanding debt, lower interest rates and longer repayment periods.

When applying these new financial flows, TNC lends its scientific, technical and planning expertise to help develop and expand nature conservation programmes and identify areas for sustainable economic activity.