The European Commission is launching a new roadmap to develop a voluntary market for nature credits, aiming to attract private investment into biodiversity restoration and ecosystem protection, according to an announcement made on Monday.
These credits will reward measurable, nature-positive actions—like reforestation or wetland restoration—offering certified investment opportunities to businesses, landowners, and communities.
The European Union hopes to mobilize funds to help close an estimated biodiversity investment gap amounting to $76 billion (€65 billion) a year.
So far, $8.2 billion (€7 billion) has been committed by 2027, including pilot programs in France, Estonia, and Peru.
Nature credits will be designed with clear standards and certification to avoid greenwashing and ensure transparency.
They are expected to not only improve environmental health but also offer reputational and financial benefits for investors.
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The Commission stresses that protecting nature is both an ecological and economic imperative, as 75% of eurozone businesses depend on ecosystem services.
“We have to put nature on the balance sheet,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “When well-designed, they will provide an efficient, market-driven instrument.”
The roadmap outlines a bottom-up approach, encouraging wide stakeholder involvement.
A new expert group will help shape the initiative, and an open feedback period runs until 30 September 2025.
Nature credits align with broader EU strategies on sustainability, agriculture, water resilience, and ocean policy.
The initiative also supports global biodiversity goals under the Kunming-Montreal Framework, a key outcome of the 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference.
“With this roadmap, we are taking a bold step to recognise nature as a strategic asset for Europe’s future,” said Commissioner Jessika Roswall.
The full text of the Commission’s communication, titled Roadmap towards Nature Credits, is available here.
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