The European Commission has unveiled its “Roadmap towards Nature Credits”, a new initiative aimed at establishing a credible market for nature credits. The goal is to channel private capital from companies and investors to support farmers and foresters in implementing biodiversity and ecosystem protection efforts.

Much like carbon credits, which quantify actions to reduce or remove carbon emissions, nature credits will represent verified activities that restore and conserve ecosystems and biodiversity. These credits will be based on measurable, nature-focused outcomes using clearly defined indicators and metrics.

The initiative comes in response to growing concerns over biodiversity loss and climate change, which pose serious risks to agriculture and food systems. Despite this urgency, a significant financial gap—estimated at €37 billion annually—remains in supporting biodiversity-enhancing practices across Europe. Nature credits are expected to help close this gap by enabling companies to purchase credits to meet sustainability goals, with the proceeds going directly to land managers to fund sustainable practices and reinvestment.

The roadmap aims to build a reliable and transparent nature credit system that boosts investor confidence in nature-positive actions such as pollinator support and dryland restoration. This approach also aims to promote sustainable farming models and safeguard long-term food security in the EU. To ensure credibility and ease of participation, the Commission plans to establish clear standards, reliable certification processes, and minimize administrative burdens for credit providers.

As part of the roadmap, the Commission will set up an expert group—including member states, stakeholders, and technical specialists—to co-create methodologies and governance frameworks for certification. A pilot project will be launched between 2025 and 2027, with initial results expected in 2026. Based on pilot outcomes, further steps will be taken to scale up nature credit markets across the EU.

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