Helsinki, 23rd-24th of October 2025 – The upcoming European Business and Nature Summit (EBNS) 2025 in Helsinki will host the launch of the NbS Task Force 3 Expert Publication, a landmark synthesis of research and innovation on the economic case of NbS, financing and business models for a nature positive economy. The publication will be presented in the technical session “Rationale and barriers to transformative change”, led by Trinity College Dublin and Horizon Nua.
Drawing on the findings of 44 EU funded NbS projects, the publication sets out the policy imperative and pathways for transitioning to a competitive and resilient Nature Positive Economy (NPE). It argues for an economic model that prioritises full ecological recovery while supporting the well-being of society.
The Executive Summary highlights the urgent context. The world is facing a converging polycrisis of economic instability, social inequality, climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence, nature remains largely invisible in dominant economic policies. With more than half of global GDP dependent on nature, the report warns of the systemic risks that unchecked biodiversity decline poses to Europe’s long term stability and competitiveness.
Key messages include:
• Nature is the foundation, underpinning the economy and human well-being, yet it is still being undermined by mainstream economic activities.
• Biodiversity loss represents a systemic and material financial risk. Two thirds of EU Gross Value Added depends on nature, while 75 percent of Euro area bank loans are tied to companies reliant on ecosystem services.
• Tackling the drivers of biodiversity loss such as land use change, overexploitation and pollution is as essential as decarbonisation.
• A Nature Positive Economy is one where the combined result of all activities leads to a full ecological recovery and improved well-being for society.
• Nature based Solutions (NbS) and Nature based Enterprises (NbEs) are central pillars of this transition, with strong potential for climate resilience, nature restoration and sustainable job creation.
The publication also calls for systemic reforms. These include redirecting harmful subsidies, embedding nature into EU competitiveness strategies, developing well-being metrics beyond GDP and scaling NbS across agriculture, forestry, the blue economy and the built environment.
At EBNS 2025, the launch will take place alongside other technical sessions on redirecting finance for regenerative agriculture (The Nature Conservancy), implementing nature strategies (UN Global Compact Nordics), and transforming corporate engagement through investor action (Finance for Biodiversity Foundation).
