On 3 February 2026, LAND4CLIMATE contributed to the 49th edition of ICLEI Europe’s Breakfast at Sustainability, held in Brussels alongside the NATURANCE Festival “Insurance and Investment Opportunities for Nature-Based Transformations". The event gathered experts and decision-makers from European institutions, financial organisations, research bodies, business networks and civil society to explore how the concept of a Nature-Positive Economy can be translated into practical governance, policy and financing mechanisms. Peter Davids (TU Dortmund) and Marcelo Gerlach (ICLEI Europe) represented LAND4CLIMATE, focusing on the role of private land in scaling nature-based solutions (NbS) and the development of innovative financing approaches.
Highlighting the role of private land in NbS implementation
Peter Davids emphasised that unlocking the potential of private land is essential to expand the implementation of NbS across Europe. While public land plays an important role in climate adaptation and biodiversity strategies, a large share of European land is privately owned, making landowners key actors in achieving climate resilience and ecosystem restoration goals. He also presented LAND4CLIMATE’s work on developing innovative business models proposals for financing NbS on private land. These approaches seek to create viable economic incentives for landowners while ensuring that NbS deliver measurable environmental and societal benefits.
Bringing a private land perspective to Nature-Positive Economy principles
The event focused on the Nature-Positive Economy Guiding Principles presented by Francesca Magnolo (INBO). Peter Davids moderated discussions on these principles from a private landowner perspective, bringing forward insights aligned with LAND4CLIMATE’s research and implementation work. Debates around the guiding principles stressed the urgency of practical, place-based guidance on how to finance NbS on private land in the long term, as well as the importance of clear and realistic indicators that demonstrate value to landowners and support payment schemes, turning monitoring into a tool for empowerment rather than bureaucracy.
Strengthening cross-sector collaboration for a Nature-Positive transition
The Nature-Positive Economy represents a critical convergence point across policy, finance, business, research and the private sector. The event marked a moment of alignment across multiple EU-funded initiatives and global platforms, each addressing different aspects of the transition. NATURANCE focused on standardisation and risk reduction. BIOFIN contributed perspectives on financial system transformation. NetworkNature emphasised community building and scaling, showcasing tools and forums to accelerate uptake across Europe, with a focus on finance and business models for NbS.
This article was written by Marcelo Gerlach and Matteo Caoduro from LAND4CLIMATE consortium partner ICLEI Europe
