Strategic Focus: How To Think About The Budding European Nature Credits Market

Executive Summary

In July 2025, the European Commission published the ‘Roadmap towards Nature Credits’, signalling the EU’s intention to establish and directly support a dedicated nature credits market. Mobilizing private capital for nature action supports the EU’s aim of investing 10% of its budget in biodiversity protection and restoration. The EU’s nature credits market would be the first of its kind – but to get there, policy makers and stakeholders must learn from the embattled voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) and solve one key question: can nature action be represented by fungible credits? This report helps both corporate offset buyers and project developers understand the EU’s ambition and outlines potential development pathways.