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

Report

Corporate Sustainability Leaders

Connor Taylor

Ryan Skinner

31 Jul, 2025

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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.

Table of contents

Putting a price on nature requires structural innovation in the credit market

As a first mover, the EU is seeking to define and generate demand for nature credits

Bridging the finance and ecology divide is the key to launching the market

Three scenarios define the future of the EU’s nature credits market

Organisations mentioned

‘Nature Ecology & Evolution’, European Commission, Frontier, Google, Microsoft, Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)

About the Authors

Connor Taylor

Senior Analyst

Connor is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix. He focuses on delivering research to help senior executives navigate decarbonization decision-making and build effective strategies to...

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Ryan Skinner

Research Director

Ryan is a Research Director at Verdantix, where he leads a team of analysts delivering research, data and advisory services that help clients navigate the fast-evolving landsc...

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