50 Investible Opportunities for a New Nature Economy 2026
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Operational uplifts
Land use
Ocean use
Freshwater use
Resource use
Pollution Low Moderate High
Opportunity description Primary nature impact Co-benefits Primary financial impact Transformative impact
Climate Social
Tech
maturityCapital
intensity Scalability
Agriculture, food and forestry
Deforestation and conversion-free
production
Production practices which do not
contribute to the destruction of forests
or conversion into agricultural land
Directly mitigates
forest clearing and
habitat conversionRevenue
increaseAgricultural producers
access conscious
consumers willing to
pay premium prices
Repurposing and recycling
agricultural and food waste
Practices aimed at reusing and
repurposing waste food materials into
alternative products (e.g. compost,
biogas and biofertilizer)
Minimizes resource
use through recycling
nutrients and waste
into new productsRevenue
increaseWaste management
providers earn waste
disposal fees and
revenue from by-
products
Sustainable seafood production
Environmentally responsible aquaculture
and wild fisheries management using low-
impact, traceable and restorative practices
Minimizes ocean
ecosystem impacts
and avoids
overexploitation
of stocksRevenue
increaseGrowing sales of
sustainable seafood
products for producers
Mining
Advanced analytics & AI integration
for mining exploration
Methods integrating geological,
geophysical, sensor and historical data
to improve exploration accuracy and
reduce drilling
Minimizes ground
disturbance from
ground-based
exploration teams and
heavy equipmentCapEx
reductionLowers direct
exploration costs and
capital in drilling for
mining companies
Autonomous drone and remote
sensing for mining exploration
Technologies that directly identify
and map mineral compositions
over large areas, enabling faster
and more precise exploration
Minimizes ground
disturbance from
ground-based
exploration teams and
heavy equipmentOpEx
reductionReplaces need for
expensive ground
machinery for mining
companies
Earth observation & imaging for mine
site management
Systems that enable precise terrain
mapping, monitoring of environmental
impacts and optimization of
operational layouts
Minimal emissions
and disturbance
from ground-based
observation and
managementRevenue
increaseGrowing demand for
technologies to shorten
exploration cycles
New methods for dust suppression
in mining processes
Processes that focus on reducing
dust emissions and conserving water
resources (e.g. advanced misting
cannons and fogging)
Reduces particulate
emissions more
effectively than
conventional methodsOpEx
reductionReduced water usage,
fewer maintenance
and health costs for
industrial operatorsOverview of operational uplift opportunities for nature FIGURE 7Many companies have already made significant
steps in decarbonizing their operations through
interventions that can deliver cost savings, such
as energy efficiency measures and switching
to renewable energy. Proven operational
improvements which are well understood and
typically deliver immediate business impacts also
exist for nature, providing quick cost and risk
reductions. These include: –Modular heat systems that improve thermal
efficiency across sites.
–Industrial water management systems that
optimize water use.
They typically have high technological maturity,
lower capital intensity and strong scalability,
enabling shorter payback periods and integration
into operations. 2.2 Operational uplifts
50 Investible Opportunities for a New Nature Economy
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