50 Investible Opportunities for a New Nature Economy Report Primer 2026

Operational uplift opportunities for nature FIGURE 3 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 operators Cross-sectoral Industrial water management systems Comprehensive water management approaches optimizing the use, treatment and recycling of water Reduces freshwater consumption through recycling and re-useOpEx reductionReduced water consumption and treatment costs Integrated heat systems Optimizing the capture, distribution and re-use of heat across sectors to reduce energy waste and environmental impacts Reduces fossil fuel consumption through recycling and reuseOpEx reductionProvides buffer from fuel price volatility for industrial operators by diversifying heat sources 50 Investible Opportunities for a New Nature Economy 8