The business case for nature-based solutions

Directors play a critical role in embedding nature-based solutions into governance, risk management and long-term business strategy. Whether through biodiversity credits, carbon markets or nature-based infrastructure, forward-thinking boards are shifting their mindset: nature is no longer just a resource, it is an asset.

The Netherlands’ NL2120 initiative to build climate resilience aims to address ecological and societal challenges by integrating spatial planning, nature-based solutions and infrastructure investment. It brings together more than 25 partners including engineers, farmers, scientists and businesses to integrate nature-driven technological innovations with ecological and social impact.

Aimee Blake and Catherine van der Meulen, co-founders of Kiwi primary sector group Girls Who Grow, spent three weeks in the Netherlands supported by AGMARDT (the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust). One of the key insights from their trip was that nature-based solutions must be treated as economic infrastructure, not discretionary environmental spending.

The pair presented a webinar in March for Entrepreneurial Women with Purpose on their findings from the trip.

“Nature-based solutions are not just about conservation; they are about economic resilience. The Netherlands is proving that investing in green infrastructure pays off in reduced flood damage, increased property values and long-term economic stability,” Blake told webinar attendees.

This economic logic applies equally to New Zealand, where climate-related risks from floods to droughts are already impacting property values, insurance costs and supply chains. The business case is clear – investing in nature today reduces financial exposure tomorrow.

NL2120 demonstrates how effective policy coordination and financial incentives can accelerate adoption of nature-based initiatives. NL2120 started with a 100-year map, outlining potential climate scenarios and adaptation strategies. This vision-driven, science-backed approach has provided the certainty needed to attract investment. More than €110 million in funding was secured for the initiative, predominately from the Dutch Growth Fund - Ministry of Infrastructure and Water – with support from other public and private organisations. 

As Blake noted: “The Netherlands has proven that large-scale nature-based solutions projects need more than just political will – they need structured investment strategies and cross-sector collaboration.”

Boffa Miskell recently released a roadmap for nature-based solutions commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment. The Roadmap for Scaling Nature-based solutions for Climate Adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand highlights that, while New Zealand is well-positioned to lead in this space, uptake remains slow due to financial and governance barriers. While government policies provide an enabling framework, it is the private sector, including directors and investors, that will ultimately determine the pace and scale of implementation. 

New Zealand’s second emissions reduction plan 2026-30 similarly highlights the role of nature-based solutions for achieving emissions budgets and targets, and nature-based solutions is one of the five pillars of New Zealand’s climate strategy.

The financial return on nature-based solutions is increasingly clear. According to the Roadmap, land-based ecosystem services contribute up to 27 per cent of New Zealand’s GDP, yet many of these services remain undervalued in financial decision-making and the nature-based solutions investment landscape remains fragmented, with a lack of high-level policy integration and established financial incentives.

For directors, nature presents both risks and opportunities, but by embedding nature-based solutions into governance today, businesses can secure financial resilience, long-term value creation and help drive economic transformation.

As the NL2120 initiative has shown, the best time to invest in nature was yesterday. The second-best time is now.

Considerations for directors from NL2120:

• Recognising nature as an asset: Boards must incorporate ecosystem services into financial planning and risk management, ensuring nature is treated as core business infrastructure
• Leveraging policy and financial mechanisms: Directors should advocate for biodiversity credits, nature-based solutions bonds and private-public investment models to unlock large-scale funding
• Embedding nature-based solutions into decision-making: Governance structures must evolve to ensure nature-positive strategies are long-term business imperatives, not short-term sustainability add-ons