Nature Transformation Fund

Support pioneering initiatives around the world benefiting people and biodiversity

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Our solution

Financing nature-positive action

The Nature Transformation Fund (NTF) is a curated portfolio aimed at driving significant environmental change and meeting Global Biodiversity Targets. Supported by leading experts and built on a comprehensive impact-first framework, the NTF is dedicated to creating tangible benefits for the planet.

Our projects cover key areas such as policy advocacy and legal representation for indigenous communities, forest protection and restoration, and marine ecosystem conservation. We are currently selecting innovative finance projects, with exciting developments soon to be announced.

The NTF strategically supports projects under three essential pillars, balancing immediate needs with long-term goals:

Ecosystem health
Policy & accountability
Innovative finance

Ecosystem Health

Policy & Accountability

Innovative Finance

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Framework

Nature Transformation Fund Pillars

The Nature Transformation Fund encompasses a wide array of projects, each addressing different themes and approaches. We focus on three main pillars, which support the fund's overall framework. Within each pillar, various projects pursue similar goals through different methods.

Ecosystem Health

Projects in this pillar support the protection and restoration of freshwater, land, and ocean realms, crucial for meeting the '30x30' targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This ambitious goal seeks to effectively protect and manage 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by 2030. Achieving this is vital as currently, only about 17% of land and 8% of marine areas are under some form of protection. These efforts are essential to address the intertwined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, ensuring the survival of natural systems that protect human well-being and support all life on Earth.

Example project

Suriname stands as the only nation maintaining over 90% of its original forest, a remarkable environmental feat. To preserve this legacy, new legislation is being crafted to declare millions of hectares as protected areas. However, these forests currently face unprecedented threats, including agriculture, mining, and road development. Addressing this, Re:wild, in collaboration with the Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) and the newly formed local NGO Wildlife and People, is empowering South Suriname's Indigenous communities, particularly the Trio people, to protect their ancestral lands.

Policy & Accountability

Projects in this pillar emphasize the role of local communities as part of the solution through championing science-backed policies, strategic litigation, and strong accountability mechanisms. Recognizing that the insights and experiences from affected communities are invaluable in crafting effective and just policies that not only protect the environment but also pave the way for a socially just transition.

Example project

Blue Marine Foundation is dedicated to restoring the ocean to health by protecting and restoring marine life. Using a combination of top-down interventions to improve ocean governance and bottom-up project delivery that empowers fishers and local communities, their mission is to see at least 30 percent of the world’s ocean under effective protection by 2030 and the other 70 percent managed in a responsible way.

Innovative Finance

Innovative finance focuses on developing financial strategies to sustainably manage and preserve natural resources. It seeks to secure continuous funding and unlock extra resources for long-term environmental stewardship. Mechanisms like conservation finance and blended finance, harness economic incentives to support conservation efforts and generate financial benefits. Additionally, they encourage community participation and ownership.

Methodology

Key drivers of quality

We collaborate with a broad network of experts and maintain a robust portfolio management system to ensure high quality and scientific rigor. The NTF is overseen by two main portfolio managers who work closely with an external advisory group.

Portfolio managers

Jill Raval is a sustainability expert specializing in marine and freshwater ecosystem conservation and sustainable finance. Her career has been marked by significant roles at the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), where she led over ten projects to approval by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Jill’s contributions include prominent initiatives in conservation finance, freshwater and marine governance, blue economy and wastewater management. She has actively worked with NGOs, CSOs, and intergovernmental agencies to advance sustainability practices. A graduate of the Stockholm Resilience Center, Jill’s research there provided deeper insights into the blue economy and the financial sector's role in sustainable practices. Currently, she works as our Senior Impact & Partnership Manager, managing some of Milkywire's nature related funds.

Jill Raval

Portfolio Manager

Natalya holds a PhD in Environmental Science and has previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher on International Forest Policy at the Department of Forest Science at the University of Helsinki. There she focused on the forest-climate nexus in implementation of the EU climate commitments. Natalya has extensive experience working as a consultant in natural resource management and development of sustainability policies for several international and donor organizations such as UNEP, UNDP, and GIZ.