Unlocking Biodiversity Finance: Can Intermediaries Bridge the Gap Between Nature and Investment?

This discussion paper asks why nature-based solutions (NbS) struggle to attract mainstream private finance, given a biodiversity finance gap of US$722–967 billion a year. It identifies three recurring problems. Finance mechanisms vary, but all face barriers of ecological evidence, scale, risk and verification. Biodiversity measurement is fragmented, and financiers need comparable, auditable data. A governance and translation gap separates projects from investors. The paper proposes a BIOFIN Intermediary to aggregate projects, verify evidence and turn ecological performance into usable assurances for lenders. It favours flexible, interoperable measurement (for example a modular dashboard aligned with MAES and SEEA-EA) over a single metric. Drawing on Ireland’s Waters of LIFE learning site, it leaves open questions on the Intermediary’s authority, funding and accountability. It also asks how to de-risk private investment without rewarding weak ecological outcomes. It closes with nine consultation questions for practitioners, financiers and policymakers.