Nature already mitigates a significant measure of human-made GHG emissions; approximately a quarter of these emissions are absorbed by trees, plants, and soil, while another quarter is absorbed into marine systems. Yet, if protected, sustainably managed, and restored, nature has the power to do even more.

Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) are climate mitigation technologies that harness natural processes to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With the potential mitigation impact of CO₂ annually, NCS can provide over a third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed worldwide to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and keep global warming below 2°C. Yet, less than 3% of global climate finance is going towards NCS, signalling an apparent gap between NCS potential and investment in that potential.

Support from the private sector plays a critical role in scaling NCS implementation. Businesses can catalyze significant reductions of GHG emissions through investments in NCS – not only to address their own company's footprint but also to drive transitional change for entire sectors. Conversely, NCS presents a wealth of opportunities to businesses – with a range of motivations – in achieving their internal corporate goals while also supporting the advancement of national climate targets within their operation countries.

This joint report by Conservation International, DBS Bank, National University of Singapore (NUS), and Temasek highlights opportunities for businesses to invest in NCS – particularly those in Southeast Asia – to stimulate the implementation of NCS at scale.