Billions of euros are available for nature restoration - but they fail to reach their destination. Not because of a lack of will, but because of a fundamental problem: There is no shared language for nature
The Core Problem: Why Nature Markets Don't Scale
Climate protection has CO₂ equivalents. Nature has – nothing comparable. This asymmetry has dramatic consequences:
1. Loss of Trust
Investments in nature today pay for activities, not outcomes. Forests are planted, but no one measures whether the ecosystem actually recovers. Without transparent impact evidence, every nature investment remains subject to greenwashing accusations.
2. War of Indicators
There are over 300 biodiversity indicators in Europe. Each initiative, each standard, each software solution develops its own measurement logic. The result: The more actors enter the market, the greater the fragmentation – and the further away the goal of shared quality.
3. From Data to Action Gap
Modern technologies can precisely capture risks. But they rarely translate them into concrete, site-specific actions. "Your forest has a problem" is not a decision – "Here are three options for that site" is.
"The next frontier for nature tech isn't identifying risk — it's telling us what to do about it." – Eric Wilburn, Industry Expert
The Solution: A Trust Infrastructure for Nature Data
The energy transition shows how it works: First infrastructure creates trust and a market. Nature needs a similar development – a Nature Intelligence Infrastructure (NII) built on two pillars:
Pillar 1: Rule & Quality Infrastructure
An open, neutral framework where measurement logic is operationalized based on Ecosystem Condition (EC). This includes:
- Harmonized measurement basis on EC indicators from the EU Restoration Regulation
- Common guidelines for decision-making processes
- Regularly updated, practice-oriented standards
Pillar 2: Practice & Testing Infrastructure
A network of Living Labs where methods, indicators, and decision models are tested under real conditions:
- Systematic validation across regional networks
- Regional translation of guidelines into practical action
- Continuous feedback for development of standards
The interplay: Standards don't emerge in isolation – they're tested in practice. And practice provides the foundation for shared measurement.
Ecosystem Condition: The European Foundation
The EU Nature Restoration Regulation creates for the first time a binding, scientifically founded measurement basis for all of Europe. Ecosystem Condition captures natural ecosystems through four core dimensions.
This is a historic opportunity: 450 million Europeans receive a common framework for nature investments.
M.O.R.E.: Measure Once, Report Everywhere
A central principle of NII is efficiency through shared data usage:
One quality-assured measurement serves multiple purposes:
- ✓ Public reporting obligations (EU Taxonomy, CSRD)
- ✓ Corporate sustainability strategies (TNFD, supply chains)
- ✓ New forms of ecological compensation (biodiversity credits)
This reduces costs, increases comparability, and builds trust across sectors.
The Positive Cycle: From Measurement to Regeneration
When infrastructure works, a self-reinforcing positive cycle emerges:
- Measurement → Standardized & quality-assured
- Trust → Transparency & traceability
- Financing → Capital for regeneration
- Scaling → Market-ready solutions
- Regeneration → Measurable nature impact
"Living labs enable societal innovation learning – and without that, transformation will not succeed." – Maja Göpel
Benefits for All Stakeholders
Business & Finance
- Actively manage supply chain risks
- Link investments to measurable improvements
- Meet EU Taxonomy, CSRD, and TNFD requirements
- Scale nature-based business models
Land Use & Administration
- Measure once, use everywhere – no duplicate data collection
- Demonstrate progress easily and negotiate confidently
- Translate regulatory requirements into practical procedures
Innovation & Research
- Open interfaces and shared standards
- Scalable business models instead of island solutions
- Seed funding for open innovation
About the Future Forest Initiative
The Future Forest Initiative (FFI) is an independent innovation hub at the intersection of forestry practice, science, and technology. From Blankenburg Castle in Germany's Harz region, FFI connects actors who understand nature as a central prerequisite for social and economic resilience.
FFI sees itself not as owner of this infrastructure, but as a neutral facilitator building a European network together with partners – practice-oriented, open, and interoperable.
Call for Collaboration
The development of a Nature Intelligence Infrastructure requires diverse perspectives. FFI invites policymakers, businesses, investors, technology providers, land users, and interested stakeholders to actively shape this development.
Only through the interplay of many actors do individual projects become reliable structure – and scattered data becomes a system that supports decisions.
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