E102 Alicia Gibson: Financing Our Earth

What if nature had a balance sheet—and we finally learned how to read it? Can private investment be the key to restoring our planet’s most fragile ecosystems? And what does the future of biodiversity markets look like?Alicia Gibson, Director at Finance Earth, joins us to explore the cutting edge of natural capital investment and its role in driving real change for our planet. Alicia takes us on a journey from her childhood along the River Kennett—where her love for the natural world first took root—to her leadership in designing financial mechanisms that support large-scale environmental restoration.With an 11-fold surge in global natural capital investment over the last four years, Alicia unpacks the opportunities and challenges in this fast-evolving space. She shares how Finance Earth is at the forefront of unlocking private finance for nature recovery and climate resilience, from biodiversity net gain projects to groundbreaking initiatives like saltmarsh carbon credits and financing for sustainable fisheries. She also dives into the critical role of compliance markets, policy alignment, and the need for better evidence and data to build trust and drive investment at scale.Alicia and Rich discuss why natural capital investment is where conservation and finance collide—and why it’s a market with the potential to reshape how we value and protect our ecosystems. They also tackle the importance of community involvement, ensuring that local stakeholders benefit from restoration projects, and the growing presence of women in leadership roles within the sector.Tune in now to hear how financial ingenuity is helping to restore the world’s most vital ecosystems.This episode was recording in 8 Harbord Square, provided by Knight Frank: https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/no-8-harbord-square-canary-wharf-london-e14-9th/TGW012191893