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WE HELP YOU BUILD

NATURAL STRATEGIES

Accelerating Sustainable Finance for Ecosystem & Biodiversity Conservation

We help countries, companies, & communities to preserve nature & wildlife, mitigate climate change, & contribute to sustainable development

OUR SERVICES

For Non-Profit

Fund your conservation projects.

We build funding proposals &

mobilize sustainable finance to help you reach your goals.

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For Companies

Be a leader in a sustainable world.

We advise your business on

natural capital investments to

offset your footprint &

drive climate action.

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Closeup of coffee fruit in coffee farm and plantations in Manizales, Colombia_edited.jpg

For Investors

Maximize your impact.

We identify and structure

green investment opportunities to help you combine profitability with sustainability.

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OUR IMPACT

OUR PROJECTS

Kick-Starting the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Natural Strategies develops the UNEP & FAO full-scale funding proposal for the project ‘Leading the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030’.	Financing Nature-based Solutions in the Mediterranean Natural Strategies identifies capitalization options for Nature-based Solutions in Spain, Greece, Tunisia and Morocco for the MAVA Foundation.	MOBILIZING FINANCE FOR BIODIVERSITY In support of BirdLife International, Natural Strategies develops a country-wide sustainable finance plan for protected areas and biodiversity in São Tomé & Príncipe.	DEVELOPING PROTECTED AREAS INVESTMENT PLAN Natural Strategies develops a country-wide finance and investment plan for protected areas in Papua New Guinea. In support of UNDP, we identify sources of conventional and innovative finance to generate revenues for the sustainable management of the country's biodiversity.
ACCELERATING PRIVATE IMPACT INVESTMENTS Natural Strategies supports a leading private sector impact investor in identifying and assessing the sustainability of potential investments globally, to maximize environmental and social impacts.	UNLOCKING FINANCE FOR AGRO-FORESTRY UNEP will set up a Seed Capital Assistance Facility to unlock private investments for forest and landscape restoration. Natural Strategies develops UNEP's funding proposal to BMU IKI.	EVALUATING INVESTMENT READINESS Natural Strategies supports Conservation International in phase I of its Forest Finance and Investment Incubator (FFII). The FFII aims to increase investments into forest and land-use projects that contribute to national climate goals in ten countries globally.	ANALYZING BENEFIT SHARING MECHANISMS Natural Strategies conducts a comparative analysis on benefit sharing under REDD+ globally. In support of the WWF Climate and Forests team, we assess lessons learned and best practices on the design, implementation and scale up of REDD+ benefit sharing.
CONSERVING THE CONGO BASIN In support of the WWF Landscape Finance Lab, Natural Strategies mobilizes sustainable investments to conserve Central Africa’s rainforests.	STRENGTHENING CLIMATE CHANGE ENGAGEMENT IN DRC Natural Strategies supports GIZ in the Democratic Republic of Congo to mainstream climate change into their development portfolio. Through this, we seek to strengthen GIZ's strategic approach to climate change in DRC while identifying concrete climate finance opportunities.	BUILDING PPPs FOR FORESTS Natural Strategies supports the EU REDD Facility on a public-private partnership strategy to reduce deforestation. The partnerships seek to enable investments in sustainable commodity production in developing countries.	PROTECTING THE WORLD'S TOP WETLANDS In support of the WWF Landscape Finance Lab, Natural Strategies mobilizes finance for landscapes programmes in Paraguay and Zambia, to preserve some of the world's critical wetlands.
ENABLING GREEN FINANCE The Paris Agreement calls for action to green the financial system. Natural Strategies, in collaboration with the Frankfurt School - UNEP Collaborating Centre, analyzes the enabling environment for green finance in Spain to contribute to the <2-degree target of the Paris Agreement.	MOBILIZING GCF FUNDS FOR GALAPAGOS This project, implemented by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) will identify measures to support the Galápagos Islands' adaptation to climate change. Natural Strategies helps turn these measures into two concept notes for the Green Climate Fund.	SUPPORTING THE REDD+ FUND IN DRC Natural Strategies supports the USD 200 million National REDD+ Fund of DRC (FONAREDD). We assess and strengthen REDD+ project proposals on a sectoral and landscape level that seek to reduce deforestation in DRC. The objective is to help FONAREDD make informed decisions on which proposals to fund - thereby advancing on its pathway towards conserving forests and biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods.	Helping access the GCF in 18 countries Natural Strategies' Director Alexander Koch helps 18 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa access the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The objective is to enable countries to mobilize GCF funding for high impact projects in the forest, energy and agriculture sectors.
BUILDING A FUND FOR BIODIVERSITY Natural Strategies’ Director Alexander Koch co-leads the establishment of a new international investment fund, Natural Capital, which aims to mobilize private sector finance for sustainable land use in developing countries.	HELPING JORDAN MOBILIZE GCF FUNDS Natural Strategies helps Jordan access GCF funding. In providing technical support to UN Environment’s GCF Readiness Programme in Jordan, Natural Strategies develops key elements of the national GCF architecture.	SUPPORTING PRIMATES CONSERVATION Natural Strategies leads the UK fundraising strategy and campaign for the NGO Fundación Mona. Fundación Mona is a Spanish NGO dedicated to the welfare and conservation of chimpanzees and other primates. It rescues abused primates, raises awareness of wildlife trafficking and other threats to primates and contributes to related research.	ANALYZING DEFORESTATION IN GUYANA In a team of international consultants, Natural Strategies' Director Alexander Koch co-developed the draft strategic framework for the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of Guyana. Alexander led the section on the forest sector.
ASSESSING GCS PROJECTS The Global Conservation Standard (GCS) seeks to make environmental conservation pay for landowners and local populations worldwide, based on measurable ecosystem benefits. Natural Strategies’ Director Alexander Koch served as an alternate member of the technical panel of the GCS.

Our Team Has Driven Impact Across the Globe

3 cups

Blueberries

3 cups

Flour

Ghana

India

Azerbaijan

1½ cups

Butter

Haiti

Kazakhstan

Lao PDR

Timor Leste

Nepal

Spain

Ecuador

Uruguay

Cuba

Burundi

Dominica

Nigeria

Central African Republic

Guyana

Jordan

Gabon

Cameroon

Paraguay

Zambia

France

Papua New Guinea

Colombia

Brazil

Indonesia

France

South Africa

France

Germany

Portugal

Morocco

Sao Tome and Principe

Kenya

Tunesia

Greece

Our Clients

OUR MISSION

We are guided by our conviction that we need to mitigate climate change and drastically & rapidly reduce the degradation of ecosystems & biodiversity.

We believe that this can only happen if we take into account the needs & priorities of governments, communities & the private sector. So we aim to find solutions where environmental conservation simultaneously leads to improved human well-being & attractive economic opportunities.

We develop ecosystem & climate policies for governments & the private sector

We turn policies into investment strategies & funding proposals

We mobilize sustainable finance to help companies in greening their supply chains

We provide strategic & technical assistance during project planning & implementation

We help monitor, report on & evaluate corresponding impacts & results

This way, we engage agents of land use change & conservation, work with them to systematically address the drivers of environmental degradation & contribute to green economic alternatives.

This creates viable pathways for sustainable development that benefit from intact ecosystems.

Alexander Koch
Founder & Managing Director

Alexander is the Founder & Director of Natural Strategies. He has supported ecosystem conservation & sustainable land use in more than 49 countries in Africa, Latin America & Asia with the UN & the private sector.

Working with the Finance Unit of UN Environment for nine years, including as its REDD+ focal point person, he designed the largest global programme for UN Environment to help developing countries prepare to access the Green Climate Fund.

He also co-managed a pilot programme in seven African countries to launch forest & agroforestry projects through the carbon markets, including one of the first registered African REDD+ projects, and provided a broad range of technical assistance on

climate change & biodiversity, in support of governments, private sector & NGOs.

Alexander holds a University Master's Degree in Environmental Management & Restoration, a German University Law Degree & a University Diploma in Wildlife & Natural Areas Management.

Alexander Koch
Director &
Regional Lead, Nature-based Solutions Americas

Destin manages large-scale, transformational engagements for both private and public sector clients, collaborating with stakeholders to deliver results from project strategy through implementation.

Having spent over a decade working with Fortune 500 corporate clients, Destin brings deep experience in strategic analysis, financial / data modeling, project management, and cross-functional team execution. He has led projects across a variety of sectors in the US, Europe, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. With regards to ecosystem conservation & sustainable land use, he has led efforts ranging from REDD+ financial modeling to investment management & reporting to engagement of stakeholders from local communities, the private sector, and government agencies.

Prior to Natural Strategies, Destin spent 9 years with Deloitte Consulting’s Strategy & Operations group. Destin holds a MBA and a Bachelor's in Finance.

Marianne Sulzer
Global Lead, Corporate Climate Action

Marianne advises our private sector clients on innovative financial solutions for carbon reduction and offsetting.

As such, Marianne leads our advisory services for footprint analysis, strategy, verification and monitoring and manages the portfolio of Natural Strategies’ projects for corporate investments and carbon credits.

With more than 15 years of experience, Marianne Sulzer is highly experienced as an international project manager and advisor to corporates for the greening of supply chains, sustainable sourcing and supplier development for agricultural products in emerging markets. As a manager for international impact investment funds including for Finance in Motion, she has expertise in the mobilization of green finance for sustainable supply chain management.

Marianne is an Economist and holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management from ETH Zurich.

Florian Vernaz
Regional Lead, Nature-based Solutions Southeast Asia

Based in Indonesia, Florian has been working on governance and sustainability issues in South East Asia for 15 years. With private sector and GGGI, he developed deep experience on sustainable land-use, integrating

small-holder farmers into sustainable value chains and on business planning for social forestry.

Among others, Florian

facilitated communal Plan Vivo Projects in South Sumatra to restore & conserve over 5,000 ha of peatland; supported spatial planning and green investments in Papua & West Papua; and advises private sector and indigenous groups on organic production of palm sugar, spices & nuts.

Florian graduated from Copenhagen Business School in 2005 with a MSc
in Development Economics. He was a member the Danish University Consortium for Environment and Development.

OUR TEAM

Marie-Ange Baudoin
Regional Lead, Nature-based Solutions Africa

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Marie-Ange leads Natural Strategies' project portfolio in Africa. She has 10+ years of experience on climate change with a focus on adaptation in least developed countries (LDCs).

Her expertise includes project design for the GEF and the GCF, project evaluation (MTR), capacity building and technical assistance to access and use climate finance (especially through the GCF). Marie-Ange worked extensively in Africa, including in Benin, Burkina-Faso, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Guinea, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Swaziland. Previously, she worked as a university researcher and lecturer on climate change and sustainable development.

Marie-Ange holds a PhD in Environmental Science, a postgraduate degree in Development Studies, and a Master's degree in International Policy from the Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

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Sophie Bonnard
Senior Associate Consultant

Sophie has over 10 years of experience working on international cooperation for sustainable development. Supporting the Secretariat of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for seven years, she took part in numerous national, regional and global policy and project developments on climate change and air pollution including in Africa, Asia and South America.

She has a track record of accomplishments in the development of multilateral, multi-stakeholder partnerships, project coordination, design of impact monitoring frameworks as well as in the conduction of policy and project evaluations. She has worked with a wide range of actors including international organisations, national and local governments, NGOs or academics.

She holds a Master’s in international Affairs Environment and Sustainable Development from Sciences Po Paris, a Research Master’s in Economics of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development from Supagro, IAMM, Montpellier I, as well as a Master’s of Physics.

Alexander Hunfeld
Associate Consultant

As an Associate with Natural Strategies, Alexander develops innovative approaches for Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change around the world.

Among others, he gained extensive theoretical and practical experience on concession systems targeting the agroforestry and ecotourism sectors in developing countries; explored capitalization options for conservation trust funds to secure sustainable long-term financing of protected areas; and assessed best practices on structuring impact investment funds for climate change mitigation.

Alexander holds a Master’s in Resource Economics and Sustainable Development from the University of Bologna, Italy and has completed additional trainings on Nature-based Solutions and innovative finance mechanisms.

Monika Bertzky
Associate Consultant

Monika Bertzky has worked in international nature conservation for 15 years, using her academic background in natural & social sciences to generate knowledge products for environmental policy & decision-making. She has a record of accomplishment at developing and contributing to projects with UN bodies, governments, NGOs, academia & civil society in Africa, Asia & Latin America, as an employee & independent consultant.

Her main areas of expertise include social & environmental safeguards & standards (Cancun, UNDP, UNEP, GCF/IFC), risk assessment, SESA, ESMF, the role of biodiversity & ecosystems in climate change mitigation & adaptation, and protected area mgmt & governance, among others in the context of the GCF.

Monika holds a PhD in Human Geography, a University Diploma in Biology & has completed additional trainings, e.g. in Environmental Security & Sustaining Peace, Climate Change Mitigation in Developing Countries & Protected Area Management in Africa.

NEWS & PUBLICATIONS

November 2021: Nature 4 Climate Fund revealed at COP26

An exciting week has passed as Natural Strategies Investments was invited by BENELUX-EIB as well as the Global Landscape Forum to the COP26 to present our first impact investment fund concept, the Nature 4 Climate Fund (N4C).

Just in time with the beginning of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, the N4C fund represents a strong tool to support the private sector transitioning to greener, sustainable practices. To do so, the N4C fund will invest globally across sectors, focusing on nature-based solutions, green commodities and ecosystem restoration.

With our investments, we aim to avoid more than 21M tons CO2e, conserve over 127k ha of forests and increase the livelihoods of 110k+ households in the developing world.

Watch again

BENELUX-EIB Pavillion ‘Presenting the future leaders in Climate Finance - Dragons' Den Edition’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7_WMrKzjs4

Global Landscape Forum ‘Accelerating Tomorrow’s Climate Finance Leaders’: https://conference.globallandscapesforum.org/climate-2021/session/b07bb2fd-2b33-ec11-ae72-a04a5e7d345e

October 2021: ICFA Winner 2021

We are thrilled to share that we have been selected as a winner of the 2021 global competition of the International Climate Finance Accelerator Luxembourg. We are very proud of our team as we went through several rounds of selection competing with innovative climate investment funds from around the world.

The acceleration programme will now support us as we push our emerging investment fund, the Nature 4 Climate Fund, towards its launch. A big thanks to ICFA, the Luxembourg financial sector and Government of Luxembourg for their trust.

Next up will be two side events at the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021 where we will present our fund and team.

July 2021: Natural Strategies co-authors working paper for the G20!

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can help bring ecosystems services back into cities. By doing so, cities can adapt better to climate change and reduce urban heat island effects. However, time is not on our side: Innovative business and finance models that are needed to scale up this action, and quickly. Fortunately, there is a variety of business models that can make NbS commercially viable.

To showcase this, Natural Strategies co-authored this new report that seeks to inspire such action in the G20. It was produced by UNEP in close collaboration with the Italian Presidency of the G20 and published by UNEP in July 2021.

May 2021: New Natural Strategies investment plan published by UNDP!

Papua New Guinea’s biodiversity is exceptionally rich. It is harboured by a network of 62 protected areas - but to manage & conserve this vast area, the Government lacks several million USD annually.

To help close this funding gap, Natural Strategies developed Papua New Guinea’s first ever finance & investment plan for protected areas. On behalf of UNDP and consulting with more than 100 stakeholders, we identified a variety of conventional and innovative financing sources; turned them into a country-wide investment plan; and provided tools and roadmaps to turn it into action. UNDP published the plan in May 2021.

We thereby seek to increase funding for protected areas across the country.

To find out more visit:

- https://www.naturalstrategies.com/project-protectedareas

- http://pngbiodiversity.org/financingprotectedareas/

February 2021: New Natural Strategies report published by WWF!

Are you working on REDD+? Then you will have come across the challenging question of REDD+ benefit sharing: How can the incentives to reduce deforestation be shared in an equitable, effective and efficient manner? How can local communities be engaged in design & decision making in a truly meaningful way? What types of benefits help address the drivers of deforestation in the long term?
On behalf of WWF, Natural Strategies looked at REDD+ benefit sharing in 50+ countries around the world. We identified key elements that can determine success or failure in practice. WWF published the report in February 2021.

LAUNCH EVENT OF THE 3FP-TRACKER ANALYSIS AT ELCANO ROYAL INSTITUTE

On 4 December 2019, we presented the results of Natural Strategies’ 3fP-Tracker analysis on the Spanish enabling environment for sustainable finance vis-a-vis the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The 3fp-Tracker methodology was developed by the Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre and WWF Germany.
The event at the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid was attended by Directors of sustainability of mayor financial institutions, senior government officials and national and international experts. Public and private sector stakeholders commended the analysis, accessible on the 3fp-Tracker website, for its quality and insights.
The presentation was followed by a debate on current trends of international sustainable finance in light of the EU taxonomy.

NATURAL STRATEGIES AT COP25

On 3 December 2019, Natural Strategies co-hosted a side event at COP25 in Madrid. The event, titled ‘Green Finance in Spain: Is Spain aligned with the Paris Agreement?’ focused on the role of civil society in the transition to green financial markets.
Natural Strategies’ Finance and Markets Analyst Oliver Canosa explained our findings on the current enabling environment for sustainable finance in Spain. He presented key conclusions related to incentives, subsidies, public investment strategy and climate risks disclosure, among others.
This was followed by a debate between experts and civil society representatives. On the panel, Oliver Canosa joined Natural Strategies Director Alexander Koch, Luigi Carrafa, Director of the Climate Infrastructure Partnership, and Nadège Trocellier, Head of Climate Change of Lavola, in discussing the role of civil society in advocating for sustainable finance.

"One of the most important tools in the fight against climate change are countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions"- UNDP interview with Alexander Koch

The interview, published on 19 August 2019 on the UNDP Climate Change Adaptation Portal, explains how UNDP supports countries in accessing climate finance. As an expert supporting UNDP on climate finance, Alexander talks about the links between climate change and UNDP’s mandate to achieve zero poverty. The interview also gives examples of UNDP's support to countries' NDCs and on their importance in the fight against climate change.

GCF FUNDING PROPOSAL IN BENIN APPROVED!

In February 2019, the GCF approved a USD 10 million grant for its first project in Benin under the simplified approval process. The objective of the project is to enhance climate resilience of 1.1 million beneficiaries in rural Benin through the implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation in forest and agricultural landscapes. To do so, it will restore degraded forest ecosystems, strengthen capacity of Government and communities and enhance agricultural productivity, thereby helping reduce pressure on natural forests. Natural Strategies’ Director Alexander Koch coordinated and helped structure the proposal. It will now move towards execution, implemented by UN Environment.

NATURAL STRATEGIES MOVES INTO NEW OFFICES!

In April 2019, Natural Strategies moved into the Central Pavilion of Barcelona’s Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site, a UNESCO World heritage Site. The stunning Sant Pau complex hosts several international organizations in the field of sustainability, including the European Forest Institute, UN Habitat and BIPP Hub, a centre for international social enterprises. We are excited about this new stage in our growth process and look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with the international sustainability community. Come by to discuss working together on sustainable finance!

NATURAL STRATEGIES

Accelerating Sustainable Finance for Ecosystem & Biodiversity Conservation We help countries, companies, & communities to preserve nature & wildlife, mitigate climate change, & contribute to sustainable development

OUR SERVICES

For Non-Profit

For Companies

For Investors

OUR IMPACT

OUR PROJECTS

Kick-Starting the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration