CBA launch calls for transition to nature-first economy
- The King joins scientists, business and indigenous leaders at St James’s Palace to celebrate launch of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA)
- Charity established by His Majesty King Charles III as Prince of Wales in 2020 calls for urgent transition to ‘nature-first economy’
A hundred business leaders, scientists and indigenous leaders from across the world have come together to accelerate the move towards a nature-first economy, at an event hosted by The King in London. The event, which marked the UK launch of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA), focused on how communities, and industries such as fashion, food and pharma can embrace new nature-based approaches.
Reimagining nature finance is crucial to catalyse this economic transformation, and the event focused on exploring new approaches. Participants discussed the need to Re-Nature, Re-Think and Re-Activate to create an ecosystem that connects international companies, local stakeholders and the finance industry to holistically redesign supply chains around regenerative landscapes.
“Nature is the keystone infrastructure regulating our planetary system, including its climate, the food we eat, the water we drink and the oxygen we breathe”, said Marc Palahí, CEO of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance. “Nature is also the basic fabric supporting all our economic activities, even if our economic system fails to value it because bees, birds and trees do not send bills to us. It is time to reimagine our world and centre it around Nature – our most important capital and the basis for human health and wellbeing. This requires understanding, valuing and investing in Nature to transform our economy rather than to offset for its failure. We have the knowledge and technology for this transformation, we just need the wisdom and mindset to do it.”
At the event The King met with experts and companies and investors working to accelerate the transition towards nature-positive businesses in sectors such as food, fashion, health, tourism and the built environment.
New Living Labs and initiatives bring together pioneering corporates & communities to regenerate landscapes
The event saw the CBA announce the launch of two new pioneering Living Labs, to demonstrate how to holistically create regenerative landscapes and nature-positive supply chains in symbiosis with local communities and indigenous people. A regenerative fashion initiative in India will focus on landscape restoration for sustainable cashmere, supported by Brunello Cucinelli, while a nature-based medicinal plant production in Italy, will be supported by Aboca. Other new initiatives encompass educational initiatives in the Amazon and Australia, bio-architecture in Bhutan, as well as continuing work building resilient landscapes, communities and value chains in Africa and Europe.
“We applaud the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance for supporting the Living School of the Amazon to help train and prepare the future indigenous governors and stewards of our rainforest territories,” said Uyunkar Domingo Peas Nampichkai, President of the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance. “Through this year long leadership training program, our youth will be able to gain a deep commitment to the defence of their rainforest territories, their rights and their life ways and learn the practical skills necessary to successfully implement critical programs for food security and for rights-based forest conservation and restoration.”
New Fellowship in Reimagining Nature Finance and inclusive capitalism
The event also marked the launch of the Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Fellowship for Reimagining Nature Finance and Inclusive Capitalism, in collaboration with the ERANDA Rothschild Foundation. The Fellowship seeks accelerate the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, CEO of E.L. Rothschild LLC said:”We are delighted to be launching the Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Fellowship for Reimagining Nature Finance and Inclusive Capitalism in partnership with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance. The Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Fellowship seeks to reimagine nature finance as a critical accelerator of economic change to address the pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges of our time. It is urgent work that the CBA is ideally positioned to lead.”
Marc Palahi, CEO, Circular Bioeconomy Alliance added: “The Fellowship will explore new approaches as part of a broader vision, which requires also a change of mindset within the finance industry, to move towards a nature-positive economy that places nature as the true engine of long-term prosperity.”
More information:
The Circular Bioeconomy Alliance aims to accelerate the transition to a nature-first, circular bioeconomy that is climate neutral, inclusive and powers prosperity. The CBA initiative began within the European Forest Institute in 2020, and became a standalone organisation and registered UK charity in 2023, led by visionary scientist and economist Marc Palahi. The CBA combines a rigorous science-based framework, coalitions of expert willing partners, indigenous and local leaders and a bespoke ‘Living Lab’ activation model to build and scale sustainable value chains which transform land, food, health and industrial systems.
The CBA’s Living Labs allow pioneering organisations and communities to demonstrate new nature-first approaches based on partnerships that place local communities at their centre. Each Living Lab uses a landscape restoration project as the starting point to catalyse the development of circular bioeconomy value chains while restoring biodiversity and local livelihoods. They are the start of a journey towards more resilient communities and landscapes.
For opportunities for interviews and any media enquiries
Sanctuary Counsel
Anna Watkins +44 777 836 4986
All photos: Ian Jones
