Reimagining the water industry’s approach to nature
Understanding how to finance regenerative landscapes while ensuring safe water provision for people and ecosystems is central to the wider transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Water is key for ecological and economic systems, yet water quality and supply are under acute pressure in the UK and globally.
The CBA Reimagining Nature Finance fellowship is undertaking a three-month project which looks at the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). This commits UK water companies to actions expected to cost £22.1bn to meet their environmental obligations between 2025 and 2030. This constitutes a large and diverse array of non-market approaches to nature finance, ranging from water treatment wetlands as nature-based solutions to catchment-level community partnerships.
Part funded via an Agile Initiative Science-to-Policy grant, the aim is to first understand the current and theoretical potential contribution of WINEP to UK nature finance through mapping the type and location of activities promised. This work begins to assess how large scale environmental expenditure contributes to ecosystem resilience, as well as examining how nature-based solutions are financed outside voluntary credit markets, at a national scale.
Subsequently, interviews with industry professionals will aim to understand the practical, financial, cultural, and power barriers and enablers to aligning this environmental spending more closely with nature recovery. This will be written up into both a short policy brief and a more detailed report.
Building on this work, the next phase will connect with international water funds, strengthen cross-context learning, and deepen collaboration with local partners. Grounded in UK institutional practice, this research aims to convene diverse stakeholders and generate transferable insights for jurisdictions seeking to mobilise large-scale environmental investment beyond voluntary market mechanisms.
Photo: Adobe Stock / Cavan
Read more about the CBA Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Fellowship for Reimagining Nature Finance and Inclusive Capitalism
