On 7 July 2025, the European Commission published a , outlining a strategic approach to stimulate private investment in nature-positive actions across the EU. The initiative aims to complement public funding by creating market-based incentives to protect and restore nature. It seeks to reward those who actively contribute to ecosystem restoration and conservation (including farmers, foresters, fishers, landowners, and local communities) and to encourage investors to support these efforts.

Nature credits are emerging as an innovative mechanism to channel private finance into biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, helping bridge the significant financing gap for achieving EU environmental and climate objectives. The roadmap sets out key steps to establish a credible and effective framework for these credits, including the development of robust methodologies, transparent monitoring systems, and strong governance structures.

The EU is already supporting concrete pilot projects under to test and refine nature credit models. These include initiatives focused on wetland restoration in France, sustainable forest management in Estonia, and an exploratory project contributing to an international partnership with Peru, among others.

Through these pilots, Green Assist helps stakeholders explore governance arrangements, develop reliable monitoring and verification methods, and design financing strategies that ensure both environmental integrity and financial viability. By supporting these early-stage projects, the advisory initiative aims to build a solid foundation for scaling up nature credit schemes across Europe and beyond, ultimately strengthening the EU’s leadership in nature-positive finance.