The need to care for nature has long been recognised, and since public funds are insufficient, it is necessary to incentivise rural landowners (both public and private) with private funds. This has given rise to Nature Credits, which are broader in scope and have a more consolidated framework than biodiversity credits and carbon credits.

The European Union requires member countries to take such care in the Nature Restoration Regulation and proposes models for private participation in the EU Roadmap towards Nature Credits of July 2025. The same was done by the UN COP15 in Kunming-Montreal with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Biocarbon Estates Nature Credits (BENC) comply with these mandates with an infrastructure that allows for the issuance, verification and traceability of credits, aligned with ESRS E4 standards (biodiversity & ecosystems), TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) recommendations, the Green Taxonomy and the SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation) framework.

Nature Credits channel ESG strategies and facilitate CSRD compliance

The entry into force of the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) requires more than 50,000 European companies to report in detail on their impacts and dependencies on nature and biodiversity. In this context, Nature Credits represent a broader instrument than, for example, carbon credits, as they include all ecosystem services (including CO2 capture), the socio-economic influence of activity in rural areas, and proper property management (the importance of which was highlighted by the terrible fires this summer).

BENC's objective is to provide a technical and financial solution that allows companies, financial institutions, funds and public institutions to invest in biodiversity in a traceable, certified manner with a real impact on the territory. These improvements are certified through auditable agroforestry management plans and can be converted into assets that can be incorporated into sustainable portfolios, voluntary compensation strategies or ecological risk mitigation and adaptation mechanisms.

From theory to investment: how the model works

The solution integrates blockchain technology, connectivity with official databases such as Catastro, SIGPAC, PAC and Copernicus, and a verification system accredited by AENOR. Each credit issued is equivalent to a measurable and audited ecosystem preservation or improvement — for example, habitat restoration, soil improvement, ecological corridors or regulatory services — on farms with high environmental value.

The methodological design has been reviewed by Professor José Luis Suárez (professor emeritus at IESE Business School), in collaboration with certifiers such as AENOR and associations such as APROCA and Artemisan. The platform combines financial rigour, traceable technology and regulatory compatibility in a format that is scalable and replicable throughout the EU.

According to preliminary estimates by the European Commission, the Nature Credits market could reach €30 billion annually by 2030. Biocarbon Estates aims to lead this new space from Spain, as a pioneering case of integration between environmental policy, financial innovation and territorial implementation.

At a time when companies need tangible answers to comply with new European legislation, Biocarbon Estates presents a highly strategic way to connect nature with capital.