PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE on Finance for Nature – 5th Edition

28 May 2025

· January 21, 2025

Explore how finance can support a sustainable future for our planet

IUCN Academy introduces its Professional Certificate on Finance for Nature designed to provide professionals from all backgrounds and sectors with research-informed and practice-infused skills required to navigate the broad spectrum of the finance-nature ecosystem. 

Join this course to identify how the Nature-Finance Nexus is relevant to your organisation and develop a personal project (a policy, a product or a campaign) to kick-start change towards a nature-positive future.

About this course

Biodiversity is an indispensable component of life-support systems, but its importance has been neglected to a point that, on some estimates, one million species are now threatened with extinction, raising the spectre of a 6th mass extinction. To curb this trend, efforts have been made to translate the importance of biodiversity and nature conservation in financial terms. One such estimate suggests that USD 44 trillion of economic activity generated each year is highly or moderately dependent on nature (WEF, Nature Risk Rising, 2020). That is more than 50% of global GDP.

It is therefore essential to redirect economic and financial systems towards a nature-positive future.

The IUCN Professional Certificate on Finance for Nature analyses four main aspects of the link between nature and finance. 

  • Module 1: Nexus between conservation, biodiversity and finance

         Explore the concept of nature as a natural capital asset and its significance in the global economy.

  • Module 2: Governing the Nexus

         Dive into the governance frameworks and how nature-related financial risks are being identified and regulated.

  • Module 3: The data challenge

         Review a range of financial tools, the existing gaps and challenges.

  • Module 4: Instruments of change

         Assess nature conservation as a primary target for finance in public and private ventures and as a measure of performance.

Who should attend this course?

  • Financial industry professionals
  • Conservation professionals
  • Government officials
  • Private sector and environmental professionals
  • Professionals from intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations

What will you get from this course?

  • Understand the concept of nature as a natural capital asset 
  • Explore the basics of the relationship between nature, the economy and finance 
  • Recognise the drivers of nature loss and their financial implications 
  • Identify harmful subsidies and their impact on biodiversity  
  • Learn more about investing in nature 
  • Access a variety of rich scientific resources on finance-nature concept 

Why should you take this course?

  • Empowerment through knowledge: Gain insights into how finance can support a nature-positive future, equipping yourself with the necessary skills to navigate the Nature-Finance Nexus.
  • Addressing urgent environmental challenges: Contribute to addressing pressing environmental challenges by understanding the economic implications of biodiversity loss and learning how finance can play a pivotal role in conservation efforts.
  • Enhanced professional development: Develop practical skills and knowledge that are highly relevant across sectors, positioning yourself as a leader in sustainable finance and conservation.
  • Networking opportunities: Connect with professionals from diverse backgrounds, including finance, conservation, government, and NGOs, to foster collaborations and expand your professional network.
  • Industry recognition: Earn a Professional Certificate from the IUCN Academy, validating your expertise and commitment to advancing finance for nature conservation..

Course details

🕒 Start date: 13 January 2025

🕒 End date: 14 February 2025

For a detailed schedule, click here.

🕒 Live session timing:

The live sessions are scheduled from 14:00 to 16:00 CET.

🕒 Duration: 5 weeks     

🕒 Weekly estimated effort: 5 – 7 Hours weekly, self-paced

📖 Course type: Hybrid with self-paced e-learning and online live sessions with sustainability experts.

📖 Course includes: Modules, individual project and group work

🗨️ Language: English

Registration: OPEN 

Award:   Professional Certificate on successful completion 

Fees

  • IUCN Commission members: 33% discount on the non-profit rate.
  • Young Commission members (under 35): 50% discount on the non-profit rate.
  • IUCN Members organisations: up to 75% discount depending on category of membership as detailed here.
  • Non-Profit Organisations:  1’450 CHF 
  • For-Profit Organisations:   1’950 CHF
  • A number of partial scholarships are available for nationals from developing countries and LDCs, contact academy@iucn.org for more information.
  • IUCN Staff: sign up via this link

For a successful completion, participants must:

  • Attend live sessions.
  • Complete the individual and group assignments.

Trainers

Prof. Jorge Viñuales – a Harold Samuel Professor and Chair of Law and Environmental Policy at the University of Cambridge in UK

Candice Stevens – Chair – Sustainable Finance Coalition, Co-Char – IUCN WCPA Sustainable Finance Specialist Group

Bertrand Gacon – Co-Founder & CEO, Impaakt

Shizuka Onishi – Senior Programme Officer in the IUCN Business and Nature Team

Lucita Jasmin – Group Sustainability Director at RGE, Director of Sustainability & External Affairs at APRIL Group

Not Enrolled
Registrations are open

Course Includes

  • 11 Lessons