Following introductory remarks from Bruce Howard, Director of the Ecosystems Knowledge Network, Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Energy and the Environment, Scottish Government, outlined Scotland’s vision for responsible investment in nature.

Following the Ministerial address, Andy Turnbull, Senior Investment Manager at Federated Hermes Ltd provided his perspective on how to achieve responsible investment in nature. Ruchir Shah, Director for External Affairs at Scottish Wildlife Trust, provided an update from the Scottish Nature Finance Pioneers Group.

This session will explore practical ways to deliver on the expectation that investment in natural capital in Scotland delivers benefits to local communities. It will draw on new guidance and emerging practice to consider how this is built in as the market framework develops.

Presentation by Emma Cooper, Head of Land Rights and Responsibilities for the Scottish Land Commission.

Followed by panel remarks from Edward Heather Hayes, Head Of Development at Fife Coast and Countryside Trust and Fraser Green. Senior Asset Management ESG Lead at abrdn.

This session introduced the partnership behind the Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland, and the projects benefiting from the initiative now underway. Led by Claudia Rowse, Deputy Director of Sustainable Growth at NatureScot, and Caroline Clark, Director for Scotland at The National Lottery Heritage Fund. To include conversations with a selection of grantees for The Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland.

With the BSI (British Standards Institution):

• Sebastiaan van Dort – Associate Director, Energy and Sustainability, BSI
• Stephen Farrant – Programme Manager, Nature Investment, BSI

A ‘heatherside’ conversation with Lucy Beattie, Owner of Leckmelm Estate and William Hawes, Head of Nature-Based Solutions at National Parks Partnerships.

• The Glencripesdale Temperate Rainforest Restoration Project. A presentation by Dr Hannah Rudman, SRUC and Peter Hearn, RSPB Scotland. A project supported by the Investment Readiness for Nature Scotland programme.
• Nature finance and climate adaptation – a case study from Craigleith Retail Park, Edinburgh. With Jonny Casey, SNIFFER.
• Oyster Arc…the Search for Four Million Oysters. With Hamish Torrie, CSR & Communications Director, Glenmorangie Company.