The University of Limerick, coordinator of the BIOFIN-EU project, recently participated in a joint Horizon projects workshop organised by the Nature-3B initiative. The event brought together researchers and practitioners working on biodiversity, finance, and nature-based solutions across Europe. Its aim was to explore how different projects can work together, share tools and knowledge, and strengthen the link between nature and financial decision-making.
The workshop opened with a series of presentations from several Horizon projects, including Nature-3B, NaturaConnect, SUSTAIN, NATURANCE, Invest4Nature, and BIOFIN-EU. Each project presented its objectives, key outputs, and the tools it is developing to better understand and address biodiversity loss through finance and policy.
BIOFIN-EU presented its work on improving how financial institutions consider biodiversity and ecosystem conditions in their decision-making. During the session, BIOFIN-EU highlighted the development of the NbS Dashboard, a digital tool designed to help banks integrate ecosystem condition data into their lending processes.
Across the presentations, many complementary approaches emerged, such as models and analytics developments to better understand how economic systems depend on nature and how biodiversity loss can affect financial stability.
The workshop also highlighted the growing ecosystem of tools designed to support nature-positive investment. For example, some projects are developing spatial datasets that identify biodiversity hotspots and priority areas for conservation or restoration. Others are working on financial instruments such as nature-related bonds, insurance mechanisms linked to nature-based solutions, or investment frameworks that support markets for nature-based solutions.
A key part of the event was a series of breakout discussions where participants explored possible collaborations between projects. These conversations revealed several promising areas of synergy.
For BIOFIN-EU, the workshop highlighted opportunities to connect with other projects working on financial risk assessment tools, biodiversity datasets, and innovative finance instruments. Collaboration with initiatives such as SUSTAIN and Nature-3B may help strengthen methodological approaches and improve the integration of biodiversity data into financial systems. At the same time, BIOFIN-EU can help bridge the gap between ecological knowledge and banking practice by connecting financial institutions with ecological expertise.
The discussions also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between economists, finance experts, and ecologists. While many projects generate valuable data and models, participants noted that closer dialogue between disciplines is essential to ensure that biodiversity science and financial analytics are properly aligned.
Participation in the workshop allowed BIOFIN-EU to showcase its work, learn from related initiatives, and identify concrete opportunities for cooperation. As biodiversity loss becomes an increasingly important financial risk, collaboration between research projects will play a key role in developing practical tools that help financial institutions support a nature-positive economy.
