Restoring and protecting nature in a rapidly changing climate requires more than good intentions, it demands strategic investment, new financial tools and bold leadership.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, where our economic resilience is tightly interwoven with the health of our natural systems, sustainable finance is a critical enabler of action.

Nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration, native reforestation and regenerative agriculture are examples of powerful tools for both climate adaptation and mitigation. But these solutions are often underfunded or undervalued - or simply not well understood in traditional financial systems.

To unlock their potential at scale, we must shift capital flows toward outcomes that regenerate ecosystems, support biodiversity and build long-term resilience.

Recognising this need, The Aotearoa Circle convened the Sustainable Finance Forum (SFF) - a landmark collaboration of more than 200 stakeholders from across New Zealand’s finance sector, government, iwi, civil society and academia.

This work culminated in the release of the 2030 Roadmap for Action - a comprehensive plan to redesign our financial system to serve a more inclusive, sustainable, and nature-aligned economy.

To carry this work forward, The Aotearoa Circle launched Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance in 2021 - an independent entity with a mandate to coordinate the roadmap’s implementation across the finance system, accelerate innovation and unlock investment in the kinds of outcomes that will secure a thriving future for generations to come.

The Aotearoa Circle continues to champion finance as one of its core strategic pillars advocating for a future where nature is not an externality but a foundational asset.