Looking back: Invest4Nature concludes at CAIC 2026
October 7, 2026 | News
After four years of collaboration, Invest4Nature concluded its activities with a final General Assembly and the presentation of its work at the Climate Alliance International Conference (CAIC). Organised by Climate Alliance in Brussels on 29 and 30 September, the conference offered a valuable setting to share the project’s findings and practical experiences with municipalities and the wider Climate Alliance network.
Reflecting on the Invest4Nature journey
The final General Assembly brought the Invest4Nature consortium together to reflect on four years of joint work. Together the partners reviewed the project’s achievements and lessons learned from the Living Labs and discussed how its findings, resources and partnerships can continue to support the uptake of Nature-based Solutions beyond the project’s lifetime.
Sharing project results at CAIC
The Invest4Nature partners also took part in CAIC, where they presented the project’s key results through an exhibition corner, a dedicated workshop and contributions from the Living Labs. These activities invited participants to explore the project’s work and exchange ideas with cities and other stakeholders interested in investing in nature.
The workshop examined the project’s relevance within the wider European landscape. During the roundtable discussion, participants highlighted the importance of considering not only the cost of investing in nature, but also the economic and societal costs of inaction. They also highlighted the continuing funding gap for nature, despite the dependence of economies and industries on healthy ecosystems. Strong and credible evidence was identified as essential for integrating nature and resilience more consistently into policy and investment decisions. Sirpa Pietikäinen (Member of the European Parliament), Fleur van Ooststroom-Brummel (Policy Officer of the European Commission) and Linda Bleakley (Melomys Advisory) contributed their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities associated with investing in Nature-based Solutions. The Sankey diagram illustrating supply and demand interactions for NbS across landscapes also attracted particular interest.
Pracitcal examples from the Living Labs demonstrated how Nature-based Solutions can be financed and implemented in different local contexts. Aarhus presented its approach to developing nature and water parks, while Cascais showed how the environmental, social and economic benefits of NbS can open up different financing opportunities. Poznań shared its multi-stage approach to funding and implementing greener educational spaces. The Norway Living Lab used an interactive role-playing game to explore the dynamics of kelp restoration, sea urchin grazing and the roles of different stakeholders in marine ecosystem restoration.
Together, the examples showed that effective approaches must respond to local environmental, institutional and economic conditions. At the same time, exchanging experiences across cities and regions can help others adapt relevant lessons to their own contexts.
Building on the projects legacy
The two days at CAIC provided an opportunity to present Invest4Nature’s achievements, connect with municipalities and discuss how research and practical experience can support local implementation. Although the formal project period is coming to an end, its evidence, resources and partnerships provide a basis for further collaboration and continued investment in nature across Europe.
A special thank you to Joanneum Research for coordinating the project over the past four years, to Climate Alliance for organising the conference, and to the Living Labs for preparing and hosting the on-site stands. And, of course, thank you to all project partners for their commitment, expertise and collaboration throughout the Invest4Nature project.
