Building Bridges 2026 returns from 6 to 8 October, once again bringing together leaders from finance, government and civil society to collaborate on innovative financial solutions that address today’s most pressing global challenges. As a founding partner of Building Bridges, NatureFinance will have a strong presence, co-hosting and participating in these discussions, especially around the bioeconomy, nature-related infrastructure, insurance and sustainable AI.
Since the 2025 edition of the conference, the urgency to align global finance with climate adaptation and nature-resilient outcomes has only intensified, underscored by the record-breaking heatwaves Europe has endured this summer. NatureFinance is working to position nature as a foundation for resilience, transforming how markets value ecosystems and enabling financial systems that reward nature-positive outcomes.
For further information on our engagements, please contact joanna.omalley@naturefinance.net.
Open events co-hosted by NatureFinance
De-risking the Future: Nature-based Infrastructure for Insurability and Resilience
Tuesday, 6 October | 14:00–15:30 CEST | Room 9
With climate change, infrastructure assets face growing risks that insurers are still working out how to price. This event, co-hosted by NatureFinance, Global Infrastructure Basel, WWF and The Nature Conservancy, explores how nature-based solutions (NBS) can be used to improve the insurability, bankability and resilience of infrastructure at scale. It brings together insurance, conservation and non-profit partners to unpack the data, financial incentives and regulatory shifts needed to unlock coverage for nature-based and hybrid infrastructure, with examples from the Global North and South.
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Bioeconomy transition: investment, scale and system redesign
Wednesday, 7 October | 10:30 – 12:00 CEST | Room E
The bioeconomy is at an inflection point, with strong political momentum but limited investment at scale. Spanning agriculture, forestry, biomaterials, and biotechnology, it has the potential to reach $30tn by 2050. Co-hosted by NatureFinance, the African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA), WBCSD, LSE Earth Capital Nexus and the Bioeconomy Challenge, this session will examine how global, regional and national efforts are shaping real opportunities, and what it will take to scale the bioeconomy. Speakers will discuss what is holding investment back and who decides how value is shared, using real-world examples across sectors.
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Closed-door events co-hosted by NatureFinance – Register your interest
We will also be convening two closed-door roundtables during the conference. Both sessions are small, closed-door discussions, and places are very limited. If either is directly relevant to your work and you will be at Building Bridges, you are very welcome to register your interest to attend here.
Sustainable AI: capturing nature-related risk in AI & data centre investment
Wednesday, 7 October | 14:00-15:00 CEST | Invitation only
AI and data centre expansion is creating growing nature-related dependencies, impacts and risks, particularly around water and biodiversity. This closed-door NatureFinance roundtable will bring together financial institutions, technology companies and standard setters to explore the practical barriers to integrating these risks into investment decisions, and the tools, data and disclosure standards needed to address them.
African Bioeconomy Finance Hub Roundtable
Wednesday, 7 October | 14:00-15:00 CEST | Invitation only
Co-hosted by NatureFinance, the African Natural Capital Alliance and FSD Africa, this private session will bring together a small group of investors, foundations, family offices, businesses and ecosystem partners to explore practical opportunities to mobilise investment and accelerate Africa’s bioeconomy transition. The discussion will draw on the African Bioeconomy Finance Hub’s three initial priority areas: Regenerative Land Economies, Blue Bioeconomy, and Data-Driven Biology and Innovation – and consider potential pathways for financing, collaboration and implementation.
Related resources
“The fertiliser shock is a debt shock in disguise.” Read the recent article by Julie McCarthy, CEO of NatureFinance, on the Building Bridges website.
Explore our report: Investing in Water-Related and Dependent Infrastructure: Risks, Considerations and Opportunities to learn how integrating nature-related risks and dependencies into infrastructure investment can help strengthen resilience and future-proof assets.
Read our latest bioeconomy engagement brief: From Agricultural Production to Bioeconomy Value Creation in Africa, to understand the policy, finance and investment shifts needed to build higher-value bioeconomy value chains and unlock investment at scale.
Explore our new report: Investing in Southern Africa’s Bioeconomy to discover the sectors, enabling conditions and financing needed to build a stronger regional bioeconomy and turn Southern Africa’s biological assets into sustainable economic value. (Coming soon)
