Nature is not external to the economy. Fertile soils, available and good-quality water, functioning ecosystems and biodiversity constitute natural infrastructure on which production, value chains and territories depend. Their loss can therefore also translate into greater economic exposure and a reduced capacity to adapt to the climate crisis.

After a summer marked by extreme temperatures, droughts and intense weather events, the link between ecosystem degradation, climate change and economic stability appears increasingly less theoretical. Yet, in corporate strategies and financial decisions, protecting natural capital often continues to occupy a secondary position. The shift towards a Nature Positive economy instead requires biodiversity to be integrated into decision-making processes and capital allocation.

Business and finance come together in Rome

This is the focus of the international conference Finance, Business and Natural Capital – Integrating Biodiversity into Economic Strategies for a Nature-Positive Transition, taking place on Thursday 17 September 2026, from 9.30am to 4.30pm at the Associazione Civita in Rome.

The event is organised by the Nature Positive Network, a project of the Fondazione per lo sviluppo sostenibile and the Po River District Basin Authority, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Italy and with Materia Rinnovabile as media partner.

The event will bring together institutional representatives, international experts, businesses and financial operators to discuss tools and strategies capable of accelerating the transition. Topics will include European and international frameworks, future measures by the European Commission, the role of finance and the implications for businesses of National Nature Restoration Plans.

From strategies to practical cases

The programme will combine institutional contributions and keynote speeches with sessions focusing on practical applications. In the afternoon, case studies from Italian and Dutch companies and financial institutions working on regenerative agriculture, sustainable water management, reducing impacts on natural resources and habitat restoration will be presented.

An excerpt from the film Becoming Nature Positive will also be screened, followed by a discussion with Marco Lambertini, Convener of the Nature Positive Initiative. The day will conclude with two Working Groups aimed at turning the discussion into practical proposals: one focusing on measuring, managing and financing the transition, and the other on transforming value chains and developing partnerships for ecosystem restoration. The full programme of the conference is available on the official website, together with information on registration.

Cover: Nature Positive Network