Introduction
Our green and blue spaces make a major contribution to addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. They help to cool and clean the air, capture carbon, slow down and absorb storm water run-off, and provide a home for nature and wildlife. As the effects of the climate breakdown deepen, the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities increasingly rely on the delivery of these ‘ecosystem services’ provided by local green spaces, rivers, and waterways. There are things we can do though to expand the contribution these spaces make. We can plant more trees, better manage the health of our woodlands, clean and improve our rivers and ponds, restore our hedgerows, and wildflower meadows, and add more plants that help pollinators.
Our Investing in Communities, Climate and Nature (ICaN) scheme enables businesses, individuals, and groups to invest in nature and invest in their future by contributing towards the costs of delivering local climate action and nature recovery schemes. ICaN projects are designed to deliver nature recovery, climate adaptation and social value improvements to public spaces. These ‘investment ready’ projects will ensure spaces work better for nature, deliver increased ecosystem services and ensure local communities have better access to the health, well-being and social benefits beautiful, high performing natural spaces provide.
Many businesses take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very seriously and want to support local efforts to tackle biodiversity loss, reduce the impact of climate change and help communities adapt and become more resilient. ICaN helps businesses deliver against their CSR aspirations. Specially designed ICaN tools also calculate the Natural Capital value of the investment they provide, helping businesses with their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting frameworks.
Individuals, community groups, and organisations are also passionate about their local spaces, and helping to address climate and nature issues. ICaN provides communities with local opportunities to support nature and make their community more climate resilient.