We need Farmers – Delivering ecosystem regeneration and integrated water management

• 30th Jul 2024

A Co-operative Approach to blending public and private funding to deliver more with less.

Summary

The UK is faced with the challenge of regenerating our ecosystems to sequester carbon, as part of achieving net zero, to rebuild our biodiversity and create more resilient catchments reducing flood and pollution risks and increasing water resilience. Nature Based Solutions (NBSs) are seen as a key part of the solution delivering multiple benefits.

To-date policy has focussed on creating nature offset markets based on contract law to incentivise private investment, but this model does not clearly fit the challenges of long-term funding needed for catchment systems improvement with their locational specific complexity and uncertainty.

This paper argues that local codesigned multi-party cooperative governance is much better placed to draw in funding from a range of ecosystem beneficiaries and underpin the delivery of collaborative outcome focussed projects based on sharing risks and rewards which can adapt as circumstances, policies and science inevitably change over the long-term. It also sets out a broad process for co-designing such cooperatives.

Authors of the Report

Henry Leveson-Gower

Henry Leveson-Gower is an experienced and innovative practicing ecological economist and expert in agricultural, environment and water policy and regulation. Henry works part-time as a policy adviser for Defra but this report is independently produced and in no way should be taken to represent Defra policy.

Cliff Mills

Cliff Mills is an experienced specialist in the law of co-operatives, mutuals and member-based organisations, a consultant with Anthony Collins Solicitors and Principal Associate at Mutuo.

• We need Farmers - Delivering ecosystem regeneration and integrated water management

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