ESG

Impact-focused investors increasingly see the potential for positive environmental and social outcomes through agri investments

The long-term investment fundamentals of forestry should ensure the asset class continues to shine in 2023, despite economic headwinds.

2023 looks set to be another year of disruption in global markets and agriculture is not immune, presenting opportunities for savvy investors.

In a year of economic shocks and volatility across asset classes, the UK’s forestry sector demonstrated low or inverse correlations to equities and bonds.

The influx of investors looking for ways to gain exposure to natural capital assets continued apace this year but the Russia-Ukraine war will remain the biggest influencer of trends and markets.

The firm’s natural capital vehicle has invested in a 400ha regenerative almond project in Spain, while its carbon strategy has backed the two million ha Restore Africa initiative.

The open-end strategy was launched in November and has a capital raising target of at least $1bn, head of timberland investments Chris Lipton confirms to Agri Investor.

The French firm said it will be ‘expanding its range of sustainable thematic products with the launch of nature-based solutions, likely to cover areas such as forestry, agriculture and carbon optimization.’

We hear from AppHarvest, Plenty, Astanor Ventures and an ETH Zurich researcher about how the industry is measuring up against its goal of sustainably contributing to feeding a growing global population.

The Chubb Review is examining the integrity of Australian Carbon Credit Units after criticism from researchers at two universities earlier in 2022.