Our 2025 Resolution to Remove Carbon

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt wishes to you for a happy and healthy New Year. This moment of reflection also serves as a critical call to action: the hottest year on record has underscored the urgent need to act boldly for our planet's future. In 2025, we’re amplifying our mission: extending restoration to new regions, advancing innovative practices to maximise impact, and building stronger collaborations with communities to be a market shaper of widespread ecological restoration.

2024: a turning point for our planet

1. 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, with global temperatures officially exceeded 1.5°C (2.7°F) above 1850-1900 pre-industrial levels. Continuation of current policies will lead to a catastrophic temperature rise of up to 3.1°C.
2. Monitored wildlife populations have declined by an average of 73% in just 50 years, highlighting the accelerating biodiversity crisis (2024 Living Planet Report)
3. Annual deforestation rates have slowed, as well as global forest fires. The number remains significant, reaching over 750,000 fires and continuing to cause extensive damage to ecosystems.
4. This year was also the first in 20 years to have three COPs: on climate, biodiversity, and desertification. With expected change, the results were disappointing, exposing gaps in governance and ambition.
5. COP29 saw the?adoption?of Article 6 rules, a critical milestone for building global carbon markets.

Despite these challenges, one thing is clear: we are not on track to limit warming to 1.5°C by 2030. To change this trajectory, we need a systemic shift. One that not only addresses emissions but also removes carbon from the atmosphere and reverses biodiversity loss. It’s a cultural change, an economic shift, and above all, a call to action.

NatureRe: 2024 Highlights and Milestones

At NatureRe, we remain steadfast in our mission to restore ecosystems, addressing climate, biodiversity, and societal challenges simultaneously. 2024 was a big year for us, and we’re excited to share some key milestones.

1. Our project is progressing! We are actively restoring 700 hectares of land in Antioquia. This year, we planted 24,000 trees, achieving a 75% survival rate. We completed our first monitoring for biodiversity, water and carbon, with 80 plots labelled, measured, and audited. Results are expected in January 2025.
2. Our team now includes 21 employees from eight nationalities, reflecting our global commitment to restoring nature. We plan to expand in 2025, with new hires in both Colombia and Europe.
3. We secured our first significant deal with Catona Climate, which invested to scale up our project in Antioquia, Colombia.
4. We are building and expanding our nature restoration ecosystem and gaining recognition for our work. NatureRe was a finalist for the Innovate 4 Nature Award in Arles and the Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitspreiz and received a nomination for the Earthshot Prize.

Looking Ahead: Our Resolutions for 2025

As we move into 2025, we are determined to make a greater impact in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss and scale our projects in Colombia and beyond.

1. Carbon markets must be scaled up and fully operationalised to realise their potential as a critical tool to contribute to the $1.3 trillion global climate finance goal (VCMI). We are confident that the carbon market will develop further this year, driven by the progress of Article 6 and supported by integrity councils and core carbon principles that strengthen trust and transparency in the system.
2. Our resolutions include scaling restoration projects to restore ecosystems and remove carbon, growing our team to strengthen capacity, and amplifying our impact on communities and biodiversity.

Together, we can drive the change our planet so urgently needs. Here’s to a new year of action, growth, and hope.

Warm regards, The NatureRe Capital Team