Investing in the natural capital transition
Biodiversity loss is one of the greatest sustainability issues of our time. The natural world – defined as all living things, air, water, geology, and soil – supports our whole existence, with over half of GDP dependent on them. 1 Despite this, 14 out of the 18 ecosystem services are degraded or in decline.
We believe markets will increasingly price in the costs and opportunities of addressing natural capital depletion. The World Economic Forum estimates the transition to a nature-positive economy, with critical shifts in land, oceans, infrastructure and energy, could deliver an estimated $10 trillion of business opportunities and 395 million jobs by 2030.2
Our Natural Capital Transition Global Equity strategy targets opportunities aligned to the principles of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals that support and benefit from the transition to a nature-positive economy. We invest with an active, high-conviction approach to address the needs of investors seeking two objectives:
Our approach
We go beyond a simple approach of only investing in companies providing solutions to reduce human impact on nature, to instead also invest in companies transitioning their business models towards a nature-positive economy. Moreover, we seek to drive further positive change by engaging with investee companies and policymakers to tackle key market failures.
Transition focus
Our proprietary transition risk framework helps identify winners from the natural capital transition across a wider opportunity set, increasing portfolio diversification. Our approach aims to deliver more resilient performance over the long term, uncover more alpha opportunities, and more effectively support the natural capital transition.
Bespoke engagement
We engage with every company in the portfolio on specific biodiversity issues. Our three-year structured engagement programme systematically tracks all companies from leaders to laggards, with an escalation pathway that could lead to divestment if we are not satisfied with their progress. We believe this bespoke programme with teeth is the most effective way to support the natural capital transition.
Macro stewardship
We are leaders in actively engaging with policymakers to reform the market to correct what we perceive as material market failures. We have a longstanding track record in actively engaging with policymakers on market reform to correct material market failures. We have specific market reform initiatives that can help deliver nature-positive outcomes.
Natural Capital Transition Global Equity strategy
Aviva Investors Natural Capital Transition Global Equity Fund
This strategy aims to deliver long-term capital growth by investing in companies globally that either provide solutions to reduce biodiversity loss or are transitioning their business models to manage their impact on nature, while avoiding those that do not meet minimum environmental criteria.
Investment opportunities in natural capital
Stuart Empson, Eugenie Mathieu, Jonathan Toub and Julie Zhuang explain how investments in natural capital – biodiversity, water, air, geology and soil – can deliver returns while protecting and restoring ecosystems.


Natural Capital Transition Global Equity: Strategy in brief
We invest in global equities of solutions companies whose products or services reduce human impact on nature, or transition companies who are leading their sector in reducing their own impacts on nature.
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Deep water: Ten threats to marine ecosystems
Our air, weather, food, the health of diverse marine life and millions of jobs all depend on the ocean. But we have not done well as custodians of marine ecosystems. Here, we set out ten ways where human actions threaten the health of an essential environment.
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Circularity, consumers and change: Making the switch to sustainable materials
To meet net-zero and other environmental targets, companies and governments increasingly need to move towards more sustainable materials. But this will not be without challenges.
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Change diets, not the planet: The link between food and sustainability
We explore how shifting diets can help create a more sustainable world.
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Waste not, want not: An investor’s guide to the circular economy
Using the examples of electronics, food, autos and fashion, we explore the benefits of, and challenges to achieving, a more circular economy.
Key risks
For further information on the risks and risk profiles of our funds, please refer to the relevant KIID and Prospectus.
Strategies in focus
Sustainable transition
A range of strategies investing in opportunities to accelerate change for Climate, People and Earth.

Natural Capital Transition Global Equity team
Need more information?
For further information, please contact our investment sales team.
Our views
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Deals delayed and crowded trades…But investors can still find value in infrastructure debt
4 Sep 2023
Private infrastructure debt still offers a broad spectrum of opportunities, but investors face complex challenges. In this Q&A, our infrastructure debt team contemplate the current state of the market and where it goes from here.
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Mad about the boy: Understanding the economic and investment impacts of El Niño
25 Aug 2023
How much do ocean circulation patterns impact economic outcomes and sovereign risk? Rick Stathers and Carmen Altenkirch assess El Niño, the climate phenomenon driving atmospheric circulation in the tropics, affecting everything from GDP to inflation and social stability.
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Tipping points and transformation: Getting on the right side of change
16 Aug 2023
Rapid changes in the global economy could tip some sectors into low-carbon phases faster than incumbents expect, with important investment implications.
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The heat is on: Opportunities and risks for climate-focused bond investors
8 Aug 2023
Thomas Chinery and Justine Vroman discuss current conditions in the investment-grade market, the ECB’s “green QT” programme, and why oil and gas firms must go further and faster to decarbonise.
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Over(shooting) the limit: Why we need to keep within planetary boundaries
26 Jul 2023
Demand for fuel and raw materials is decimating the natural world, making extreme climate effects more likely. So, what might the world be like for people and investors as we go beyond planetary boundaries?
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Methane: Heating up
25 Jul 2023
Methane is the second most important gas contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, but its warming potential is many times greater. Mikhaila Crosby explains why addressing emissions is a key priority.
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Supply and demand: Tackling both sides of the carbon emissions equation
5 Apr 2023
Despite progress through our Climate Engagement Escalation Programme, more action is needed from the world’s 30 systemically important carbon emitters, as Sora Utzinger and Louise Wihlborn explain.
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Act now: A climate emergency roadmap for the international financial architecture
1 Nov 2022
To help tackle the climate emergency, financial institutions and governments must work together to reform the global financial architecture and create a more robust net-zero transition plan, argue Steve Waygood and Thomas Tayler.
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The levers of change: A systems approach to reconcile finance with planetary boundaries
13 Sep 2022
Financial services underpin all economic activity, which itself depends on Earth’s natural capital. Resolving their interconnected issues to bring about a just transition will require a holistic, systems-thinking approach.
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A tragedy of perception: Fixing the ESG blind spots in business, finance and economics
8 Sep 2022
A distorted sense of reality has caused us to disregard sustainability concerns when modelling economies, companies and finance. We can no longer ignore such material issues just because they are too hard to fathom. This is where systems thinking comes in, explains Steve Waygood.
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Redefining stewardship: Why stakeholder capitalism needs to wake up
31 Aug 2022
Asset managers and other financial institutions have a duty to act in the best interests of their customers and society. Macro stewardship will be crucial to meeting these responsibilities, argues Mark Versey.
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Know your limits: An interview with Nafeez Ahmed
29 Aug 2022
Warnings that natural systems are close to breaking point are not new – but how will we respond? Combining what we know with existing technologies could offer a remarkable opportunity to rethink our world, as Nafeez Ahmed explains.
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The burning issue: Avoiding ESG fatigue
25 Aug 2022
How can we face existential problems and stay positive? Abigail Herron contemplates simple steps to protect momentum and avoid burnout.
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Strategies to change the financial system: An interview with Natalie Mangondo
16 Aug 2022
Can society reform the system that has enabled growth but simultaneously brought the long-term health of the planet into question? UN Climate Change High Level Champions Finance Youth Fellow Natalie Mangondo contemplates choices and change with AIQ.
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Investing in a just transition to net zero: A Q&A with Nick Robins
30 Jun 2022
Reaching net zero by 2050 will require significant injections of capital. But it is also an opportunity to rethink social relationships, as Professor Nick Robins explains.
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What does the data say? Biodiversity loss: From horror to hope
24 Jun 2022
In this month’s instalment of our visual series on topical themes, we explore the world of biodiversity.
Explore our equities range
1. SwissRe Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) 2020. IPBES (2019) Global assessment of the status of biodiversity and ecosystems. Planetary boundaries: Stockholm Resilience Centre. Ecology ecosystem services
2. New Nature Economy Report II: The Future of Nature and Business', World Economic Forum, July 14, 2020