Brazil-home to one of the richest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet-is charting a bold path to put nature at the centre of its development and resilience agenda. The country hosts an estimated 15–20% of the world’s plant and animal species, spans six major biomes from tropical rainforest to savanna, and contains 10% of global freshwater resources, underscoring its ecological importance in a warming world.
Ilona Szabó de Carvalho, Co-founder of the Instituto Igarapé, describes Brazil as uniquely positioned to become the world’s first “nature superpower.” She notes that Brazil’s immense natural assets, if protected and sustainably managed, could play a transformative role in strengthening global biodiversity, climate resilience and long-term environmental security.
However, the road to fully financing nature remains challenging. While climate finance has accelerated in recent years, nature finance continues to lag behind, constrained by limited valuation of ecosystem services and underinvestment in conservation and restoration. According to a new report released by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company, 37 innovative financial mechanisms-from biodiversity credits and blended finance to performance-based conservation funding-could help unlock major investment opportunities for governments, businesses and global investors.
Experts emphasize that investing in natural systems is essential for building resilience in an era of increasing climate shocks. Protecting forests, wetlands, oceans, food systems and freshwater networks offers unparalleled benefits: safeguarding livelihoods, stabilizing ecosystems, and reducing disaster risks for millions of people.
As conversations under the global campaign #PeoplePlanetProgress continue to gain momentum, Brazil’s emerging leadership signals a powerful shift-one that recognises nature not as a cost, but as the foundation of sustainable development and long-term planetary well-being.
