Local Investment in Natural Capital

York and North Yorkshire have an ambition to become England’s first carbon negative region by 2040. York and North Yorkshire’s Routemap to Carbon Negative sets out the region’s ambitious plans, organised around 3 strategic pillars: Energy System, Circular Economy and Natural Capital.

Our region is rich in natural capital, thanks to our world-renowned landscapes, rivers, coastline and urban green spaces. The Local Investment in Natural Capital Programme (LINC) will help us to understand how we can attract investment into natural capital that can restore and sustain the natural environment, whilst unlocking significant economic value. Research shows that with strong private and public sector partnerships and the right investment, York and North Yorkshire’s natural capital economy could grow by 31% before 2050, which would translate into £946 million GVA.

LINC will support us to increase green finance for nature-based solutions such as tree planting and peatland restoration, and support farmers to access new private sector investments that increase resilience in the landscapes they manage. Our communities and businesses can benefit too, through improved access, supported well-being, increased resilience to flooding, a better quality of crops, and removal and storage of carbon from the atmosphere.

We will be working together and with our key stakeholders with an ambition to deliver:

• • a Land Use Assessment and Natural Capital Investment Plan (NCIP)
  • a pipeline of investible natural capital projects and piloting projects that test mechanisms for private investment
  • business cases for a self-sustaining Accelerator Programme and a local investment vehicle to reduce reliance on public funding