Mrs Jessika Roswall, EU-Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, has recently presented her roadmap towards Nature Credits. The aim of these Nature Credits is to acquire private funds for green and nature-positive investments that enhance our living climate and biodiversity. In a letter to her, the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has expressed its support for this initiative. ELCA, who represents the landscape garden sector in 23 EU-member states, recommends to also apply these Nature Credits for green and nature-positive projects in the urban area, to include the aspect of long-term maintenance of projects in the certification system and to make these Credits also available for urban green professionals and municipalities.

Urban ecosystem
The roadmap highlights the opportunities of Nature Credits for green projects in the maritime, forest, and agricultural ecosystem, but seems to underestimate the opportunities for the urban ecosystem. Nature-based solutions absorb water after heavy rainfall, cool the urban area during periods of heat, store carbon and create a place to live for pollinators. ELCA is of the opinion that we also should apply Nature Credits for green and nature-positive investments in the urban area. There are many initiatives that fit in the Nature Credits approach, such as the creation of green school yards, healing gardens at hospitals, dementia gardens at elderly homes, biodiverse industrial zones and green shopping centres. The Nature Credits can furthermore be used for citizens initiatives for community gardens, tree planting or collective green roof projects.

From certification to credits
ELCA fully supports the approach to come to a credible and transparent system. The proposed certification will offer a clear framework for assessing plans and monitoring the effects. This is very important, because the values and ecosystem services of nature-based solutions grow by the years. Already at the beginning of making plans, the project maintenance should be at the table. ELCA pleads for adding the aspect of long-term maintenance to the certification system. To have a good image of what is needed or possible, urban green professionals can provide their expertise. ELCA recommends to involve the SoGreen Alliance (www.onthegreenmove.com) in which eight European associations of urban green professionals cooperate, and to activate their members network in supporting the development of local green and nature-positive initiatives.

Landscape-level facilitators
In the Roadmap is indicated that the Nature Credit value chain includes intermediaries such as aggregators and landscape-level facilitators. Urban green professionals might also play a role as  facilitator. The idea could be that they participate in green and nature-based projects and have access to Nature Credits. How this can be elaborated is something ELCA wants to discuss with the Commissioner. Furthermore, ELCA thinks about the role of municipalities as landscape-level facilitators and relevant stakeholder. They are very important because actions are taken at local level and most of the nature-positive benefits/ecosystem services land in local communities. 

ELCA has offered its support to the Commissioner in the elaboration of the Nature Credits.