EIB Global Invests €50M in Ardian’s Reforestation Fund to Advance Global Climate Action

The investment cements EIB Global’s role as a cornerstone investor in Ardian’s new fund, which seeks to restore degraded forests and natural ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In a major step toward scaling up nature-based climate solutions, the European Investment Bank Group's development arm, EIB Global, has announced a €50 million equity investment in the Nature-Based Solutions Fund managed by Ardian, a leading global private investment firm. The fund is dedicated to supporting reforestation, afforestation, and ecosystem restoration projects around the world, particularly in developing regions.

A Strong Commitment to Global Reforestation

The investment cements EIB Global's role as a cornerstone investor in Ardian's new fund, which seeks to restore degraded forests and natural ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The initiative aims to generate high-integrity carbon credits while simultaneously advancing biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and local livelihoods.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said the partnership reflects Europe's leadership in climate action and environmental stewardship:

"This fund represents an important step forward in scaling nature-based solutions across emerging markets. We are helping to address climate change, protect biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of local communities. This investment reflects our commitment to mobilising public and private capital for environmental protection and sustainable development."

The project underscores the European Union's ambition to combine climate action with inclusive economic growth, ensuring that green investments deliver tangible local benefits such as job creation, rural infrastructure, and renewable energy access.

Mobilising Private Capital for Climate Goals

EIB Global's contribution forms part of the fund's first €100 million round of commitments, which Ardian sees as a milestone in its mission to become a global leader in nature restoration and sustainable infrastructure investment.

Laurent Fayollas, Ardian Comex member and Deputy Head of Infrastructure, highlighted the fund's far-reaching environmental and social objectives:

"On top of targeting the sequestration of 85 million tons of carbon, the fund aims to play a significant role in restoring ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and benefiting local communities. We are very grateful to our anchor investors for their confidence in Ardian's world-class Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions investment expertise."

While most of the fund's resources will focus on developing regions, a share of the capital will support green projects in OECD countries, particularly within Europe. This balanced approach is designed to strengthen global environmental cooperation and cross-border knowledge transfer on sustainable land management.

High-Integrity Carbon Removal Credits

A distinctive feature of Ardian's Nature-Based Solutions Fund is its emphasis on high-integrity carbon removal credits — credits that are tied directly to projects removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through ecosystem restoration.

These credits are sold to responsible companies seeking to offset greenhouse gas emissions via Voluntary Emission Reduction Purchase Agreements (VERPAs). The approach ensures that funding flows to verified, high-impact projects, supporting both corporate decarbonisation efforts and Europe's wider carbon neutrality goals.

Such mechanisms are seen as essential tools for bridging the global financing gap for climate adaptation and mitigation while strengthening transparency and accountability in carbon markets.

Advancing the EU's Global Gateway Strategy

The initiative aligns closely with the EU's Global Gateway strategy, which seeks to mobilise €300 billion in public and private investments between 2021 and 2027 to promote sustainable, secure, and inclusive development. Global Gateway focuses on digital, energy, and transport connectivity, as well as improvements in health, education, and research systems.

By supporting ecosystem and biodiversity restoration projects, the EIB's investment reinforces the EU's forest and biodiversity strategies, its commitment to deforestation-free supply chains, and the broader goals of the European Green Deal.

"This project embodies the Team Europe approach," an EIB Global statement noted. "It brings together the European Union, Member States, and European development finance institutions to deliver high-impact, sustainable investment where it is most needed."

Supporting Climate Ambition and COP30 Goals

The announcement also comes as the EIB Group prepares to showcase its activities at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). The institution, often referred to as Europe's Climate Bank, will present updates on its Climate Bank Roadmap Phase Two, outlining priorities through 2030.

The roadmap builds on the success of the first phase launched in 2020, reaffirming the EIB Group's position as a pioneer in green finance. Key goals include:

• Doubling adaptation finance.

• Accelerating clean energy and industrial innovation.

• Simplifying procedures to speed up green investments.

• Strengthening global partnerships to achieve shared prosperity and energy security.

A Strategic Step for Nature and Climate

EIB Global's €50 million investment in Ardian's Nature-Based Solutions Fund sends a powerful signal about the growing importance of private-public collaboration in financing ecosystem restoration and climate resilience. By focusing on reforestation, wetland and mangrove restoration, and sustainable land use, the fund will contribute significantly to carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, and community development.

The partnership marks a new chapter in Europe's global environmental engagement — one that recognizes that nature itself is a vital ally in the fight against climate change.