Market Research Report: Demand for Ecological Assets in 2024
This report presents an in-depth exploration of the ecological assets market. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the market's structure, key players, and the evolving dynamics that shape it. The objective of this research is to provide critical insights that are fundamental to the evolution of the ecological assets market, particularly for Eco Asset project developers & ReFi founders.
Authored by: Andrea Farias, Sev Nightingale, Samantha Tan, Nathaniel Stern
Date of Publication: May 1st, 2024
Importance of Research
  • Targeting the Right Audience: Many ecological asset projects struggle or fail due to a misalignment with the right stakeholders. This research aims to prevent such missteps by providing a nuanced understanding of the market's dynamics based on research rather than assumptions.
  • Developing Adequate Tools and Strategies: Insight into the market's intricacies allows for the development of tools and strategies tailored to meet the needs of different stakeholders. This customization is vital for fostering engagement and maximizing the impact of ecological assets.
  • Enhancing Market Credibility and Attractiveness: Detailed knowledge of value propositions and patron behavior enhances the market's credibility, making it more attractive to potential investors and participants. It assures stakeholders of the market's viability and potential for sustainable growth.

Sunflower EcoTech

Sunflower EcoTech

Sunflower EcoTech empowers environmental stewards, or Regenerators, with innovative tools for regenerative finance and ecological asset origination. We connect patrons to genuine community-rooted projects, leveraging blockchain, IoT, and AI for transparent impact tracking. Join us in making regenera

Key Takeaways
The report underscores several essential takeaways that highlight the multifaceted nature of the ecological assets market:
1
Value Propositions: The report delves into the unique value propositions of ecological assets, exploring how they cater to different market stakeholders.
  • Methodology Development
  • Risk Mitigation
  • Brand Identity
  • Speculation
2
Key Patron Groups: An in-depth analysis of the patron groups within the market is presented, categorizing them into short-term, medium-term, and long-term stakeholders, each with distinct motivations and strategies
  • Philanthropists
  • Speculators
  • Commodity Producers
  • Insurance Providers
  • Corporates and Governments
3
Insetting vs. Offsetting: The report illuminates the value of ecological assets in both insetting and offsetting strategies, showcasing how they can be integrated into corporate sustainability plans and climate commitments.
4
Rise of Biodiversity Credits: A key insight is the growing importance of biodiversity credits within the ecological assets market. These credits represent a shift towards a more holistic approach to environmental sustainability, extending beyond the traditional focus on carbon.
By examining these aspects, the report offers a comprehensive view of the ecological assets market, emphasizing its growing significance in the global economy and its potential to drive meaningful environmental change. The subsequent sections will delve deeper into each of these areas, providing a thorough understanding of the market's current landscape and its future trajectory.
Table of contents
  • Glossary of Terms
Glossary of Terms
1
Ecological Assets
Tangible or intangible resources that provide environmental benefits, such as carbon credits, biodiversity credits, or water rights. They represent a quantifiable positive impact on the environment.
2
ESG Consultants
Professionals who advise organizations on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) matters, helping them incorporate sustainable practices into their business strategies and meet ESG criteria.
3
Corporate Sustainability Officers (CSO)
Executives responsible for overseeing and implementing an organization’s sustainability strategy, ensuring environmental, social, and governance factors are integrated into corporate operations.
4
Impact Investors
Investors who aim to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. They focus on investments that contribute to addressing global challenges.
5
Proof of Impact
Evidence or documentation demonstrating that a specific action or investment has led to measurable environmental or social benefits.
6
Biodiversity Credits
An evolving credit class that generally means quantifiable units that represent measurable and verified positive impacts on biodiversity, such as habitat protection or species conservation. Exact definitions differ between organizations & methodologies.
7
Methodology Development
The process of creating systematic approaches and criteria for measuring, reporting, verifying, and ultimately valuing ecological assets.
8
Risk Mitigation
Strategies and actions taken to reduce or manage the potential negative impacts or uncertainties that the climate & environmental crisis poses.
9
NSF iCorps Program
A National Science Foundation initiative designed to foster entrepreneurship and guide academic researchers in validating the commercial potential of their technology and innovations.
10
Verification Bodies
Organizations or entities that assess and confirm the validity of ecological assets, ensuring that the claimed environmental benefits are real and measurable.
11
Sustainability Goals
Targets set by organizations or governments aimed at achieving specific sustainability outcomes, such as reducing carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity, or improving social equity.
12
Regenerative Practices
Agricultural or environmental practices that restore and rejuvenate ecosystems, improving their capacity to absorb carbon, enhance biodiversity, and maintain ecological balance.
13
Supply Chain Resiliency
The ability of a supply chain to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to conditions, changes, or disruptions in a way that maintains its operational effectiveness.
14
Ecological Data
Information related to the state and health of ecosystems, which can include metrics on biodiversity, carbon sequestration, water quality, and soil health.
15
Patrons
A broad category of buyers or investors in the ecological assets market, encompassing diverse entities such as individuals, corporations, and governments, with motivations ranging from environmental conservation to financial return.
16
Insetting
A sustainability practice where organizations incorporate environmental projects within their operations to directly reduce their ecological impact. This internal approach aims at operational efficiency and aligns with corporate social responsibility.
17
Offsetting
The process of compensating for an organization's environmental footprint, typically emissions, by investing in external environmental projects that create equivalent ecological benefits.
18
Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF)
A framework for diverse stakeholders to explain positive impacts in six key areas: Air, Water, Soil, Biodiversity, Equity, and Carbon
Section 1: Project Background
About Sunflower EcoTech
Sunflower EcoTech is a pioneering enterprise at the forefront of promoting genuine, community-centered regenerative projects. Our core ethos revolves around empowering patrons to actively support environmental stewardship initiatives. This is achieved through the use of transparent and innovative technologies that ensure the impact of these initiatives is not only tangible but verifiable. At the heart of Sunflower EcoTech's mission is a commitment to transform regeneration into a viable and respected occupation, thereby fostering a sustainable and environmentally conscious future.
Support Our Work
Collaboration with the NSF iCorps Program
Our commitment to advancing our role in the ecological assets sector led us to participate in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) iCorps program. This program, known for its rigorous approach to scientific and market validation, provided a structured framework for our market research. The iCorps program employs a unique methodology that combines lean startup principles with a focus on customer discovery and validation. This approach enabled us to systematically identify and engage with a diverse array of stakeholders in the ecological assets market.
Through this collaboration, we gained access to NSF's extensive network of experienced mentors and industry experts. These resources, combined with the program's emphasis on empirical market data and evidence-based strategies, allowed us to conduct thorough and rigorous stakeholder interviews. We conducted over 140 stakeholders interviews, facilitated by the iCorps program, which provided deep insights into market needs, challenges, and opportunities. This process not only validated our hypotheses about the ecological assets market but also helped refine our strategies to better align with the complex dynamics of this evolving sector.
Research Methodology
The cornerstone of our research was a comprehensive series of over 140 stakeholder interviews. This extensive interviewing process was meticulously planned and executed to go far beyond our immediate circle of colleagues, and gain a broad and deep understanding of the ecological assets market.

“Competitors”

Environmental Stewards

Impact Investors

Corporate Sustainability Officers

ESG Consultants

1
Environmental Stewards
Also known as Regenerators, Land Stewards, Regenerative Farmers, etc. This group we were most familiar with and they helped ground us in the reality of what ecological assets mean in practical terms for the people involved in originating them.
2
“Competitors”, Collaborators
Engaging with organizations typically seen as competitors, but who we see more as collaborators, offered a critical understanding of the market landscape, challenges, and opportunities for innovation.
3
Impact Investors
This group provided a viewpoint on how investments can generate not only financial returns but also concrete social and environmental impacts.
4
ESG Consultants
Experts who specialize in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, offering a unique perspective on sustainable investing and corporate responsibility.
5
Corporate Sustainability Officers
Key players in shaping corporate environmental strategies, their insights were crucial in understanding corporate engagement in ecological asset markets.
Section 2: Understanding Ecological Assets
Definition and Explanation of Ecological Assets

What is an Ecological Asset?
An ecological asset can be succinctly described as a "Proof of Impact". It represents a verified claim that specific regenerative practices have been successfully implemented, resulting in tangible improvements in several key environmental areas. These areas include air quality, water resources, soil health, biodiversity, equity, and carbon sequestration. Unlike traditional assets, ecological assets are inherently linked to the positive environmental impact they generate.
Differentiation from Traditional Carbon Credits
While often compared to carbon credits, ecological assets extend beyond the singular focus on carbon. Traditional carbon credits are primarily concerned with the quantification and trade of carbon emission reductions or sequestrations. In contrast, ecological assets encompass a broader spectrum of environmental benefits, including but not limited to carbon dynamics. This comprehensive approach makes them a more holistic measure of environmental impact.
Momentum of Biodiversity Credits
Biodiversity credits represent a significant and growing segment within the ecological assets market. These credits specifically focus on preserving and enhancing biodiversity, offering a more targeted approach than traditional carbon credits. The momentum behind biodiversity credits is fueled by a growing recognition of the importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem health and resilience.

Further Reading
The Evolving Nature of Ecological Assets

Emergence and Complexity of Standards
Ecological assets are in a phase of emergence and are far from being fully established in the market. One of the primary complexities in this sector is the vast array of verification, certification, accreditation, regulatory, and government bodies actively involved in shaping the standards. These entities contribute to a diverse and often confusing "acronym soup" of standards, creating a challenging landscape for the ecological assets market. The varied criteria set by these organizations result in a complex and constantly evolving environment for what is accepted as a valid ecological asset.
Initial Assumptions about Market Demand
Entering this research, our assumption was that the demand for ecological assets heavily outweighed the supply. This assumption was based on the understanding that numerous corporations and governments are setting ambitious sustainability targets, for which ecological assets could offer viable solutions. According to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), a UK-based non-profit, at least one fifth (21%) of the world's 2,000 largest public companies have pledged to meet net zero targets. The expectation was a market eager for these assets to meet their extensive environmental commitments.
Realization of Market Complexities - Insetting vs. Offsetting
However, our research revealed a more nuanced reality. The current focus in the market is predominantly on insetting, which involves organizations changing their internal behaviors and supply chains to reduce their environmental footprint. This approach differs significantly from offsetting, where external ecological assets are purchased to compensate for emissions or ecological impacts. We found that organizations are primarily concentrated on modifying internal operations to minimize their ecological impact. Only when they reach a point of residual emissions, where further reduction is unfeasible, does the role of purchasing external ecological assets become pertinent.
This realization leads us to understand that the ecological assets market isn't just about supply and demand in a traditional sense. It’s about understanding the timing and readiness of organizations to engage with these assets, which varies significantly based on which stakeholder you are looking at and their progress in reducing internal emissions and impacts.
Emerging Trends: The Evolution Beyond ESG
The landscape of sustainable finance is evolving, with the Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF) emerging as a pivotal trend, potentially signaling the next phase in the evolution of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. This shift gains significance in light of the growing concerns over the efficacy and perception of ESG metrics.
Genuine Intentions Amidst Greenwashing Concerns
Despite recent criticisms of greenwashing, it's crucial to acknowledge that the concept of ESG was rooted in genuine motivations. Originating from an understanding within the highest levels of finance that climate change poses significant financial risks to capital allocators, ESG was designed as a means to assess and mitigate these risks. However, its application has faced challenges, with some equating ESG with superficial green initiatives rather than substantive change.
Key Takeaway from Our Research
The core insight from our research is that the motivations behind sustainability reporting standards, such as ESG, are deeply rooted in the concept of financial risk mitigation. This aspect of risk mitigation remains a key financial driver fueling the demand for ecological assets. However, what remains uncertain is the specific standards and frameworks that will effectively channel capital into creating tangible environmental impacts. The evolving nature of this space is marked by the exploration and introduction of new methodologies, such as Biodiversity Credits and Environmental Stewardship Credits from Regen Network.
Current Market Overview
The ecological assets market represents a dynamic and evolving landscape, characterized by a complex interplay of various stakeholders and a flow of value that is as diverse as it is impactful. Understanding how this market functions, who the key players are, and how value is exchanged provides essential insights into its current state and future potential.

After over a hundred interviews, here’s how we mapped the key players and roles of just one stakeholder category:

Market Mechanics and Key Players in the “Corporate” Stakeholder Category
Impact Investors
These are entities or individuals who invest with the intention to generate a positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. They influence standards bodies by advocating for certain criteria that align with their investment philosophy, emphasizing the importance of integrating climate risk into financial analysis.
Standards Bodies
These organizations create and maintain the benchmarks for sustainability performance, including guidelines and protocols for reporting and verification. While they set the standards that impact investors use to assess and guide their investments, they also take cues from these investors, who represent a significant portion of the market's demand for robust and credible standards. Investors' needs for transparent, accountable, and effective measures of sustainability performance can drive standards bodies to evolve and refine their criteria.
Company with Net Zero Goal
The central entity in the map, likely representing a corporation that has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The company is influenced by standards bodies and impact investors and engages with various roles internally and externally to achieve its sustainability targets.
CSO (Corporate Sustainability Officer)
A key decision-maker within the company responsible for developing and implementing sustainability strategies. The CSO is influenced by impact investors and directly interacts with ESG consultants to make informed decisions.
CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
The economic buyer within the company who assesses the financial implications of sustainability initiatives and approves expenditures. The CFO is influenced by the company's net-zero goal and is likely responsible for reviewing the impact report.
ESG Consultants
Advisors who help companies implement ESG strategies and practices. They influence the CSO with recommendations and are also influenced by rating agencies, who provide assessments that inform ESG consulting practices.
Rating Agencies
Entities that provide sustainability ratings for companies, influencing both ESG consultants and certifiers by evaluating company performance against sustainability criteria.
Certifiers
Organizations that verify the claims made by companies regarding their sustainability efforts, providing certifications that contribute to the company's proof of impact.
Key Challenges in the Market
  • Complexity of Verification: Ensuring the authenticity and measurable impact of ecological assets is challenging, given the variability in ecological systems and the need for robust verification mechanisms.
  • Quality Assessment Challenges: Assessing the quality of ecological assets, including carbon credits, remains a significant challenge. This difficulty arises from varying project standards, methodologies, and the complexity of ecological systems.
  • Market Volatility: The emerging nature of this market can lead to fluctuations in the value of ecological assets, influenced by changing regulations, technological advancements, and varying stakeholder interests.
  • Diverse Stakeholder Interests: Balancing the needs and expectations of a broad range of stakeholders – from investors to environmentalists – can be complex.
  • Diverse Reporting Standards: The market is currently navigating a landscape cluttered with various sustainability reporting standards. This diversity often leads to confusion and inconsistency in how ecological benefits are reported and assessed.
  • Regulatory Barriers: Inconsistent policies across regions and the absence of global standards can hinder market growth and the scalability of ecological asset projects.
Conclusion
The ecological assets market is marked by its potential for significant environmental and economic impact. However, navigating its complexities – from verification challenges to regulatory hurdles – requires a nuanced understanding and collaborative effort from all stakeholders involved. As the market continues to mature, addressing these challenges will be critical in unlocking its full potential and ensuring its contribution to global sustainability goals.
Section 3: Key Value Propositions in the Market
Uncovering the Motivations Behind Eco Asset Demand
Entering our comprehensive market research, we carried an array of hypothesized value propositions we believed to be pivotal in the ecological assets domain. Armed with these assumptions, we embarked on a rigorous journey of conducting over a hundred interviews with diverse stakeholders. This exhaustive process, which served both as a reality check and a means of discovery, led to the invalidation of many of our initial hypotheses. However, it also crystallized several key value propositions that stood up to scrutiny and were consistently validated by our research findings.

These refined insights have shaped our understanding of what truly drives specific individual stakeholders in the market for ecological assets:
Value Propositions
Methodology Development
  • Corporate Sustainability Officers (CSOs): As companies shift their focus towards insetting they are facing the challenge of developing robust systems to assess their organizations' ecological impacts comprehensively. With a growing need to track both the positive and negative environmental effects of their operations, CSOs are recognizing the value of investing in the development of methodologies akin to those used in the ecological asset issuance industry.
  • These methodologies, which encompass the process of verification for assets such as carbon credits, are becoming instrumental in measuring a range of ecological impacts. Through the integration of technology and data analysis, companies can establish a systematic approach to quantify their environmental initiatives. This not only aids in attaining their sustainability goals but also bolsters their credibility and accountability in environmental stewardship. By developing and applying these methodologies into “Insetting Eco-Credits”, organizations can provide a transparent account of their progress and impact, aligning their operations with both internal sustainability objectives and external ecological asset standards.
Risk Mitigation
  • Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) – Enhancing Supply Chain Resiliency: CIOs are turning to ecological assets as a means to bolster supply chain resilience. In the face of climate change and its associated risks, a sustainable and resilient supply chain is not just an environmental consideration but a strategic economic necessity. Investing in ecological assets helps mitigate risks related to climate disruptions and ensures a more stable and sustainable supply chain.
  • Avoidance of Regulatory Compliance Fees: Another critical aspect for CIOs is using ecological assets as a strategy to avoid regulatory compliance fees. By investing in or developing ecological projects that contribute to environmental improvement, companies can better position themselves in the face of tightening environmental regulations and potentially avoid or reduce associated compliance costs.
Brand Identity
  • Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) – Improving Customer Reputation: CMOs are leveraging ecological assets to enhance their company's reputation among consumers. In an increasingly eco-conscious market, demonstrating a commitment to environmental sustainability can significantly impact customer perception and brand loyalty.
  • Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) – Enhancing Investor Reputation: CEOs are focusing on ecological assets to bolster their company's reputation in the eyes of investors. As investors are increasingly factoring in sustainability and environmental impact in their investment decisions, demonstrating a commitment to ecological stewardship can enhance a company's attractiveness to investors.
  • Chief Operating Officers (COOs) – Improving Employee Reputation: COOs are using ecological assets to improve their company's reputation among employees. A strong commitment to environmental sustainability can boost employee morale, attract top talent, and foster a sense of pride and loyalty within the organization.
Speculation
  • Traders and Investors: There is a growing segment of traders and investors who are engaging in the ecological assets market purely from a speculative standpoint. They invest in these assets with the expectation of reselling them for a profit, often targeting returns of over 10% APY. This speculative approach not only brings additional liquidity to the market but also underscores the economic viability and growth potential of ecological assets.
Connection to Impact
  • For some stakeholders the narrative surrounding an ecological asset often holds as much value as the asset itself. The ability of ecological assets to serve as a tangible connection to real-world impact projects presents a unique value proposition. Rather than focusing solely on the raw data or proof of impact, these stakeholders are drawn to the story and the vision of the impact.
  • This connection goes beyond numbers; it's about buying into a narrative that aligns with their values and aspirations. Ecological assets provide a conduit for these stakeholders to become part of a larger story of environmental stewardship and positive change. By investing in ecological assets, they are not just contributing to a statistical outcome but are engaging with a living, breathing project that has a name, a place, and a community it supports.
Conclusion
The key value propositions in the ecological assets market reflect a broad spectrum of strategic, economic, and environmental motivations. This multifaceted interest underscores the significant potential and versatility of ecological assets in contributing to sustainable development and economic growth.
Section 4: Categorization of Market Patrons
Our Most Significant Insight
Through our extensive research, while specific value propositions for individual stakeholders emerged, the most significant insight was our new understanding of market patrons' general categories. Our analysis revealed that categorizing these patrons by their investment time horizons—short-term, medium-term, and long-term—was instrumental in making sense of the market dynamics. This time-based categorization has been pivotal in identifying not only which stakeholder categories are viable today but also those who will be in the coming years, and beyond.
A crucial aspect of our findings was recognizing which categories to prioritize and, just as importantly, which ones to set aside for now. This approach has streamlined our focus and strategic outreach, particularly highlighting that retail consumers, despite initial assumptions, are not a stakeholder group to concentrate on at this stage. This categorization allows us to predict market movements and align our strategies with the evolving landscape of ecological assets, ensuring that our efforts are directed where they can be most effective and impactful.
1
Short-term Stakeholders
Currently viable, a priority for the next 2 years
2
Medium-term Stakeholders
Will continue to become more of a priority over the next 2-5 years
3
Long-term Stakeholders
Will become the most impactful stakeholders in ~5 years, as we near 2030 sustainability goals.
Short-term Stakeholders
Philanthropists
  • Characteristics: These are individuals or organizations motivated by altruism, with the financial means to support regenerative causes.
  • Motivation: Their primary driver is to contribute to environmental sustainability.
  • Strategy and Impact: Philanthropists typically invest in projects with immediate environmental impacts, emphasizing ecological restoration or conservation.
  • Challenges: Ensuring that their investments yield tangible and sustainable environmental benefits.
  • Recommendations: Prioritize storytelling, narrative, human connection, and beyond sources of verified impact, offer ways of including these patrons into your project, allowing them to experience it's impact at the human level.
Speculators
  • Characteristics: This group includes investors and traders seeking short-term financial gains.
  • Motivation: Driven by the potential for immediate market opportunities.
  • Strategy and Impact: They invest in ecological assets with the intention of reselling them at a premium to medium and long-term buyers.
  • Challenges: Uncertainty around future value of Eco Assets.
  • Recommendations: Prioritize Forwards Markets or other Eco Assets or ReFi Protocols which create yield, ROI, or provide an option to convert into more valuable eco assets in the future.
Medium-term Stakeholders
Commodity Producers
  • Characteristics: Stakeholders involved in producing commodities like Coffee, Olive Oil, Cacao, Citrus Fruits, Hemp, etc.
  • Motivation: Utilizing regenerative practices for risk mitigation.
  • Strategy and Impact: Investing in ecological assets to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, thus protecting supply chains from climate disruption.
  • Challenges: Balancing cost of implementation with expected returns.
  • Recommendations: Focus on regenerative commodities; combine ecological assets with the agricultural products themselves.
Insurance Providers
  • Characteristics: Entities in the insurance sector seeking to mitigate risks associated with natural disasters.
  • Motivation: Leveraging ecological data for better risk prediction and management.
  • Strategy and Impact: Investing in regenerative practices to gather ecological data that can be used in underwriting processes.
  • Challenges: Ensuring accuracy and relevance of ecological data.
  • Recommendations: Collaborate with environmental experts; invest in advanced data analysis technologies.
Long-term Stakeholders
Corporates and Governments
  • Characteristics: These are entities with long-term sustainability goals, often set for 2030 or 2040.
  • Motivation: Focusing on Insetting rather than Offsetting, with a need to meet net-zero emissions targets.
  • Strategy and Impact: Currently more inclined towards changing operations to reduce negative environmental impacts.
  • Challenges: Lack of clarity on what qualifies as Offsetting; regulatory uncertainties.
  • Recommendations: Advocate for clearer Offsetting standards; integrate both insetting and offsetting into eco asset origination strategies. Prepare for spike in demand as we near 2030.
Conclusion
The future of the ecological assets market appears promising yet complex. As global awareness of environmental issues continues to rise, the demand for transparent, verifiable ecological impacts is likely to grow. This burgeoning interest, coupled with technological advancements in data analysis and impact verification, sets the stage for significant market expansion and evolution.
However, this growth will not be without its challenges. The market must navigate a landscape of regulatory uncertainties and standardization needs, especially concerning offsetting practices. Additionally, the integration of ecological assets into broader economic systems will require continuous adaptation and innovation.
Made with