Reference · 31 pp downloadable
Frameworks & desks, the glossary.
Forty-five acronyms, five framework deep-dives, four customer-desk profiles. A working reference for analysts, deal-team members and compliance officers reading their way into nature underwriting for the first time.
Frameworks
Five frameworks every nature deal references.
TNFD LEAP-FI
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, finance-sector guidance. Released September 2023, sector-specific guidance 2025. Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare. The disclosure framework most LPs and most regulators now reference. Our deep-dive →
NGFS three-phase
The Network for Greening the Financial System nature-risk scenarios. Phase 1, physical risk. Phase 2, transition risk. Phase 3, credit-risk translation (PD/LGD). 2024 release, April 2026 update. Adopted by EBA, ECB, PRA, Banco do Brasil and the Fed. Worked example →
UNEP FI NBRA
UNEP Finance Initiative's Nature Banking Risk Assessment. The bank-risk language for nature-positive lending. The substantive framework used in the DFI system.
IFC PS1–PS8
The IFC Performance Standards. PS6 (Biodiversity, 2024 revision) is the most rigorous nature-risk standard in development finance. Critical-habitat / natural-habitat / modified-habitat triage. Avoid-minimise-restore-offset mitigation hierarchy.
EIB NCFF
European Investment Bank's Natural Capital Financing Facility. Technical Assistance bands: small (€17–35K), mid (€30–50K), large (€700–935K), flagship (€990K). The benchmark for pricing nature-analytics engagements in Europe.
Carbon-credit methodologies
Verra VM0047
Methodology for afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR). Most active methodology in the Cerrado today by hectares-under-contract. Workings →
Verra VM0048
Methodology for unplanned deforestation (avoided unplanned deforestation, REDD+). The 2023 framework re-anchored against jurisdictional baselines.
Verra VM0042
Methodology for improved agricultural land management. Soil-organic-carbon, regenerative agriculture, and the soils sleeve of natural-capital strategies.
ART TREES 2.0
Architecture for REDD+ Transactions, TREES Standard 2.0. The jurisdictional REDD+ standard adopted by Brazil's TFFF and the Indonesian, Costa Rican and Guyanese programmes.
ICVCM CCPs
Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market's Core Carbon Principles. CCPs 1–10 set the integrity threshold for any high-quality voluntary carbon credit. Adopted by the corporate principal-buyer market as the baseline procurement standard.
Gold Standard for Global Goals
The Gold Standard's broader framework, forestry, soils and community projects. Aligned to the UN SDGs.
SBTN AR3T
Science Based Targets Network mitigation hierarchy. Avoid, Reduce, Restore & Regenerate, Transform. Released 2023, target-validation guidance updated 2025.
Customer desks
Farmland & natural-capital fund desk
The PM, deal-team analyst, head of sustainability and CRO at a $100M–$5B natural-capital strategy. Reads TNFD LEAP-FI, NGFS Phase 1 physical risk, IFC PS6. Solutions page →
Carbon principal buyer desk
The procurement lead, sustainability lead and contracting team at a corporate AMC participant signing 7-to-15-year offtakes. Reads ICVCM CCPs, Verra VM0047/VM0048, JPMC + Carbon Direct biodiversity-VCM principles. Solutions page →
DFI deal team
The sector lead, ESDD analyst, environmental and social safeguards officer at a multilateral or bilateral DFI. Reads IFC PS1–PS8, UNEP FI NBRA, NCFF TA bands. Solutions page →
Insurance nature-based-solutions desks
The parametric and project-finance underwriter at a reinsurer or specialty carrier writing nature-based covers. Reads TNFD LEAP-FI, NGFS Phase 1 physical risk, NCFF and actuarial benchmarks. Solutions page →
Download the full glossary (31 pp).
Every acronym, every framework deep-dive, every desk profile, formatted for the investment-committee pack, citable in the disclosure, designed to be quoted from.