Catalytic Capital in Nature Finance & Sustainable Livelihoods

Across the Asia-Pacific, nature underpins economies, livelihoods, and the long-term resilience of capital itself. More than 63% of the region's GDP is at risk from biodiversity and nature loss, and 58% of the combined market capitalization of Asia-Pacific stock exchanges is moderately or highly dependent on nature. Yet the financing structures needed to protect it at scale remain underdeveloped.

Philanthropic and catalytic capital has a unique role to play here by designing the financial architecture that allows larger flows of capital to follow. Investing in nature-positive transitions has the potential to unlock US 4.3 trillion in annual business opportunities across the Asia-Pacific, create more than 230 million jobs, and secure the livelihoods of the 2 billion people who rely directly on nature for food and income.

Organized by Conservation International (CI) in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (CSP), this fireside chat and lunch brings together a small group of principals, family office leads, and system-change philanthropists for an honest conversation on what it actually takes to move from traditional grantmaking into catalytic nature finance.

Deborah Spalding, Global Head for Nature Finance at Conservation International, will be in conversation with Huey Ko, Managing Director of Liminal Assets, exploring how CI uses philanthropic capital as the "smart layer", absorbing early-stage risk, building deal structures, and creating the conditions for durable, community-rooted conservation. 

Attendance is limited to 20 guests. A serviced lunch will follow, with Conservation International's nature finance team going deeper on specific geographies or investment structures.