9 Sep 2025

West Midlands Combined Authority: Local Investment in Natural Capital

Lead Organisation

Finance Earth, leading a consortium with eftec, Accelar and Sustainability West Midlands

Customer

West Midlands Combined Authority

Overview

This project aimed to support the West Midlands Combined Authority to set up the WMCA Local Investment in Natural Capital (LINC) programme. This programme will drive private investment towards projects that seek to restore and improve the natural environment, and provide access to nature for a densly populated urban area. In particular the project aimed:

  • To explore and demonstrate the potential for natural capital investment,
  • To build the capacity, effective governance arrangements and capability of local leaders and partner organisations,
  • To develop local ecosystem markets and investment/delivery mechanisms.

Outputs

The consortium as a whole provided the following outputs:

  • Market research reporting
  • Natural capital economic assessment
  • Analysis of operating models and roles
  • The delivery of two accelerators; one for Biodiversity Net Gain projects, and one developing an ‘urban greening token’.
  • The natural capital project pipeline
  • Natural capital funding framework
  • Nature finance community of practice
  • Communication products
  • West Midlands Nature Investment Hub

Download full case study

Related content

9 Sep 2025

Solihull College and University Centre: Sustainability Stakeholder Engagement Workshops

Lead Organisation Sustainability West Midlands Project Delivery team: Beck Collins (Project Manager) and Morgan Roberts (Project Support) Customer Solihull College…

Completed Project

Read more
BSW Hospitals Group Stacked Logo Plus 3 Hospitals

6 Jun 2025

Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Hospitals Group: Adapting the NHS to Climate Change

SWM have supported the Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Acute Hospital Alliance to develop a climate change risk assessment and adaptation plan.

Completed Project

Read more
clean futures coventry university clean futures coventry university

6 May 2025

Coventry University Services (CUS): Clean Futures Masterclasses

SWM were commissioned by CUS to deliver 10 masterclasses as part of the Clean Futures Programme. This is one of the five West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) Innovation Accelerators, funded by Innovate UK with a total of £33 million, set up to help drive forward the West Midlands Plan for Growth by supporting and accelerating innovation in Cleantech and MedTech. The Clean Futures Programme is focussed on supporting SMEs in the development and diversification of transport and associated manufacturing supply chains in the West Midlands, enabling the transition from fossil fuel to clean-tech solutions.

Completed Project

Read more
Logo of the Malvern Hills National Landscape.

22 Apr 2025

Malvern Hills National Landscape: Adapting the MHNL to Climate Change

SWM worked with the National Landscape team at Worcestershire County Council (WCC) to develop a climate change adaptation plan for the Malvern Hills National Landscape.

Completed Project

Read more