French private markets firm Ardian and banking group Societe Generale announced Wednesday a new equity partnership intended to scale up investment in nature-based solutions, combining infrastructure investment expertise with structuring and advisory capabilities to develop large-scale ecosystem restoration projects.
Under the agreement, Societe Generale will commit €100 million (over $115 million) as an anchor investor in Ardian’s Averrhoa NBS fund and will serve as financial advisor to Ardian through its affiliate, Societe Generale Investment Solutions, supporting the fund’s structuring and deployment.
Averrhoa NBS is classified as an Article 9 impact fund under the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), managed by Ardian’s infrastructure team in partnership with French advisory firm aDryada.
The fund will invest in projects to reforest land and restore wetlands and mangroves, with a goal of sequestering up to 85 million tons of carbon over 40 years, based on the fund’s current project pipeline.
Beyond carbon capture, the projects are designed to protect biodiversity, preserve water resources, and improve soil and air quality while supporting local communities.
The partnership reflects growing demand from corporations and financial institutions for high-quality nature-based projects, and aims to help establish such projects as a mainstream investable asset class with long-term visibility.
“Ardian is establishing itself as a key player in nature‑based solutions by developing carbon capture projects that address climate challenges while restoring natural ecosystems and biodiversity,” said Mathias Burghardt, chief executive of Ardian France.
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Anne-Christine Champion at Societe Generale said the bank is “contributing capital, advisory and structuring capabilities alongside Ardian to support the scaling of this market over time and help our clients integrate nature into their adaptation and transition strategies.”
Nature-based solutions refer to projects that work with natural ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and mangroves, to address environmental challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, and water security.
By restoring or protecting these ecosystems, such projects can absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere while delivering additional benefits to surrounding communities and wildlife.
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