Crédit Agricole Launches New Natural Capital Finance and Investment Division

Paris-based international banking and investment group Crédit Agricole announced Monday the launch of Crédit Agricole Capital Naturel, a new division focused on supporting companies, investors and other stakeholders in addressing challenges related to the preservation and restoration of natural resources, with an initial focus on forests.

The announcement marks the latest move by major financial players to deepen their focus on the natural capital sector, following JP Morgan’s recently announced rebrand of its timberland investment advisory company Campbell Global to J.P. Morgan Natural Capital, establishing an $11 billion platform positioned to capitalize on broader investment opportunities across land, carbon, biodiversity, and other nature-related investments.

According to Crédit Agricole, the new division will bring together expertise from across the firm’s business lines and retail banks to help support clients across Europe across the regeneration value chain by offering them advisory, financing, insurance, investment, project structuring and natural asset enhancement solutions.

The bank said that the new division will support companies looking to finance projects, reduce environmental footprint and secure sustainable supplies, investors looking for new asset classes with a sustainable investment objective, owners of natural assets who want to improve the resilience and value of their assets, local authorities committed to preserving their attractiveness, the resilience of their regions and the regeneration of their ecosystems, as well as savers looking to invest in natural capital asset classes and regional banks looking to provide region-specific solutions.

As part of the development of the new business line, Crédit Agricole also revealed that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with nature-based solutions developer and operator EcoTree, with a view to acquiring a majority stake in the company. Founded in 2018, EcoTree provides solutions enabling businesses and individuals to support sustainable forest management and ecosystem restoration in Europe, with services across carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, water filtration, and sustainable timber production.

Crédit Agricole also announced the launch by its asset management business Amundi of Amundi Arbora Nova, a new fund dedicated to the restoration, regeneration and sustainable development of forest ecosystems, with a target to generate €200 million over time.

Crédit Agricole  announced the appointment of Timothée Jaulin as Head of the new Natural Capital division. Jaulin takes on the new role after more than 14 years at Amundi, most recently serving as Global Head of Responsible Investment Business Development & Advocacy.

Grégory Erphelin, Deputy General Manager of Crédit Agricole S.A., in charge of Transformation, Human Resources and Transitions, said:

“Through Crédit Agricole Capital Naturel, we are harnessing the collective strength of Crédit Agricole to preserve and enhance natural capital. This initiative, initially focused on forests, is fully in line with our goal to be a leader in transitions and to sustainably support our customers, regions and economic sectors in the face of environmental challenges.”