The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is preparing an opinion on "Designing nature credits: A framework to promote biodiversity and ecosystem services ", led by rapporteur Rastislav TRNKA (SK/EPP) Chairman of the Košice self-governing Region and member of the Commission for the Environment, Climate change and Energy (ENVE) of the CoR.

Biodiversity certification and the resulting tradable nature credits are emerging market-based mechanisms which aim at mobilising private investment for the preservation and restoration of nature and biodiversity.

As announced by EC President von der Leyen, the European Commission is starting to work on defining a methodology for biodiversity certification and nature credits.

The opinion will focus on the need and relevance for local and regional authorities(LRAs), as the entities managing the land and sea, to scale-up these mechanisms to address the global nature and biodiversity crisis.

It will emphasise the opportunity for LRAs to step in the early process of biodiversity certification and participate in the development and management of nature credit systems.

The stakeholder consultation will provide the rapporteur with valuable insights to support the preparation of the draft opinion.

The draft opinion is scheduled for discussion at the ENVE commission meeting on 5 March 2025.

The opinion is expected to be approved at the CoR plenary session of 14-15 October 2025.

The event will happen at the European Committee of the Regions, Rue Belliard 99-101 Brussels, in room JDE 53 and online.