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The Science of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant threat or just a possibility, it is now a reality for all of us. In this pathway, Kevin Trenberth, a renowned climatologist, delves into the science behind climate change. He first introduces the climate system, its main components and forces.

Tackling the Plastic Crisis

Plastic pollution is by far the biggest threat to our oceans and this remains an incredibly tough problem to solve. Plastic credits could potentially serve as one of the much needed solutions for this crisis.

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The Scale of the Net Zero Challenge

The price of meeting net zero is estimated to be between $100-150 trillion over the next 30 years. Regardless of this cost, we need to reach net zero before climate change does irreversible damage to the environment and the economy.

ESG, Sustainability and Impact Jargon Buster

ESG, sustainability, impact… they all just mean green, right? Not quite. Despite being used often interchangeably, there are distinct differences between these terms.

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The Science of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant threat or just a possibility, it is now a reality for all of us. In this pathway, Kevin Trenberth, a renowned climatologist, delves into the science behind climate change. He first introduces the climate system, its main components and forces.

Tackling the Plastic Crisis

Plastic pollution is by far the biggest threat to our oceans and this remains an incredibly tough problem to solve. Plastic credits could potentially serve as one of the much needed solutions for this crisis.

More pathways

Ready to get started?

Our Platform

Expert led content

+1,000 expert presented, on-demand video modules

Learning analytics

Keep track of learning progress with our comprehensive data

Interactive learning

Engage with our video hotspots and knowledge check-ins

Testing & certification

Gain CPD / CPE credits and professional certification

Managed learning

Build, scale and manage your organisation’s learning

Integrations

Connect Sustainability Unlocked to your current platform

Featured Content

More featured content

The Scale of the Net Zero Challenge

The price of meeting net zero is estimated to be between $100-150 trillion over the next 30 years. Regardless of this cost, we need to reach net zero before climate change does irreversible damage to the environment and the economy.

ESG, Sustainability and Impact Jargon Buster

ESG, sustainability, impact… they all just mean green, right? Not quite. Despite being used often interchangeably, there are distinct differences between these terms.

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Ready to get started?

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Challenges and Opportunities for Farming

Challenges and Opportunities for Farming

Koen van Seijen

Join Koen van Seijen in this video, as we explore the barriers that stop farmers from making the transition to regenerative farming. Koen also discusses potential opportunities for change, from land ownership models to innovative company structures and investment strategies to align with regenerative practices.

Join Koen van Seijen in this video, as we explore the barriers that stop farmers from making the transition to regenerative farming. Koen also discusses potential opportunities for change, from land ownership models to innovative company structures and investment strategies to align with regenerative practices.

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Challenges and Opportunities for Farming

9 mins 33 secs

Key learning objectives:

  • Understand the barriers that prevent farmers from transitioning to regenerative agriculture

  • Outline how stewardship in agriculture contrasts with our current model

  • Understand the long-term opportunities of regenerative agriculture

  • Outline the 4 returns investment framework for regenerative agriculture

Overview:

What if the very foundations of our food system could be reimagined to nurture the planet instead of depleting it? We need to confront the hard truths about modern farming including thin profit margins, an ageing workforce and the shackles of land ownership. 

Koen challenges you to rethink how we steward our land and resources, embracing innovative models like steward-ownership and evergreen investments. This isn’t just about agriculture; it’s about cultivating a mindset that prioritises the health of our environment for generations to come.

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Summary
What are some of the issues that prevent farmers from transitioning to regenerative agriculture?

Modern farming faces a series of fundamental challenges:
  • Farmers operate on razor-thin margins, with limited capacity to invest in regenerative practices
  • For many, retirement savings are tied up in the land, incentivising short-term decisions that prioritise selling at high value rather than long-term care
  • The dominance of ageing farmers—where in the EU, for every farm manager under 40, there are three over 65—exacerbates this problem. 

Why is land stewardship vital for transforming agriculture?

This creates a system where short-term financial survival often takes precedence over soil health or sustainable practices. Moreover, the long-standing practice of private land ownership raises questions about its role in exacerbating these challenges, given the lack of incentives for renters or absentee owners to invest in regeneration. It is important to look at land value as intrinsically linked to soil health. The concept of stewardship offers a mindset shift. Moving from seeing land as a commodity to be owned, to viewing it as something we care for across generations, offers profound implications for agricultural practices.

How does regenerative agriculture offer solutions?

Indigenous communities have long practised this "seven-generation" thinking, considering the long-term impacts of their actions - as long as 7 generations down the line. Regenerative farming promotes this stewardship by restoring ecosystems and encouraging long-term care over immediate profit. But making this transition is challenging. It requires changing deeply ingrained economic and social systems that prioritise immediate returns.

What are some opportunities to change the system?

Innovative models like steward-ownership are providing alternatives. By embedding self-governance and purpose-driven principles. Investments in regenerative agriculture, such as long-term funding models like evergreen structures, also offer promise by aligning with the slow, nature-driven timelines of farming. These systems, designed to promote sustainability over generations, align better with the slower growth cycles of perennial crops, like olive trees, which can take decades to mature fully.

How can we reshape investment returns to promote regeneration?

Shifting the focus from short-term financial returns to long-term benefits is key. Restoring ecosystems will likely involve lower initial returns as systems are rehabilitated. However, once regeneration gains momentum, the potential for long-term gains could outpace traditional extractive models. In the new framework, returns aren't just measured in financial terms. 

What is the 4 returns investment framework developed by Commonland?

Regenerative projects deliver four types of returns:
  • Return of inspiration - Creating hope and purpose
  • Social returns - Reviving jobs and communities
  • Natural returns - Restoring biodiversity and soil health
  • Financial returns - Generating sustainable income

Transforming agriculture requires patience, a long-term perspective, and a willingness to challenge established norms. The solutions won't come overnight, but by investing in new systems, supporting companies and farmers on regenerative journeys, and rethinking our relationship with land and ownership, we can lay the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable future. 

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Koen van Seijen

Koen van Seijen

Koen van Seijen is a regenerative agriculture and food expert, has been exploring the carbon sequestration potential of regenerative farming since 2011. He is the founder and host of the Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast. In the last decade through 300 podcast interviews with investors, fund managers, scientists, entrepreneurs and farmers, Koen explored the role of money and entrepreneurship all over the world in regenerating soils, ecosystems and communities. Koen also works at Toniic, a global community of asset owners seeking deeper positive net impact across the capital spectrum. Toniic members consist of around 500 high net wealth individuals, family offices, and foundations, who are deepening their impact in over 25 countries.

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