Nature markets are here to stay, whether we like it or not. Contrary to much current opinion, such markets, which include carbon markets, biodiversity markets, and other emerging ecosystem markets, don’t have to be negative. With the right checks and balances they can open up opportunities for communities who may feel threatened by them. This is something SEDA Land will be exploring in two events: Carbon Finance – COMMUNITY BENEFITS and GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT.

The first conversation: 'Carbon Finance – Community Benefits’, will start by looking at communities and how they may be affected. Most people agree that communities should be better engaged and benefit more from ecosystem markets, but it is not clear how this should be done, or how local residents and communities might be compensated under a public funding model. Join us to discuss how this could be done at this event.

There are growing concerns about the impact of private investment on land prices, tenant farmers and local communities. Henry Leveson-Gower will advocate a cooperative approach as a mechanism through which multiple interests can collaborate to deliver conservation benefits at landscape scale which could benefit small rural communities, crofters or other smallholders.

We will discuss who are the greatest winners and losers are likely to be, and how might those with least power shape and benefit from these markets, as part of a just transition to net zero. Should rural communities be actively engaging in these markets, passively sharing profits from local schemes, or would they be better off without these markets at all? 

CHAIR: Ruchir Shah

Director of External Affairs, Scottish Wildlife Trust

Ruchir is responsible for leading the transformation of how the Scottish Wildlife Trust engages with external audiences in order to tackle the ecological crisis we face. This includes strategic responsibility for policy and public affairs, communications and marketing, and the Trust’s engagement with its members and the general public.

Dr Matthew Hannon

Professor of Sustainable Energy Business and Policy, University of Strathclyde

Matthew works as a Professor of Sustainable Energy Business and Policy at the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strathclyde Business School. His research examines the business models, policies and technologies necessary to accelerate the transition to a socially equitable, net-zero economy. He has (co-)led major research projects, including the Scottish Universities Insight Institute’s Carbon Offsetting for Communities, UKRI’s £10m EnergyREV consortium on smart, locally led energy systems, as well as both the UK Energy Research Centre’s ‘Whole Person - Whole Place’ net-zero neighbourhood retrofit and Community Energy Finance projects. His work has been published across ‘Financial Times 50’ ranked journals and two books on innovation to accelerate the energy revolution. His work has also enjoyed extensive media coverage (e.g. BBC, Forbes) and he has also provided commentary for national media outlets like the i newspaper and The Conversation. Finally, he is co-founder and host of the Local Zero podcast, which champions local action to tackle climate change and profiled as the Times Pod of the Week.

Ailsa Raeburn

Chair, Community Land Scotland

Ailsa is a former Chartered Surveyor based in Argyll with many years’ experience in property development, management and regeneration. Ailsa has been involved with the Community Land Sector now for a number of years. She is Chair of the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust. She also served as a Director on the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust. As Head of the Community Assets Team at Highlands and Island Enterprise, she was responsible for the development and management of the Scottish Land Fund. She was also responsible for a team of advisers across Scotland who worked with community enterprises to develop and deliver transformational asset based projects. At Community Land Scotland, Ailsa has worked with colleagues to support urban and rural communities across Scotland to acquire and develop locally important land and buildings. She also supports the Team on policy development and advocacy, focusing on legislative opportunities to further transformational change for communities.

Dr Calum Brown

Co-chief Scientist, Highlands Rewilding

Dr Calum Brown is Co-chief Scientist at Highlands Rewilding, and a Senior Researcher in Land Use & Climate Change at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He grew up close to Highlands Rewilding’s Bunloit estate, where he now works. He studied ecology, but his research has focused on the links between people and nature in the land system, and how these might be affected by climate change and sustainable management. He currently focuses on the benefits that can arise from ecological restoration, and their contributions to rural communities.

Emma Cooper

Head of Land Rights & Responsibilities, Scottish Land Commission

Emma Cooper is Head of Land Rights and Responsibilities at the Scottish Land Commission, a public body that takes forward land reform in Scotland. Emma works to embed responsible practice in land ownership and management, working with communities, landowners and policy-makers. Emma has been leading work to establish a reasonable expectation of community benefits from carbon projects and identifying practical ways in which carbon projects - and land more generally – can deliver a wide-range of meaningful, tailored benefits for local communities.