Valuing Nature: Economic opportunities in our natural world

Rayne has a background in corporate finance and is a globally recognised pioneer in corporate sustainability and natural capital reporting. 

Rayne helped to deliver Farming for the Future’s project to incorporate the economic benefits of shelter belts on agricultural land into rural land valuations and finance decision-making based on improved farm productivity metrics and natural capital values.

Rayne currently leads Value Australia, a regional Capitals Coalition hub, focused on fostering market confidence and supporting capacity-building in Natural and Social Capital Valuation and Reporting.  The hub will build on global and regional momentum to accelerate decision-making by business, finance, and policy to shape the regional impact economy of the future.

Mick has been a senior manager in various NSW Government environment portfolio roles over 20 years. This has included responsibility for conservation management of national parks, managing the NSW Environmental Trust, delivering sustainability and emissions reduction programs under the Net Zero Plan and, currently, leading delivery of private land conservation programs with the Biodiversity Conservation Trust. These roles have given Mick insights into the challenges of tackling the twin climate and biodiversity crises together and the importance of well-designed public programs in attracting private investment.

Since 2021 Sue has led the Farming for the Future program, a flagship public interest research and change program of the Macdoch Foundation. By considering natural capital as a factor of agricultural productivity and profitability, Farming for the Future aims to support a more financially prosperous, climate-resilient, and environmentally positive agricultural sector in Australia.

Miguel is a Senior Manager in EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services practice, bringing a decade of experience in supporting public and private organisations through assurance and advisory engagements. His expertise encompasses greenhouse gas emission accounting, decarbonisation strategies, carbon and nature markets, as well as climate and nature risk assessments. Miguel has worked across various sectors, including agriculture, finance, mining, real estate, energy, and transport, alongside government entities.

As a member of the EY Oceania leadership team, Miguel drives initiatives focused on climate and nature-related risk disclosures as well as the development of nature markets. He is committed to empowering businesses to understand, design, measure, and report their financial and non-financial outcomes, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.