The Biodiversity Foundation presents a report on green investment trends in our country

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment has presented today, at its headquarters in Madrid, the report “Investment in the creation and development of green companies in Spain”. The director of the Biodiversity Foundation, Sonia Castañeda, and the director of Entrepreneurship of Keiretsu Forum Spain, Ángel San Segundo, have been in charge of commenting on the conclusions of the report, a text to make visible the potential of investment linked to the environment and raise awareness among investors and financiers about the business opportunities offered by the environmental sector.
 
The document analyzes the viability of investments linked to the green economy, based on real national and international experiences. In addition, it collects the opinions of expert professionals, investors and entrepreneurs regarding investment in the environment and proposes a series of recommendations to improve and generate investment in this sector.
 
The current economic context shows a clear evolution towards a green economy. Thus, more and more investors support economic activities linked to the environment. According to data from the European Commission, the global market for green industries is one trillion euros, a figure that will double by 2023. In fact, between 2012 and 2014 the total global investments in the green economy increased by 30%, as indicated by the GSI Alliance’s “Global Sustainable Investment Review”.
 
The evolution towards a green economy is leading to the existence of public and private capital flows towards activities linked to the environment. The report highlights that green jobs are among the fastest-growing in the European economy. Many companies in the sector are listed on stock markets and the environment is one of the main headings in the portfolio of prestigious investment funds.
 
Within the green economy, the text highlights energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, smart cities, the circular economy and the management of water and natural resources as the areas with the most possibilities for investors and entrepreneurs.
 
GREEN INVESTMENT IN SPAIN
As for Spain, the report reflects the clear possibilities for growth in investment in green sectors. Taking socially responsible investment (SRI) as an example, in recent years it has increased continuously in Spain, growing by 61% since 2012, according to the GSI Alliance study. In addition, according to the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, 71% of active individual investors are interested in sustainable investments.
 
Spain poses a scenario of great possibilities for growth in green investment, both in terms of new companies and the consolidation of existing ones.
 
The role of the public and private sectors is essential to promote the growth of green investment in our country, providing regulations and favouring public-private cooperation. For its part, it is profitable for the private sector to bet on these activities both financially and environmentally.
 
A NETWORK WITH MORE THAN 7,600 MEMBERS
The report has been published within the framework of the Empleaverde Programme and the Emprendeverde Network, an initiative launched by the Biodiversity Foundation and supported by the European Social Fund.
 
The Emprendeverde Network, which already has more than 7,600 members, is the first platform specialized in green business aimed at entrepreneurs and investors in order to promote the creation and consolidation of companies or new lines of business in activities related to the environment, and channel investment towards sustainable economic activities. The Red emprendeverde is an initiative co-financed by the European Social Fund.