Durante el Nat5 Live forum, held in Mexico City, the issuance of more than one million nature credits was announced, with an estimated value of 20 million dollars.
This initiative positions Mexico as a pioneer in an emerging financial market that seeks to channel investment towards restoration, compensation, and environmental conservation.
“We are talking about 370 million pesos that are directly allocated to nature,” highlighted Guillermo Hinojos Mendoza, CEO of ASES Ecological and Sustainable Services and Nat5.
What are nature credits?
Negotiable units that certify measurable and traceable environmental benefits.
Nature credits represent positive outcomes for the environment, such as reforestation, wetland restoration, or biodiversity conservation.
Unlike carbon credits, they incorporate categories such as water, soil, and biodiversity, and are backed by Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems with satellite images and field audits.
- Who sells them? Farmers, foresters, and communities that carry out environmental actions
- Who buys them? Companies and investors looking to offset impacts, improve reputation, and meet ESG goals
- What are they for? Financing sustainable projects and mobilizing private capital towards the green economy
Blockchain technology and environmental certification
The credits are certified under the aOCP (Ases On-Chain Protocol), which uses blockchain technology to ensure transparency, traceability, and security. Among the projects are:
- Pine-oak forests in Durango
- Agroforestry landscapes in Chihuahua and Oaxaca
- Coastal wetlands in the Yucatán Peninsula
All with key ecological functions and measurable benefits in environmental regeneration.
Financing nature: a new economic paradigm
From philanthropy to accounting assets with investment returns.
“What was once considered philanthropy is now an economic asset with accounting value,” emphasized Hinojos.
The forum brought together environmental organizations, financial institutions, and government representatives, such as Biotope, Carbon Genesys, KlimateNet, IMJUS, CONANP, and delegates from the Bank of Mexico, Ministry of Finance, and European Union.
Benefits for companies, ecosystems, and communities
Nature credits generate environmental, social, and economic value.
- Companies and institutions: improve reputation, reduce risks, access sustainable financing
- Ecosystems: receive resources to conserve habitats and species
- Local communities: gain income and employment in environmental management projects
- Local environment: improves air and water quality and the availability of natural spaces
Challenges and key considerations
Robust regulation and transparency to avoid greenwashing.
The effectiveness of the market depends on:
- Technical integrity: rigorous processes and verifiable results
- Regulatory framework: clear standards to prevent fraud and ensure real impact
- Multisectoral collaboration: among governments, companies, and communities
