Net Positive Planet: Thinking Beyond Carbon

January 2025

Featuring: Katie Critchlow, Co-founder & Co-CEO Re-Genus, former CEO at NatureMetrics; Celia Francis, Co-Founder and CEO of Ponterra; Steph Edwards, Programme Lead at Quadrature Climate Foundation

In January, we gathered for an insightful Earth Set event, diving into a fundamental yet often overlooked question: While carbon reduction dominates environmental and clean tech strategies, are we missing other critical aspects of planetary health? This conversation aimed to explore the broader sustainability landscape and challenge our collective thinking about environmental priorities.

Expanding the Sustainability Conversation

Although the event was initially set to feature both Ed Phillips, Investment Director at Future Planet Capital, and Katie Critchlow, former CEO of NatureMetrics, circumstances took an unexpected turn when Ed fell ill just as we began. Fortunately, Katie delivered an incredible tour de force, seamlessly guiding us through a thought-provoking discussion on planetary boundaries and nature-positive solutions.

We started by framing the discussion around the Planetary Boundaries framework, a scientific approach developed by the Stockholm Resilience Centre that outlines the nine critical Earth system processes that maintain stability and resilience. While carbon emissions and climate change are undoubtedly pressing concerns, we explored the other dimensions, such as biodiversity loss, freshwater use, and land-system change, that are equally vital to planetary health.

In an impromptu but deeply enriching addition, Celia Francis and Steph Edwards joined the conversation, bringing their perspectives on sustainability beyond carbon. Their insights emphasized that while net-zero targets are an essential step, we must go further to achieve a Net Positive Planet—one where human activities regenerate ecosystems, restore biodiversity, and enhance water security rather than merely mitigating harm.

Some key questions explored included:

- How much of our sustainability focus is placed on carbon emissions versus biodiversity, water security, and social equity?

- Are we prioritizing the right environmental challenges, or is the emphasis misplaced?

- How can net-zero strategies be integrated with broader environmental goals to drive true planetary regeneration?

- What regulatory frameworks, measurement tools, and innovative solutions currently exist to facilitate systemic environmental progress?

The discussion reinforced the idea that carbon reduction alone is insufficient. True sustainability requires holistic metrics, cross-disciplinary approaches, and bold innovations that account for the full spectrum of ecological and social systems. We explored how impact investment strategies, such as those championed by Future Planet Capital, can catalyze advancements in biodiversity preservation, water security, and climate resilience alongside carbon reduction.

Additionally, Katie’s expertise in nature-based solutions underscored the importance of measuring and valuing biodiversity, using cutting-edge technologies to track ecosystem health and integrate nature-positive metrics into corporate and policy decision-making.

A big thank you to Katie Critchlow for leading such an inspiring conversation, as well as to Celia Francis and Steph Edwards for their invaluable contributions. As we move forward, let’s ensure our environmental strategies embrace the full complexity of planetary health, making room for biodiversity, water security, and equity alongside carbon reduction.