Currently, I work with the boots on the ground – facilitating the understanding and learning of environmental best practice in agriculture with North American farmers, as well as working closely on a policy campaign to support best practice on a federal and local level. Learning to farm myself helped me gain a deeper understanding of what it is that we are asking of our agricultural community – which I undertook in an effort to become a better advocate.
I take great enjoyment in public speaking, advocacy and training facilitation – much of which comes from the excitement I feel when connecting with people from all walks of life and helping to bridge “established” divides. I have found that in technical training sessions, years of wisdom and experience can be cracked open.
It is possible to facilitate conversations and share many lessons learned, while simultaneously adding in technical expertise to enhance those conversations. I use challenging questions to drive a deeper understanding of everyone’s unique position, striving to break down barriers and encourage further collaboration towards a common goal.
Addressing the destructive nature of our core societal systems is the most urgent obstacle we face today. My passion is to influence more conscious choices and practices, so that together, we can build healthy people and a healthy planet through ecosystem regeneration.
What do you do at ReGen Future Capital?
As Director of Regenerative Agriculture Programmes, I have developed and launched our US Soil Regeneration Program. Alongside a stellar US team, I work with farmers and the regenerative agriculture community at large to develop the most efficient methods to scale up soil health practices and monetize the benefits in the carbon market, for ReGen Future Capital’s investors and for our farmers.
Through creating pathways for capital to flow from pension funds and institutional banks to forward-thinking farmers and the development of strategic partnerships, I am leading ReGen Future Capital’s efforts to transition the US agricultural sector into a carbon positive industry.
What attracted you to ReGen Future Capital?
ReGen Future Capital is a family of brilliant professionals who have centred their work around making the world a better place. Upon meeting the team, I immediately felt aligned with the people and the purpose that ReGen Future Capital is committed to. I feel supported in fulfilling my life’s work with ReGen Future Capital, whilst bringing my greatest self to the table.
What do you see as the power of ReGen Future Capital’s mission?
ReGen Future Capital’s mission comes from the heart of its founder, Riccardo Segat, and each and every other individual in the team. Its ideas – rethinking business as usual, reconnecting humanity with nature, and restoring natural ecosystems – exist to enhance the practical needs that all people and organisms on this planet share.
How should the investment community respond to the climate crisis?
The climate emergency poses a risk to business and economic resilience in the “business as usual” state. Although the fabric of nature itself is highly resilient, it is imperative that we rethink our investment strategies to create long-term societal resilience. Through investing in long-term climate solutions that provide a total return to the natural environment, communities and economies, the investment community can play a critical role in driving change from the top down in our economy.
Why is it important to reconnect humanity with nature?
The root of my passion comes from a yearning to protect our wild places and natural habitats for future generations to come. The natural world has the ability to enhance the health and wellbeing of all of the life around us.
I am so glad that this is a central mission of ReGen Future Capital, as we seek to reconnect this link that has faded over time. Humanity and nature benefit from a symbiotic relationship – nature protects us and, consequently, we must do all we can to protect it.
What excites you about regenerative investment?
Agriculture producers take on all the financial risk when implementing new practices that benefit the ecosystem, public health and increase climate resilience. The ReGen Funding Program provides the upfront capital to reduce the risk to farmers during the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, while forming long-term partnerships to secure payment for farmers who are working to mitigate climate change. We are using private capital to address the threefold urgencies around food security, climate resilience and rural community decline, which public capital simply cannot compete with in 2020.
How do you think the conversation on climate has changed?
Young people have made all the difference in bringing the climate emergency to the front and centre of people’s minds. It is no longer a side issue – people have finally woken up to the fact that this is something which will affect us all and is affecting us all right now. This acceleration in interest, engagement, communication and action gives me hope that in the next five years, we can progress the narrative even further.
What keeps you hopeful that we can tackle the climate emergency?
I believe that our current generation of young people has grasped the importance of the climate crisis more than any generation before. They are highly aware of the risks and challenges that we face, but they also have a profound desire to identify the solutions that we need to see. I am hopeful that we can capitalise on this enthusiasm, commitment and hunger for knowledge to preserve our natural environment – before it is too late to reverse the damage of global warming.
Finally, what do you want to contribute as an individual and a business?
I am called to the mission and purpose of ReGen Future Capital because of the practical and complete solution to global warming that it offers to investors, communities and the environment itself.
We are paving the way for structural change to take place, whilst working within our current financial model. What is now needed is to ramp up this leverage within our current financial system by taking immediate action towards mitigating climate change and solidifying our new model to implement this long-term change. Being able to participate in this shift through my work with our agricultural community is highly rewarding, but this is needed in all areas of society. Rethinking our relationship with nature and taking the time to come back to our roots is what defines my life’s work.