Rebuilding Ecosystems: Octopus natural capital head chats with Lauder Teacher founder

Alex Godfrey, Head of Natural Capital at Octopus Investments joins Andrew Teacher to discuss how to best use land to build in climate resilience from the ground up. This is genuinely one of our most interest and unique discussions, so please share with contacts.

Godfrey’s unlikely career trajectory has given him a unique perspective on the issues - and solutions - we need to consider. His ability to explain the finer points of natural capital, focusing on restoring ecosystems while generating commercial value through initiatives like reforestation and biodiversity enhancement, is gripping and will leave you to reconsider a lot of what you may think you know. 

The discussion also explores the built environment’s role, emphasising biodiversity net gain policies and sustainable practices for developers. Godfrey outlines Octopus Investments' scalable fund model, which restores degraded land to generate carbon credits that meet rigorous standards like the UK’s Woodland Carbon Code. Stressing urgency, Godfrey calls for policy support to scale natural capital projects and align financial incentives with environmental goals. This approach, he argues, is essential for achieving net-zero targets.