Investing to protect & restore nature

 

Who We Are

Silvania, a flagship initiative launched by Mercuria with a $500M capital commitment, is dedicated to nature and biodiversity protection and restoration.

Maintaining the balance of nature and respecting the scientifically defined safe limits is essential for preserving Earth’s vital systems and sustaining humanity.

Our goal is to invest in the power of nature to mitigate climate change while delivering significant biodiversity and social benefits and in support of the delivery of the Paris Agreement goals and the UN 30×30 Initiative.

What we do

We are combining cutting-edge science, innovation and business solutions to scale ecological protection and restoration, benefitting biodiversity and local workforces, while delivering sustainable financial returns.

The areas we are investing across include

Restoration, reforestation, conservation and protection projects

Sustainable forestry and timberlands

Technology & innovation from nature

Service providers or project developers

Marine and coastal ecosystems

Introducing the Race to Belém:

A Global Call to Action for the Amazon

Silvania, in collaboration with Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, is excited to announce the launch of the Race to Belém – a pioneering initiative dedicated to protecting the Brazilian rainforest, one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.

As deforestation threatens the Amazon’s future, the Race to Belém aims to mobilize billions in private sector investment to drive scalable, sustainable solutions. This initiative is not just about conservation; it’s about empowering those who live in and rely on the forest, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to continue their critical stewardship.

Key Highlights of the Race to Belém:

  • Unprecedented Investment: Silvania is committing up to $100 million in upfront capital to kickstart forest protection programs, matching every tonne purchased with a dollar of investment.
  • Collaborative Approach: Working alongside Brazilian states, Indigenous peoples, tradition and local communities, and farmers and landowners to implement high-integrity JREDD+ programs that align economic incentives with forest conservation.
  • Urgent Mission: With COP30 approaching in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025, the Race to Belém is a sprint against time to secure the future of the Amazon and combat climate change.

Join us in this critical movement to halt deforestation, protect biodiversity, and create a sustainable future for generations to come.

Read the full press release

Together, we can make a lasting impact. The time to act is now.

Learn more

Discover more about the Race to Belem on the dedicated website

“Without high integrity conservation programs which provide generous support to the peoples and communities who inhabit the Amazon, the Amazon will disappear. We are committed to working with the jurisdictions that act with integrity and transparent monitoring of the effectiveness of both their conservation initiatives and their support of local and traditional communities, farmers and indigenous peoples.”

Peter Seligmann, Chairman Silvania and Founder and Chair, Conservation International

The Potential of Natural Restoration

We rely on nature for food, water, medicine, a stable climate, and economic growth, among other things. Over half of global GDP is dependent on nature. More than 1 billion Indigenous peoples, traditional and local communities, and farmers and small landowners rely on forests for their livelihoods. The land and the ocean absorb more than half of all carbon emissions.

And yet, in 2023 when 9 planetary boundaries were assessed, 6  had already been crossed.

As a world with nearly 10 billion people strives to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, nature holds incredible potential to support biodiversity and combat climate change simultaneously. Forests have evolved over 400 million years to naturally remove up to 12 tons per acre of carbon dioxide from the air each year. And with around 1.2 billion hectares of reforestable land globally, we have the capacity to naturally store up to 10 gigatons of carbon annually. Beyond carbon sequestration, natural restoration offers numerous additional benefits. It can help reverse biodiversity loss, enhance soil quality, improve water resources, and boost air quality.

The potential for natural restoration is immense.

Planetary Boundaries

First introduced in 2009, the planetary boundaries concept presents a set of nine planetary boundaries within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come.

Why we are different

At our core lies unparalleled expertise in the global carbon markets and investment. We are a leading carbon trader and project developer, specializing in high-integrity nature projects worldwide. We are able to leverage an extensive global footprint that provides us with in-depth knowledge of multiple jurisdictions, markets, and local contacts, ensuring we can navigate and operate effectively in diverse environments. Our team comprises leading experts in legal, finance, compliance, risk, investment, and marketing.

 Additionally, we leverage cutting-edge remote sensing and satellite imagery technology to enhance our project development and monitoring capabilities. We have built a strong reputation as a trusted partner with an ability to execute and deliver across varying market conditions that is backed by a robust business track record and significant growth through multiple global cycles.

 This combination of market expertise, global reach, strong reputation, execution capacity, and technical prowess sets us apart and provides the ability to build sustainable businesses protecting and restoring nature.

Boots on the ground

Local capability, engagement and benefit sharing is fundamental to long-term success of projects. We invest in and partner with strategically located project development teams and local NGOs in the countries where we operate.

BUILDING LOCAL CAPABILITY

With boots on the ground, we build local capabilities to support the projects and ensure local benefits, and we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty to ensure success.

Size and scale

We have $500M of committed and ‘patient’ capital to enable upfront payments to communities and landowners.

Structuring expertise

We don’t rely on 3rd parties to structure deals. We have extensive expertise and capability to finance, trade and de-risk our carbon projects.

Knowledge & innovation

We collaborate with world leading universities & labs to accelerate nature restoration and protection, and deploy the latest technology to streamline project development, enhance integrity and enable scale.

Dollars CommittEd

Boots on the ground

HECTARES CONSERVED

Countries

Creating a distinctive platform

Our platform is built on unrivaled access to expertise and strategic partnerships with some of the world’s leading NGOs in nature and conservation. These collaborations provide us with on-the-ground resources, credibility, and access to additional UN funding and government support, ensuring our projects are both impactful and sustainable.

We stay at the forefront of scientific advancements by working closely with world-renowned universities and laboratories. These collaborations enable us to accelerate nature restoration and protection through cutting-edge technologies such as advanced satellite imaging, bio-acoustics, and innovative forest planting architecture and design.

Villars Institute

An international foundation dedicated to biodiversity & nature protection  that provide unique insights & opportunities to work with leading experts, innovators & ecopreneurs.

World Economic Forum

Mercuria is a key sponsor for biodiversity innovation challenges to identify leading innovators & ecopreneurs such as UpLink and 1 Trillion Trees (1t.org).

Projects & Initiatives

Our projects and initiatives are at the forefront of integrating nature-based solutions with innovative market mechanisms to drive sustainable development. By leveraging the potential of carbon credits, sustainable forestry, and biodiversity credits, we aim to create significant environmental and economic value. Our focus on improved asset management enhances ecological performance, while our collaboration with governments supports biodiversity incentives and conservation efforts. Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to balancing ecological integrity with economic growth, establishing a foundation for a more sustainable future.

IMPROVED ASSET MANAGEMENT

Enhanced ecological performance

Sustainable forest products

Timber, biochar, co-planted crops

Carbon Credits

Compliance & voluntary markets

BIODIVERSITY CREDITS

Emerging value potential

GOVERNMENT CONSERVATION

Biodiversity incentives

Silvania’s ambition is to bring local environmental and social benefits through its projects whilst also delivering positive global climate change impacts and biodiversity benefits overall.

29 million hectares

of land conserved so far

 

Since being established in 2023, Silvania has been building a diversified portfolio across critical eco-systems at scale. Investments have already been made across the key biomes and areas of vulnerable biodiversity, with significant deployment of capital to conserve an area of 29 million hectares to date and a strong pipeline of new projects is in development.

Some of our projects

Our map showcases some of the regions where we are both actively engaged in preserving some of the world’s most significant biomes. From lush rainforests to expansive grasslands, these regions highlight our commitment to preserving biodiversity and fostering sustainable development as we advance projects at various stages, from live and active initiatives to emerging opportunities. With our current focus on these critical regions, we aim to address both local and global environmental challenges through impactful, nature-based solutions.

Developers we work with

Latest news

Governor Signs Agreement with Company Committing to Invest R$ 120 Million in Environmental Restoration in Tocantins

Villars, Switzerland - 27 January 2025 - The governor of Tocantins, Wanderlei Barbosa, signed on Saturday, the 25th, in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, the Negotiation Protocol for Forest Restoration. The document outlines the creation of an entity for the restoration of degraded areas in Tocantins, named Tocantins Restaura. The first area to be restored is expected to cover up to 12,000...

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Silvania joins Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy in campaign to drive billion-dollar private sector investments into Brazilian rainforest protection

The ‘Race to Belém’ is a global call to action to dramatically increase investments and support to protect the Brazilian rainforest ahead of COP30 It brings together key actors to mobilize the much-needed private finance and catalyze new programs that will enable protection of one of the world’s most important ecosystems Today, Silvania is announcing a provision of upfront capital to Brazilian...

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