L&G and National Trust's Carbon Credits for UK Biodiversity

According to the United Nations Development Programme, carbon credits are generated by activities that reduce or remove GHG emissions.

Legal & General (L&G) is partnering with National Trust to secure carbon credits from a portfolio of existing and new biodiverse woodlands across the UK.

The aim of the partnership is to accelerate decarbonisation and invest further in nature initiatives.

Restoring UK nature

The partnership supports L&G’s and National Trust’s commitment to aiding in the preservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.

L&G and National Trust already have a longstanding relationship that they continue to solidify and expand.

From renewable energy to nature based carbon credits, the partnership aims to enable long term positive impact.

L&G’s staff also have the opportunity to volunteer with the National Trust, allowing for more people to connect with nature more often.

“This partnership involves long-term investment in nature restoration,” says Carl Moxley, Group Climate Director at L&G.

“It secures high quality nature-based credits from a trusted organisation.

“We’re delighted to support the National Trust in achieving its People & Nature Thriving strategy, showcasing how businesses can come together for society’s benefit.”

National Trust’s climate commitments 

The National Trust is Europe's largest conservation charity, caring for many of the UK's most treasured landscapes, coastlines and historic places. 

As climate change increasingly threatens every site in its care through risks such as flooding, erosion, drought and wildfires, the Trust has committed to ambitious climate action through its Climate Action Transition Plan. 

The plan outlines a pathway to reach net zero by 2030 by reducing operational emissions, expanding carbon capture through woodland creation and peatland restoration, improving the resilience of its buildings and landscapes and working with partners to accelerate nature recovery. 

‘When we say for everyone, forever, we feel it deeply,” says Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust.

“Climate change is critically relevant to our mission, and will be a defining challenge in the coming decades and centuries.’

This collaborative approach is reflected in L&G's wider investment in nature-based climate solutions, including its landmark woodland carbon partnership with the South Downs National Park. 

Through long-term investment in woodland creation and high-integrity carbon credits, L&G is helping to unlock large-scale habitat restoration, strengthen biodiversity and support landowners in delivering environmental outcomes. 

Together, initiatives like these demonstrate how conservation organisations and private sector partners can combine expertise and investment to protect natural heritage, tackle climate change and create lasting benefits for people and nature.

Nature based net zero targets

L&G has made climate action one of its six strategic growth drivers, committing to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in support of the UK's climate goals and the Paris Agreement. 

Through its Climate Transition Plan, the business is focused on three key pillars: investing, influencing and operating. 

It is integrating climate considerations across its investment portfolio, with interim targets to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of its proprietary assets by 18.5% by 2025 and 50% by 2030, while using its position as a major asset manager to encourage companies to align with a 1.5°C net zero pathway. 

Alongside decarbonising its own operations, including a commitment for its core offices and business travel to be net zero by 2030, L&G continues to invest in renewable energy, net zero-ready housing and emerging clean technologies such as offshore wind, ground source heat pumps, EV infrastructure and solar energy. 

The company also recognises the critical role of nature in addressing climate change, supporting biodiversity research through partnerships with organisations such as Wakehurst and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, including the "Buzz About Trees" project, which uses bio-acoustic monitoring to identify bee-friendly tree species. 

In addition, L&G is developing large-scale nature-based solutions through projects such as Pudding Wood, where 140,000 trees are being planted to create new woodland, restore habitats, capture around 25,000 tonnes of carbon over its lifetime and improve resilience for local wildlife and communities. 

Together with partnerships such as its work with the National Trust and other conservation organisations, these initiatives demonstrate L&G's commitment to combining long-term investment with environmental stewardship to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, nature-positive future.