In this series, students answer quickfire questions about events across campus.
Event: Career Pathways: Building Markets and Enabling Ecosystems for Conservation Finance
Host: Yale Center for Business and the Environment (CBEY)
Speakers: Todd Cort, senior lecturer in sustainability and co-director, CBEY; Bryan Van Stippen, program director, National Indian Carbon Coalition; and Leigh Whelpton, director of environmental infrastructure, Connecticut Green Bank
Location: Classroom 2200, Evans Hall
Date: March 2, 2026
What was the event? A CBEY Career Pathways event focused on conservation finance markets!
Who showed up? It was a good mix of SOM and Yale School of the Environment students. This is the third Career Pathways event I’ve been to, and I heard about it through the CBEY newsletter.
What happened? Panelists discussed the current state of conservation finance, focusing on both the momentum and the structural challenges in the field. A recurring theme was that many nature-based solutions don’t generate consistent or scalable revenue, which makes it difficult to align incentives and attract private capital. That tension shows up clearly in carbon markets as well, where questions around pricing, measurement, and long-term credibility complicate deployment.
Key takeaway? Coming from an impact investing background, it was helpful to get a real-time pulse check on where the field actually is versus where it’s often framed. I was especially interested in learning more about the role of the Connecticut Green Bank and how institutions like it can help bridge the gap between public priorities and private investment.
Who should go next time? Anyone interested in climate or conservation careers, especially those trying to understand how capital can (and can’t yet) flow into nature-based solutions.