I have been going to Davos during WEF for many years. For the skiers out there, it's a great time to ski: the slopes are empty, the powder is untracked and there are no lift queues - just don't expect to find any accommodation. But WEF 2026 was my first 'real' WEF, just a bit more nature than economics.
It was an early start as I was lucky enough to get a place on "The Davos Express", and it was a flashback to my yearly school trips on the Hogwarts Express - treating the journey as a chance to meet and catch up with contacts on the way from Zurich.
For many years there have been demonstrations against WEF, but now, since the start of the Climate Hub Davos run by Green Up Switzerland, nature, biodiversity, climate and community are part of the conversation. This is the place to be, with people from diverse backgrounds sharing their experiences and solutions for a greener future.
I joined Clarmondial's session 'How Localised Nature Data can Empower Business and Unlock Finance', which included some really interesting perspectives. We heard from scientists supporting sustainable cacao farmers in Indonesia, nature and climate risk specialists from reinsurance, and sustainable timber investment groups, amongst others. It was encouraging to see so many different perspectives all converging on protecting nature.
I was struck by a couple of comments. On assessing climate risks: "How you interpret data is crucial to interpreting risk." This resonated with me. There is so much talk about data, and so little consideration of experience interpreting it - something we constantly consider while building belian's products. On nature credits: "These already exist, and a market already exists - high quality carbon credits that can demonstrate their community and biodiversity benefits." There certainly seems to be consensus in many areas of the market.
Just as when skiing in Davos, restaurants tend to be a bit busy and pricey, so I got a packed lunch from Coop and found a bench in the sun as I often do at conferences. While eating a boiled egg and some fruit, I was lucky enough to be joined by various friendly people, including Cameron from Bottletop.
I learnt that #togetherband is made with Humanium - metal repurposed from decommissioned illegal firearms seized in Central America. The bands are handmade at an atelier in Nepal by women rescued from human trafficking. Their mission is to share the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and they do it in a beautiful way. As Cameron was tying this togetherband around my wrist he explained how the dismantling of guns is an important part of the process for the young men processing their trauma. Certainly a project I would like to support.
I had many conversations at the Climate Hub around the sustainable development goals, and I particularly appreciate learning about concepts that are not my core expertise. While belian may appear focused on life on land and climate action, all of the sustainable development goals align with our values. I wonder if the next togetherband might feature upcycled Bornean ironwood beads?
I then took a little break from work to look at skis. I had some really good advice from Silvan at Angerer Sport. I would certainly recommend checking out their ski test centre on Jakobshorn. I certainly plan to - we all need to take a break from Trump's new world order.
After years of working on forest baselines, it's good to see the carbon market conversation maturing, and after years of WEF, it's good to see that nature is properly on the table, despite what some make you believe.