ESG Today writes that 2022-launched Article 9 fund invests in sustainable forest management projects, while also contributing to some of the goals of the SDGs from the United Nations. The first investments are set to take place in the first half of this year, focused on forests in the US, New Zealand and Australia.

Thomas Bayerl, MEAG Managing Director and Global Head of Illiquid Assets, said that "MEAG has decades of experience with forestry investments around the globe, and these have proven to be an important stability factor in our portfolio. In view of the challenging conditions on capital markets right now, we are even happier about the success of the fund’s first closing with more than 200 million US dollars."

MEAG wants to raise a total amount ranging from 500 to 700 million USD for the forestry fund.

According to MEAG officials, companies can help institutional investors integrate environmental and social aspects into their investments, since focusing on forests helps the biodiversity and carbon capture efforts, while creating jobs at the same time.