Frequently Asked Questions
What is Earth Returns?
Earth Returns is a financial and ecological system that transforms verified ecological regeneration work into legitimate, tradable financial assets. Unlike carbon offsets or biodiversity credits, Earth Returns focuses on the actual work done to improve ecological conditions, creating assets that represent real ecological improvement rather than just commodifying nature.
How is Earth Returns different from carbon credits or biodiversity offsets?
Unlike traditional offset schemes that commodify nature itself, Earth Returns values the human effort required to improve ecological conditions. The PIE (Producer Investment Evaluation) system measures the work already done by land managers and producers, not just carbon avoided or stored. Earth Returns creates real assets, mutual capital instruments (MCIs) that can be held on balance sheets, rather than one-time compliance expenses.
To use an analogy, traditional carbon approaches are like valuing a house solely by counting its bricks, while Earth Returns values the entire house – recognising that a home’s true value comes from how all components work together as an integrated, functional system rather than isolated parts.
What problem does Earth Returns solve?
Earth Returns solves multiple problems:
- For producers and land managers: Providing financial recognition for ecological stewardship work
- For corporations: Creating auditable, defensible ESG claims tied to real improvement
- For investors: Offering exposure to ecological assets through familiar financial instruments
- For the planet: Driving capital toward regeneration rather than extraction
The system creates a beneficial upward spiral of ecological improvement. Producers agree to continue regenerative management, which means they use new funds to implement more regenerative practices, creating an ongoing cycle of improvement. Additionally, the data generated verifies which regenerative processes are most effective in specific ecological contexts, allowing sharing of knowledge and derisking the implementation of regenerative practices for others.
What are PIE Points?
PIE Points are the foundational units in the Earth Returns system. They represent verified ecological improvement work performed by producers and land managers. These points are generated through the Producer Investment Evaluation (PIE) system, which measures across numerous ecological, social, and contextual factors. PIE Points are proto-assets that can be transformed into Mutual Capital Instruments (MCIs).
What are Mutual Capital Instruments (MCIs)?
MCIs are equity instruments issued by Earth Returns Mutual that are backed by pools of PIE Points. Each MCI (also called a Living Share) represents verified ecological improvement work. MCIs come with ESG reporting rights (ECO Reports) and can be used for corporate ESG claims or as investment assets. MCIs are designed to be tradable financial instruments that fit within existing capital market structures.
How is ecological improvement measured and verified?
The PIE system uses approximately 140-150 assessment elements across four categories: Vegetation Evaluation, Land Use Evaluation, Context Evaluation, and Social Evaluation. On-ground verification is conducted by Ecological Assessment Coaches (EAC), who are trained professionals with regional and ecological expertise. The system combines field assessment with satellite data, soil tests, and other measurements to create a comprehensive view of ecological improvement.
What is the Living Economy?
The Living Economy is an economic system in which value is created by restoring the foundations of life, not extracting from them. It’s an embedded, verified, and investable economic layer that aligns capital flows with the conditions required for life to thrive. Earth Returns is building the financial infrastructure for this Living Economy.