Seeds, Soil and Skills: This Week's Regeneration in the Headlines
What Caught My Eye: Readings and reflections on regenerative finance, farming, and the forces reshaping sustainability.
Regeneration shows up in unexpected places: in soils coming back to life, in seeds passed hand-to-hand, in movements that challenge the status quo. Each week I gather stories that hint at what’s breaking down, what’s breaking through, and how different paths toward renewal are unfolding.
From farmers restoring soils and the collapse of global plastics talks, to the future of beef and Syrian communities reclaiming seeds—this week’s pieces highlight both the contested politics of sustainability and the creative grassroots pathways that persist in spite of deadlock. Together, they ask how we finance, govern, and skill-up for regeneration in ways that draw on both ancestral knowledge and technological innovation.
Below are the highlights and links. As always, I welcome pointers to other stories that push the conversation forward.
Plastics Deadlock – What the failed Geneva treaty means for circular economy momentum
Soil Regeneration – UK farmers show how soil-first practices can restore ecosystems
Financing Regeneration – How biodiversity credits and blended funds are scaling nature-positive investment
Sustainability Skills – The leadership capabilities needed to drive regenerative transformation
Seeds of Resistance – Syrian farmers revive native seeds and autonomy amid war and pollution
Beef Crossroads – Can regenerative ranching make beef sustainable, or must cattle numbers shrink?
Blending Old and New – Why regenerative agriculture needs both ancestral wisdom and modern science
And if you spot something worth adding to the mix, I’d love to know.
Plastics deadlock
Global treaty talks in Geneva to curb plastic waste collapsed after oil-producing nations, including the U.S., blocked stronger measures. Conservationists warned that the failure delays urgent action on plastic pollution, while circular economy advocates point to Extended Producer Responsibility, recycling targets, and bio-based alternatives as pathways to keep momentum alive.
Read more: What's Next for the Circular Economy After Plastics Treaty Meltdown (Newsweek)
Soil regeneration
UK farmer John Cherry’s shift to regenerative agriculture shows how soil-first practices like no-till farming, cover crops, diverse rotations, and managed grazing can restore ecosystems, boost biodiversity, cut input costs, and build resilience to climate shocks. Advocates argue that scaling regenerative farming is one of the most immediate and economic ways to fight climate change, though challenges around yields, definitions, and greenwashing remain.
Read more: Soil-first farming: why regenerative agriculture is gaining ground (Lombard Odier)
Financing regeneration
Through the Sida–UNDP Programme, finance is being redirected into nature-positive practices such as biodiversity credits that reward measurable restoration outcomes, blended-finance funds for coral reef protection, and investment vehicles that support SMEs restoring tiger habitats. Complementary frameworks like the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) help standardize reporting and mobilize capital for activities that regenerate ecosystems rather than deplete them.
Read more: Driving Finance Towards Increased Investment In Nature (UNDP)
Sustainability skills
Sustainability careers are expanding across industries, demanding leaders who can integrate environmental and social priorities into core strategy. The top skills include systems thinking, data literacy, ESG reporting expertise, stakeholder engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and change management — all essential for driving regenerative business models, circular economy solutions, and net-zero transitions. Professionals who combine these capabilities with adaptability and cultural intelligence are best positioned to lead sustainable transformation.
Read more: How to build a career in sustainability? Discover the top 10 skills (IMD Business School)
Seeds of resistance
In war-scarred northeastern Syria, farmers and women’s collectives are reviving native seeds, running nurseries, and experimenting with phytoremediation to heal soils polluted by bombs and oil. Supported by groups like Buzuruna Juzuruna, they exchange heirloom seeds, plant drought-resistant crops, and reforest degraded lands, reclaiming autonomy from imported monocultures. These grassroots efforts highlight how rebuilding seed diversity can restore degraded ecosystems while sustaining communities through crisis.
Read more: Seeds of resistance (The Ecologist)
Beef crossroads
Can beef has a place in a sustainable future? While regenerative ranching practices — such as rotational grazing that mimics the role of bison on grasslands — can restore soil health, boost biodiversity, and sequester carbon, beef remains one of the most environmentally destructive foods. Conservationists debate whether improving ranching is enough, or if humanity must ultimately reduce cattle numbers and shift toward alternative proteins.
Read more: Will we still eat beef in 50 years? (Mongabay)
Blending old and new
Regenerative agriculture is often seen as a return to “the way we used to farm,” but Syngenta CEO Jeff Rowe emphasizes that its future lies in combining traditional soil health practices with modern science and technology. While techniques like no-till, crop rotations, and cover crops restore ecosystems, Rowe stresses that innovation—such as advanced genetics, digital tools, and precision inputs—can make these practices scalable and practical.
Read more: Science and Technology Still Needed For Regenerative Agriculture (AgInfo)
The regenerative business practices and sustainability innovations highlighted in this week's Regenerative Insights directly tackle the critical issues of corporate responsibility explored in my recent book explored in my recent book, The Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profit and Socializes Cost.
