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**Biodiversity Pulse will now take a break over the holiday period, and the next issue of the newsletter will be published on Thursday, Jan. 11. In the meantime we will continue to publish news stories on our website as usual from Jan. 2. Check out the Biodiversity section on the Carbon Pulse website for the latest news.**

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TOP STORY

INTERVIEW: Verra nature credit ‘exact’ same as offsetting definition

Part of certifier body Verra’s definition of nature credits, under the proposed standards in its SD Vista Nature Framework, is equivalent to its description of offsets, an executive at UK-funded development agency FSD Africa has said.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Dutch bank reveals ‘transformative’ potential of valuing ecosystem services

Valuing ecosystem services with monetary figures can help to show the true profitability of investments in conservation activities, Hague-headquartered ASN Bank has said.

MSCI launches nature framework to demystify metrics

MSCI ESG Research has launched a nature framework with a checklist to help investors start identifying which metrics to consider, to incorporate biodiversity into the investment process.

Nokia backs Finnish project to create biodiversity footprint ‘common language’

Electronics company Nokia has announced support for a research project from a Finnish university that aims to pave the way towards a common international standard for biodiversity footprints.

POLICY

EU: Major challenges remain with agricultural biodiversity

The fight to tackle the biodiversity crisis on farms in countries across the EU faces significant obstacles despite the setting of national plans on the topic, the EU executive’s environmental department has said.

Australia seeks experts for Nature Repair Market committee

The Australian government has put the call out for experts to join a panel that will ensure its Nature Repair Market (NRM) is informed by scientific rigour and First Nations perspectives, it announced Wednesday.

MARKET

Long-term – A US technology behemoth and a New York-headquartered project developer have signed a 15-year offtake agreement that will eventually equate to millions of tonnes of CO2 removed, they announced on Wednesday, in the latest in a series of moves to acquire nature-based carbon removals credits. Under the agreement, Microsoft will purchase 362,000 afforestation-based credits form nature-based developer Chestnut Carbon in an initial phase, rising to 2.7 mln in later phases. (Carbon Pulse)

New credit type – Regen Network has initiated a public comment period for a credit class and methodology developed by Virridy, named Watershed Nature-based and Green Infrastructure Activities from Water Management Gray Infrastructure Construction and Operations Methodology. It can be perused via this website.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Seeking counsel – Swedish outdoor power product manufacturer Husqvarna Group has assembled its own Husqvarna International Biodiversity Advisory Board, it announced Wednesday. The experts will provide the company with advice in regards to market and product developments to put the company on track to help protect and restore biodiversity, and be its “guiding lights” on future initiatives. The board counts four members: Thomas Elmqvist at Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sandra Lavorel at the French CNRS, Steven Handel of Rutgers University, and Cecilia Polacow Herzog with the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

POLICY

Spending – The Australian government has announced yet more spending on nature, this time in the form of A$11.5 mln ($7.8 mln) in grants to made available through its Saving Native Species Program. The funding will be available for innovative projects, including new technologies, methods, and tools, to reduce threats to threatened species and ecological communities, it announced Thursday. The programme in total intends to spend A$224.5 mln over four years.

Irish action – The Irish county of Fingal has published a biodiversity action plan that aims to reverse its decline of biodiversity by 2030. The plan addresses habitat loss, degradation, and species decline, focusing on urban and rural areas. It maps out 100 actions to reverse the decline in biodiversity by 2030, integrating international biodiversity strategies, in a first for a region in the country.

Dartmoor dump – A UK government review has set out a series of recommendations for the protected site management of Dartmoor. The area is “not in a good state” with its water, sites of scientific interest, moor grass, bracken, heather, and flammable vegetation compromised. The 42 recommendations included the need for a Dartmoor-wide vision, supported by a strategy.

Vote for nature –  Biodiversity is a key issue that could affect how people vote at the next UK general election, polling from The Wildlife Trusts has revealed. Some 51% of 1,138 member respondents said cleaning up marine pollution was a top priority, followed by making more space for nature at 32%. Almost two thirds (61%) said they planned to vote based on candidates’ environmental policies. (New Statesman)

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