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TOP STORIES
FEATURE: Jurisdictional issues hinder marine biodiversity credit market development, experts say
Establishing a biodiversity credit market for marine ecosystems is much more challenging than setting one up for land-based environments, as ownership and measurement issues are hampering its development, the head of a non-profit has said.
INTERVIEW: Forest investor mulls generating biodiversity credits from 7,000 hectares
A London-based investor is considering preparing sites in Scotland covering up to 17,000 acres (6,880 hectares) of collective land for the generation of biodiversity credits, Carbon Pulse has learned.
MARKET
Dublin-based coffee group buys €200 carbon credits with biodiversity co-benefits
A Dublin-based coffee group has purchased a batch of carbon credits with biodiversity co-benefits at “over €200” per unit to support nature enhancement and carbon capture efforts at Ireland’s Dunsany Nature Reserve.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
“Explosive” demand for nature-based solutions in Europe, survey shows
Demand for nature-based solutions in Europe is increasing “exponentially” for some organisations, with companies calling for support to bridge the skills gap and ramp up supply, a study has shown.
Some large investors support nature in voting policies in US and Europe, report says
Some large investors in the US and Europe have supportive voting policy stances for nature and biodiversity, although not all of them, a report by data company Morningstar has found.
Qantas commits A$10 mln to help restore Great Barrier Reef
Australian airline Qantas has partnered with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation as well as committing A$10 million over 10 years to roll out what it described as world-first coral restoration technology, it announced Thursday.
SCIENCE & TECH
Focus on smaller protected areas for more cost-effective conservation outcomes, study says
A shift in the criteria used to identify protected areas (PAs) could halve the costs of preventing habitat loss and enhance long-term conservation efforts, a study has claimed.
Research highlights Australia’s rampant deforestation rates
Beef farming expansion in Queensland is driving Australia’s large scale deforestation trend, according to new modelling released Wednesday by NGO Greenpeace.
MARKET
A promising market — The global regenerative agriculture market is expected to be worth over $29 bln by 2033, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.38%, according to a report published by Spherical Insights & Consulting. The research showed that North America is anticipated to hold the largest share of the market over the timeframe. Regenerative agriculture is a land management method that prioritises soil health and biodiversity restoration by integrated livestock, intercropping, and diversified crop rotations.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
A loan for Santa Fe — The Buenos Aires-based consultancy firm Martinez de Hoz e Rueda has assisted the French development bank Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) in granting a €65-mln credit facility to the Argentine province of Santa Fe. The loan will fund a number of biodiversity-related projects in the area.
POLICY
Backup’s on its way – A roundtable hosted by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has discussed the establishment of a Conservation Trust Fund to deploy innovative financing mechanisms to protect biodiversity in Kyrgyzstan. The proposed fund aims to mobilise resources towards conservation initiatives and research programmes, enhancing the safeguarding of mountain ecosystems and the development of protected areas across the country. The event brought together government agencies, UN bodies, diplomatic missions, international organisations, financial institutions, and environmental agencies.
Farms to inform – The Irish government has announced a €34-mln project to create a bespoke database to inform nature conservation measures in the country, using evidence from results-based farm schemes and measures delivered through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The LIFE Strategic Nature Project is a nine-year programme designed also to support better tracking of progress towards biodiversity targets, and identify gaps in current conservation and restoration work.
SCIENCE & TECH
Surfers Against Sewage – The UK government has been asked to act on water quality to help protect vulnerable seagrass meadows, following a report on the impact of pollution on these carbon storing habitats. Blue Marine, Project Seagrass, and Surfers Against Sewage said seagrasses across the UK are in a “perilous state” due to poor water quality, primarily from excess nutrients from sewage and livestock. The government must enforce existing regulations to reduce nutrient pollution, it said.
Islamic responsibility – A group of scholars has produced a document presenting an Islamic viewpoint on environmental moral responsibility, based on theological principles such as compassion, justice, and interconnectedness, TRT World has reported. The document urges collective action to combat biodiversity loss and climate change. The initiative is led by the UK-based Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, and facilitated by UNEP’s Faith for Earth Coalition.
Aussie chillers – Almost all Australians are at least moderately concerned about biodiversity issues such as pollution, loss of natural places, and declines in pollinators, a survey by Monash University for the Biodiversity Council has found. Around 10% of the 3,400 people surveyed were only “slightly” or “not at all” concerned about numerous biodiversity issues, Biodiversity Council said in a report. Nevertheless, a strong majority of Australians “want the federal government to greatly increase its investment in conservation programs and implement stronger national environmental laws”.
Nasty surprise – A wind farm worksite has been discovered by conservationists inside the Philippines’ Masungi Georeserve, Mongabay has reported. The non-profit Masungi Georeserve Foundation Inc., which manages the site, took drone images in late 2023 revealing that Rizal Wind Energy Corporation, owned by Singapore-based energy developer Vena Energy, is preparing to build 12 wind turbines as part of a renewable energy project. The Masungi Karst Conservation Area was declared a strict nature reserve in 1993.
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