Presenting Biodiversity Pulse, Carbon Pulse’s free newsletter on the biodiversity market. It’s a twice-weekly summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. Subscribe here

All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription required).

TOP STORY

Emissions from plastics set to more than double by 2060, report warns

Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from plastics will more than double by 2060 under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, with fossil fuel-based production continuing to dominate, according to a statement by 70 financial institutions calling on petrochemical companies to transition to more sustainable alternatives.

MARKET

Ireland targets developing farmland nature credits

The Republic of Ireland has allocated €22.3 million to advance research on sustainable agriculture, including exploring opportunities for farmland nature credits.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Blended finance fund raises $50 mln to protect Egypt’s coral reef

A $50-million fund to protect Egypt’s coral reef has been launched this week under the Egyptian Red Sea Initiative, a newly established programme supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UN-backed Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR).

Brazilian cosmetics company issues R$1.3 bln Amazon sustainability-linked bond

A Brazilian cosmetics company has raised R$1.3 billion ($245 million) with a ‘first-of-its-kind’ sustainability-linked bond (SLB) tied to targets on biodiversity conservation and sustainable sourcing in the Amazon region.

US asset manager kickstarts biodiversity-focused global fund

A US-based asset manager has announced the launch of a global fund to channel investments towards sustainable food, planning to reach 80% of companies in the portfolio committed to improving biodiversity.

TOOLS & GUIDANCE

GRI to support corporate disclosure alignment with ESRS

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has launched an initiative to steer companies in aligning disclosures under its framework with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

Data firm launches tool to drive conservation efforts in US

A US-based data intelligence company has launched a new platform to support decision-making on biodiversity conservation efforts across the country’s Western states.

POLICY

Australia puts 8 mln hectares of land, sea under Indigenous protection

Australia on Wednesday announced it will establish 12 new Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs), spanning 7.5 million hectares of land and 450,000 ha of sea.

PROJECTS

Nature project incubator focused on stimulating demand, advisor says

Stimulating demand for nature-related projects is a key part of a programme for making English nature projects more investable, a financial advisory company has said.

EU-funded project launches to scale private investment in biodiversity

The EU Commission has ringfenced €4.7 million to fund a project aimed at mobilising private investment in biodiversity conservation and restoration measures.

—————————————————

BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

MARKET

Rewilding fever – A Dutch research centre has partnered with a UK-based carbon removal company and a rewilding project developer to offset employees’ travel emissions, in what companies have defined as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ purchase of carbon credits from a biodiversity-focused project. Supported by Treeconomy, Leiden-based Naturalis Biodiversity Centre will purchase carbon credits from the Boothby Wildland rewilding project, owned and managed by Nattergal, by paying €100 per tonne of CO2 to mitigate targeted emissions from 2023. (Carbon Pulse)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

First of many – Indian mining company Hindustan Zinc has released its first report aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations, Manufacturing Today reported. The company, committed to becoming nature-positive and reaching net zero emissions by 2050, is among the 416 organisations worldwide – seven of them from India – that have adopted the TNFD recommendations for disclosing their impacts and dependencies on nature.

Social-ice – Biodiversity footprint provider Iceberg Data Lab has partnered with financial rating agency Humpact on an initiative to market the social data of listed companies. Humpact rates corporations on employment in areas such as diversity. Iceberg aims to offer its clients the opportunity to use social impact data, alongside its other products, it said.

Extinction rebellion – US-based de-extinction company Colossal has announced the set up of the Colossal Indigenous Council, an indigenous-led body established to ensure that native conservation priorities are embedded within the organisation’s strategy. “Working with Indigenous partners to ensure their conservation goals, priority species, and extinct species goals are met is an important part of our conservation strategy, in America and globally,” Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal, said. (Business Wire)

POLICY

New Zealand cathedral – New Zealand is investing $25 mln in conserving marine reserve Cathedral Cove, including reinstating walking access, the government has said. Funding will also go towards eradicating pests, enhancing fauna, and protecting flora. “Some of the projects include reinstating walking access … after terrible damage from Cyclone Gabrielle. I have confirmed a short-term fix in time for summer,” conservation minister Tama Potaka said this week. (Mirage News)

Nature refuges – The Australian government has allocated A$3 mln ($2 mln) to support an initiative aimed at advancing biodiversity protection in Far North Queensland. The project, co-financed through the Protecting Important Biodiversity Areas Program, will support the expansion of the Crystalvale Nature Refuge, as well as the establishment of the Abingdon Downs North Nature Refuge. These two refuges will protect a combined 300,000 ha of land.

Growing crew – The Indian Cabinet has approved the country’s participation in the UN’s Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) agreement, paving the way for future ratification. Also known as the High Seas Treaty, the international agreement aims to conserve marine life in areas beyond countries’ boundaries, including the high seas and the seabed. So far, 89 countries have signed the agreement and shown their commitment to ratifying it, though only seven have formally done so – Chile, Cuba, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Palau, and Seychelles.

Waste management – The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a five-year waste management programme in Indonesia in a bid to address ocean and waterway pollution. The $24.7-mln initiative will focus on reducing land-based sources of marine plastic pollution and methane emissions by enhancing sustainable waste management and recycling systems. The programme plans to target 18 districts across North Sumatra, Banten, Central Java, East Java, East Kalimantan, Bali, and South Sulawesi. (Tempo.co)

SCIENCE & TECH

Brazilian fires – Thousands of fires have broken out since the beginning of the year in a wetland area in west-central Brazil, Le Monde has reported. Authorities fear the dry season in the Pantanal, which has only just begun, could lead to bigger fires than the massive ones in 2020. The area has seen more than 2,500 fires since the start of 2024, a 1,776% increase on the same period the previous year, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research.

Got a tip? How about some feedback? Email us at news@carbon-pulse.com