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
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TOP STORIES
Cercarbono approves first biodiversity credit methodology
Colombia-based environmental standard Cercarbono has approved its first methodology that project developers can use to generate voluntary biodiversity credits.
INTERVIEW: Marine biodiversity credit project reduced in size to ensure integrity
A non-profit has reduced the potential size of a UK marine voluntary biodiversity credit project by approximately 89%, down from the 52,200 hectares initially considered, to ensure the initiative is as credible as possible, Carbon Pulse has learned.
MARKET
Biodiversity net gain register listing another 16 sites
The biodiversity net gain (BNG) register in England will list another 16 sites from project developer Environment Bank on its website over the next month, following a partnership tipped to shift the dial on market supply, Carbon Pulse has learned.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
IBAT releases guidelines to help companies align with TNFD, GRI
The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) Alliance has released guidelines to support companies in corporate disclosures that are aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) recommendations and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard.
Australian supermarket giant commits to SBTi deforestation targets
Australian supermarket giant Woolworths Group will stop selling beef and other commodities linked to deforestation by the end of next year, in accordance with Science-based Targets Initiative (SBTi) guidance, it said on Wednesday.
POLICY
EU countries fall short of addressing unsustainable fishing, EEA warns
EU member states are largely failing to promote sustainable fisheries and address marine biodiversity loss, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned.
South Australia ringfences over A$11 mln to support nature restoration on private lands
South Australia has announced the allocation of A$11.4 million ($8 mln) in grants to help landowners enhance and protect nature within their properties.
SCIENCE & TECH
Half of countries have degraded freshwater, UN says
Half of the countries in the world have at least one type of freshwater ecosystem in a state of degradation, following impacts on lakes and mangroves, UN bodies said on Wednesday.
A quarter of existing forests could be converted into agricultural lands by 2100, study says
Over a quarter of existing forests worldwide, 320 million hectares, could become agriculturally productive by the end of the century due to the effects of climate change, with potentially grave impacts on biodiversity, a paper said on Thursday.
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EVENTS
ecology calling returns to London in September. Bringing the city’s thriving nature and biodiversity business community together for series II, the intimate weekly evening events are held in the Linnean Society of London’s Meeting Room where Darwin presented ‘On the Origin of Species’. Panel discussions by leaders in the field provide plenty of room for audience Q&A with further networking opportunities at the nearby pub afterwards. This series topics include: navigating greenwashing, advances in MRV with eDNA, beaver reintroduction in Britain, and technical considerations for nature finance, with more TBA. Use the ‘pulse20’ code to secure your discount on tickets.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKET
Afforestation – Oman’s Environment Authority (EA) has entered into a cooperation agreement with the nation’s main energy association (OPAL) in a bid to scale up investment in afforestation carbon projects, according to local reporting this week. The two partners launched the Green Alliance initiative this week, according to multiple media sources based in the country, designed to encourage collaboration between private sector companies, especially in the energy sector, with a focus on carbon credit returns from the planting of wild trees. (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Environmental damage – Finland-based paper producer Stora Enso has suspended logging activities at the Hukkajoki River in Kainuu, Finland, following alleged environmental violations. According to the company, the violations are being investigated as a nature conservation crime. Stora Enso said any possible non-compliance will be reported to the local environmental authorities, adding that the company is implementing a series of measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Tracking deforestation – Energy and commodities marketplace Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) will utilise its investment in a satellite data startup to ensure its coffee and cocoa trade meets EU deforestation standards. ICE has partnered with nature data provider Space Intelligence to launch the ICE Commodity Traceability Service (ICE CoT), a platform aimed at streamlining the trade of physical cocoa and coffee. ICE CoT automates the submission, storage, validation, and sharing of due diligence information required by the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). (Carbon Pulse)
Prairies – Conservation charity Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has launched a tool to map and assess biodiversity across the Canadian Prairies. The Prairie Biodiversity Mapping and Assessment Tool intends to promote sustainable land management and conservation efforts, according to the organisation. James Paterson, a research scientist at DUC, said they plan to extend the application of the tool to Eastern Canada in the near future. (Farms.com)
Caribbean litter – The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) has launched a first call for proposals, looking to award grants totalling $24.7 mln to projects that tackle marine litter in countries in the Caribbean. Available grants range from $400,000 to $2 mln per project over periods of up to three years. The call aims to fund projects that reduce marine pollution and conserve biodiversity via the fund’s Advancing Circular Economy Facility, which is funded by Germany’s development bank.
POLICY
Gearing up – Colombia and the UN have signed a memorandum of understanding to guarantee security at the COP16 summit. While the conference venue will be managed by the UN, the Colombian security agencies will take care of the remaining areas. Colombia’s environmental ministry Susana Muhamad said that, prior to the start of the summit, three unified command posts will be held in Bogota, Cali, and at the conference venue to ensure coordination.
Room to Roam – The California Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that could require officials to protect wildlife connectivity in land use plans, said co-sponsor of the bill the US-based Center for Biological Diversity. The Room to Roam Act, which awaits approval from the state governor, says wildlife harm must be minimised as part of long-term planning. “California has more threatened and endangered species than any other state,” said co-sponsor the Wildlands Network. The bill is a “critical tool” to help biodiversity.
Good to go – A project aimed at supporting Mexico in achieving its target of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 has launched with a $18.5-mln investment from the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). The initiative, dubbed Mex30x30, aims to strengthen established protected areas and other conservation lands that are home to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Led by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas in collaboration with Conservation International and the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, Mex30x30 was among the first batch of GBFF-funded projects announced in March by the Global Environment Facility, which administers the fund.
Keeping Alaska protected – The Biden-Harris administration announced on Tuesday the decision to permanently protect over 11 mln ha (28 mln acres) of public lands in Alaska from extractive development activities, such as mining and oil and gas drilling. “Continuing these essential protections, which have been in place for decades, will ensure continued access and use of these public lands now and in the future,” US Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, said in a statement.
SCIENCE & TECH
Alternative proteins – A new £38 mln ‘virtual’ centre that will study whether alternative protein sources like lab-grown meat, plant proteins, and insects could become part of the UK diet is due to launch in the UK. The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (Napic) will be led by the University of Leeds, in partnership with the James Hutton Institute, Imperial College London, and the University of Sheffield, and will receive £15 mln in funding from the UKRI. As well as academics, more than 120 organisations are involved, including small and large businesses, farmers, regulators, and councils. The centre will explore whether cultured meat or proteins derived from plants, fungi, algae, insects, and microbes can be healthy as well as sustainable, aiming to position the UK as a leader in alternative protein development. (The Independent)
Fly home – Scientists in a glider are teaching a bird species brought back from extinction how to migrate. Some 36 northern bald ibis are following an ultralight aircraft 2,800 km from Austria to Spain over up to 50 days, The Guardian reported. On the aircraft are human “foster parents” who have developed relationships with each bird by caring for them. These researchers shout encouragement to the birds during the flight. When the birds reach Spain, they are expected to be able to migrate independently.
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