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TOP STORIES
Mexican project to generate first biodiversity credits under BioCarbon standard
A nature conservation project in Mexico is set to generate the first batch of biodiversity credits under the BioCarbon standard, the certifier has told Carbon Pulse.
Cercarbono expects to register a handful of biodiversity credit projects in 2025
Colombian standard Cercarbono expects to certify only a handful of biodiversity credit projects in 2025, hoping to have enough initiatives in its pipeline to test the standard during its first year.
MARKET
PCX Markets reports 100,000 tonnes of plastic waste diverted through credits
Singapore-based marketplace PCX Markets has said it has prevented 100,000 tonnes of plastic waste from dispersing in nature through plastic credit issuance in the last four years.
UK govt sells first statutory biodiversity credits
The UK government is selling its first batch of statutory biodiversity credits under the biodiversity net gain (BNG) scheme to a developer for an estimated total of £35,120.
Scientists design method to improve small landholders’ access to biodiversity credit markets
Scientists in Australia have developed a biodiversity monitoring method tailored to small landholders seeking to access the voluntary biodiversity credit market.
African alliance launches programme to mobilise $10 mln in nature-based solutions
The African Natural Capital Alliance (ANCA) has launched an initiative seeking to channel $10 million towards nature-based solutions over the next three years in collaboration with the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) among others.
Swedish developer, tech company partner on forestry monitoring for biodiversity credits
A Swedish biodiversity developer has partnered with an Irish forestry management software company to develop a monitoring tool for biodiversity credit projects in forest landscapes, they said on Tuesday.
APAC carbon service provider, biodiversity project developer launch hybrid credit solution
An Australian biodiversity credit provider has partnered with a carbon credit supplier for what they describe as a new environmental impact offering which combines traditional nature-based credits with one square metre of 20-year biodiversity protection.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
TNFD calls for bridging gaps in ocean data to meet increasing demand
Existing gaps in ocean data must be plugged to meet growing demand for this information, while improving corporate reporting, executives at the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) told a webinar on Tuesday.
Timber and pulp sector falls short on zero deforestation disclosure -report
The tropical timber and pulp industry is falling far short of reporting on its zero deforestation commitments, a new report finds.
POLICY
Australia seeks feedback on Nature Repair Market rules
The Australian government on Monday launched a one-month consultation on some of the technicalities of its Nature Repair Market (NRM) scheme, including rules around project registration, biodiversity certificates, and the register.
SCIENCE & TECH
Fish species’ extinction risk highly underestimated, study finds
The number of fish species at risk of extinction could be fivefold higher than previously estimated, with nearly 5,000 species not receiving a conservation status due to insufficient data.
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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
Call for projects – The UK PACT Amazon Regional Fund is branching out to offer grants to support carbon and biodiversity projects in Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, and Peru. Supported by the UK government, the fund has opened a call for proposals in the agriculture, forests, and land use (AFOLU) sector that will support biodiversity, and carbon sequestration and storage in the lowland Amazon. UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions), a programme under the UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) portfolio, will deliver technical assistance and capacity-building projects. (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Renewed – Stockholm-headquartered renewable energy developer OX2 has announced the update of its biodiversity strategy, which aims to support the company’s target of developing nature-positive solar and wind farms by 2030. The document identifies the mitigation hierarchy as a guiding principle to manage impacts on nature, and calls for improving collaboration with scientists and landowners. OX2 is part of a group of Nordic companies and research institutes that banded together earlier this year to develop a biodiversity credit methodology for the offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea.
For the forests – Dutch-headquartered Triodos Bank has announced it will support forest protection project developer Treevive with a €2.5 mln loan to scale up sustainable forest management. Treevive aims to develop 30 forest restoration projects, preserve and restore 2 mln ha of tropical forest, capture 30 mln tonnes of CO2, and create 15 mln carbon credits. “[This] partnership … enables us to accelerate our mission to combat deforestation and restore tropical forests,” said Liesbeth Gort, CEO of Treevive.
NGFS – The influential Network for Greening the Financial System has published a report on the ways the physical impacts of climate change may affect the economy. The group of central banks aims to provide monetary policymakers with a framework to evaluate the implications for key macroeconomic variables of severe weather events, or acute physical hazards, such as droughts, floods, and storms. “Decisions will likely be affected by an expected increase in the frequency and severity of severe weather events,” it said.
Taiwan – Taiwanese computer company Asus released its first nature impact report in line with the TNFD recommendations on Tuesday. It will also be one of the first companies to participate in Taiwanese government initiative the Carbon Sink and Biodiversity ESG Project Matching Platform. The platform is intended to assist companies to invest in conservation projects certified by the public authorities through public-private collaboration.
Biodiversity Olympics – In July, six teams showcased technology that could automate biodiversity monitoring in rainforests, in a competition for $10 mln organised by the non-profit XPRIZE Foundation. Over 72 hours, participants gathered biodiversity data about a patch of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil for a report, Mongabay reported. “It was like the Olympics for biodiversity,” said one of the teams. They are being judged on their methods’ replicability, scalability, and affordability.
POLICY
Habitat protection – Canada will invest over C$4.9 mln ($3.6 mln) to protect more than 560 ha of significant habitats in the Mauricie region under the Nature-Action Quebec (NAQ) programme, the government announced Friday. Some of the habitats that will be protected are home to wetlands of high ecological value, such as bogs, marshes, and treed swamps. According to the environmental minister Steven Guilbeault, their protection will contribute to enhancing flooding and erosion control, water and air quality, carbon storage, and pollination.
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