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
Brazilian startup releases pre-print biodiversity credit methodology for endangered species
A Brazilian startup released on Wednesday the first version of its biodiversity credit methodology for endangered species, predominantly focused on plants, after implementing a two-month trial on a small private land area.
INTERVIEW: Bioeconomy can help biodiversity credit developers in the Amazon survive lack of demand
Implementing a ‘bioeconomy’ approach on biodiversity credit project areas in the Amazon could help developers stay afloat at a time when demand for units has yet to pick up, the founder of a Brazil-based nature tech company has told Carbon Pulse.
MARKET
UK fund could quadruple its habitat banks over next two years
Executives at the Evergreen Fund have said they could almost quadruple the land in English habitat banks generating biodiversity net gain over the next couple of years up to around 400 hectares, if demand increases, Carbon Pulse has learned.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Global investors urge companies to disclose nature-related impacts
Global investors representing $1.4 trillion in assets under management have called on companies they invest in to urgently disclose their nature-related impacts and address related dependencies.
BNP Paribas venture fund raises €150 mln to invest in nature, climate tech startups
A venture fund managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management has raised €150 million to be invested in nature and climate startups across Europe and North America, it announced Tuesday.
Investors ask chemical company to avoid wetland mining
Some 20 investors managing $695 billion in assets collectively have asked a chemical company to avoid mining a wetland in the US for titanium, in a letter on Tuesday.
UN-backed nature finance initiative to launch at COP16
A UN-backed initiative is set to launch at this year’s COP16 biodiversity summit to scale business models with the potential to drive private investment in nature conservation, in areas that could include biodiversity credits.
POLICY
England’s nature farming budget to be cut by £100 mln, article says
England’s government plans to reduce its budget for environmentally sustainable farming by £100 million, according to an article published on Tuesday, in a move that has been slammed by onlookers.
SCIENCE & TECH
Accounting for Nature, University of Oxford partner to enhance biodiversity measurement
Accounting for Nature and the University of Oxford have launched a research collaboration to expand nature monitoring globally, with a particular focus on the UK and European contexts.
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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
Domestic standard – Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has approved a domestic standard’s carbon registry and allowed 12 projects from the registry for trading on the national voluntary carbon market (VCM) platform. Under the by-laws of Egypt’s regulated VCM, approved in July, carbon credits traded on the Egyptian Stock Exchange must be registered either on the Egyptian AfricarbonX VCM platform or on an FRA-approved registry. The Economy of Love standard’s Voluntary Carbon Registry, owned and operated by the Egyptian Biodynamic Association agricultural NGO, is the first local registry to be approved by the FRA under this provision. (Carbon Pulse)
Looking for auditors – Brazil company Ecosystem Regeneration Associates (ERA) has announced it is seeking qualified auditors to validate and verify its first biodiversity credit project, currently being piloted in the Pantanal biome. The initiative, designed and implemented in partnership with the Instituto Homem Pantaneiro and Regen Network Development PBC, focused on monitoring jaguars across 50,600 hectares. Submissions are open until Sep. 18.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Drum roll – The TNFD has announced it will unveil the next cohort of adopters at the COP16 UN biodiversity summit in Colombia in October. To date, 416 organisations with over $6 trln in market capitalisation have pledged to adopt recommendations on nature-related financial disclosures within the TNFD framework.
Great expectations – The “first” investor expectations for banks on eliminating commodity-driven deforestation have been launched by the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and the Finance Sector Deforestation Action initiative. A paper co-led by insurer Aviva set out five key engagement expectations across risk assessment, governance, client expectations, monitoring, and disclosure.
On the map – A free map to help companies set Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) targets for land conversion has been officially published by WWF, Systemiq, and Land & Carbon Lab. The map aims to help companies understand the extent of natural land cover around their operations in 2020, so they can set an SBTN goal on the topic, Land & Carbon Lab said in a blog. The launch marks the tool’s first full version following a beta release last year.
Bioplastics – Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and Murdoch University have partnered to launch a facility aimed at fast-tracking the commercial production of compostable plastics. Dubbed the Bioplastics Innovation Hub and located in Perth, the facility will bring together industry and research organisations to help the government achieve its target of reducing the total plastic waste generated in Australia by 10% per person by 2030.
POLICY
One more – The Maldives has signed the UN’s Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty. The agreement aims to conserve marine life in areas beyond countries’ boundaries, including the high seas and the seabed. So far, 92 countries have shown commitment to ratifying it, though only eight have formally done so – Belize, Chile, Cuba, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Palau, and Seychelles.
Global alliance – Germany’s capital has signed the Berlin Urban Nature Pact, which aims to build a global alliance of cities committed to protecting biodiversity. The pact sets 28 goals across key areas like species and habitats, water management, soil health, and food and agriculture, requiring cities to meet a minimum of 15 goals. It also provides guidance to support cities in protecting urban ecosystems.
At risk – The Australian government has added 20 species to the list of endangered plants and animals in the country, the Goulburn Post reported. Most of the newly listed species are native plants, including the waratah species that is a symbol of the nation. The list also includes two lizards, a sea snake, a crayfish, a fish, and an entire ecological community on King Island off Tasmania.
Less meat, please – European food and farming lobbies have admitted the need to reduce meat consumption after signing a shared vision for the future of agriculture in collaboration with environmental organisations and other stakeholders, the Guardian has reported. The document, commissioned by the European Commission, urges European citizens to eat more plant-based proteins while also demanding the creation of a “just transition fund” to help farmers move from unsustainable agriculture to sustainable practices.
SCIENCE & TECH
Made in Chelsea – Over a quarter of neighbourhoods in England have breached pollution thresholds, meaning they are unsafe for some wildlife, research by Friends of the Earth has said. The analysis identified hotspots on an interactive map water, air, noise and light pollution reached levels that threaten species such as bats and bees. Chelsea and Fulham in London had the highest concentration of hotspots.
Glow with the flow – The Finnish city of Lahti has installed 12 pollinator-friendly streetlights along a path in a local nature reserve as part of a pilot, said Geographical. The lights filter out blue-spectrum light at night, reducing confusion for pollinators who mistake artificial light for the moon and stars. By shifting to a warmer spectrum, the city aims to prevent disruptions in pollination, promoting healthier insect activity.
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