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 STORY
INTERVIEW: Biodiversity credit company seeks to challenge Romanian govt over EU payments
A company overseeing a biodiversity credit pilot in Romania is seeking to show the government how its use of EU environmental payments is incentivising the degradation of hay meadows, Carbon Pulse has learned.
MARKET
Australian trio’s reef credits method approved by market administrator
Three Australian companies have announced their method to allow landholders to earn reef credits from improved grazing land management that seeks to boost soil health and improve water quality at the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has been approved by the market’s overseer.
Biodiversity net gain register to list another 330 units, project developer says
The number of units available on England’s national Biodiversity net gain (BNG) register are set to double with the listing of one 617-hectare site, a restoration company said on Thursday.
Marine biodiversity credits must address quick baseline shifts, expert says
Marine biodiversity credit methodologies should focus on addressing quick shifts in aquatic ecosystem conditions to create reliable units for the market, an expert told a webinar on Wednesday.
Australasian group taps nature markets in investor toolkit
The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has launched a Nature Investor Toolkit, a guidance framework that also sheds light on opportunities related to nature markets.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Increase in global biodiversity funding largely driven by loans, OECD finds
Biodiversity funding hit $25.8 billion globally in 2022, the highest level since 2015, although the increase was largely driven by loans provided by multilateral institutions rather than grants, according to the OECD.
Nature intelligence firm raises $1.2 mln to advance biodiversity risk reporting
A US-based nature intelligence company announced Tuesday it has secured $1.2 million in seed funding to expand its platform aimed at supporting companies in assessing biodiversity-related risks.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
Pylons and crickets: Expert reveals bioacoustics challenges
Bioacoustics, an emerging technology using sound recordings to monitor wildlife, can be useful to support human ecologists but should not be considered as a replacement for on-site observation, an industry insider said on Tuesday.
POLICY
Australia sets course for national ecosystem accounting
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released a paper outlining its approach to developing the country’s first national set of ecosystem accounts, ahead of a full rollout in early 2025.
UK govt funds water company’s project to develop nature-based solutions
An environmental company and a water firm in the UK have secured funding from the government to develop a £580,000-project aimed at unlocking nature-based solutions to restore habitats and improve water management.
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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
Forest restoration – A voluntary carbon investor has signed a deal for the offtake of 300,000 credits per year from a forest restoration initiative in Mexico. Respira International announced the agreement with project developer Toroto and the Conhuas ejido community on Thursday, which will see the firm purchase all credits issued by the project over the next five years, starting by the end of 2024, with the option to extend for an additional two year. (Carbon Pulse)
More reforestation – One of the giants of the tech world has agreed to buy 1.3 mln reforestation credits in Brazil, with the option to acquire an extra 2.6 mln units. Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has signed a long-term offtake agreement with the BTG Pactual Timberland Investment group for the credits through to 2038, as part of its commitment to reaching net zero emissions across its value chain by 2030. (Carbon Pulse)
POLICY
Foreign Office – The UK is developing a programme of research into nature and water, with over 100 officials having just discussed it in Kenya, UK foreign secretary David Lammy announced in his first major speech on policy. Much more climate and nature finance must be unlocked, he said. “I am committing to you that while I am foreign secretary, action on the climate and nature crisis will be central to all that the Foreign Office does,” he said. (Carbon Pulse)
Done deal – Guyana and Qatar have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation on biodiversity conservation, Caribbean News Global reported. Under the initiative, Qatar will provide its expertise and practices on nature preservation to improve the management of Guyana’s protected areas. The agreement also involves capacity building in ecological monitoring and research.
Maltese NBSAP – Malta has published its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2030. The document aims to direct the protection of biodiversity, while streamlining the sustainable use of natural resources, the government said. It outlined 79 actions, addressing five key policy areas ranging from restoring nature to using biodiversity sustainably. The country’s “whole of government” approach is guided by a long-term vision to 2050: “By 2050, Malta’s biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored, and sustainably used for the benefit of nature, people, and climate.”
PROJECTS
Peat meet – Scotland’s Flow Country Green Finance Initiative has begun its first peatland restoration project spanning approximately 880 ha, it said in a press release. The restoration aims to boost the peatlands’ ability to retain water, sequester carbon, and support biodiversity. The locally-led initiative uses blended finance, drawing from support from the government-funded Facility for Investment Ready Nature in Scotland.
SCIENCE & TECH
Boring projects – The Boring Fund opened applications for up to 10 projects to access grants of up to $12,500 from a total pot of $50,000 this week, said network Wildlabs. The outreach is looking to fund critical but overlooked aspects of conservation technology, funded by semiconductor company Arm. “Supporting the ‘boring’ initiatives will help build a more resilient and effective ecosystem of work,” said fund manager Wildlabs, which is hosted by UK-based charity Fauna & Flora. The deadline is Oct. 9.
MPAs – French-based Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas released on Thursday its 2023 annual report. Last year, it co-managed 60 MPAs across the Philippines, Indonesia, Zanzibar, and Belize, safeguarding 1.28 mln ha of coral reefs and protecting over 70 threatened species, including critically endangered hawksbill turtles, Napoleon fish, and reef manta rays. “We remain focused on expanding our efforts, including scaling up new aquaculture and sustainable fishery projects, and adding 26 new MPAs in the Philippines,” the alliance stated.
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