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TOP STORY

Non-profit to launch 300,000 marine biodiversity credits at COP16

Non-profit SeaTrees is preparing to release 300,000 voluntary marine biodiversity credits for sale at UN biodiversity conference COP16 from a Kenyan initiative, Carbon Pulse has learned.

MARKET

Biodiversity unit methodology launches to ensure Indigenous participation in the market

A Brazilian Indigenous association has released a methodology to issue biodiversity units in partnership with a carbon project developer and a US-based non-profit, planning to soon launch the first pilot across almost 190,000 hectares of forest in the Amazon, the parties announced on Wednesday.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Investment manager ranks countries by nature risks

UK-based investment manager Ninety One has launched the Sovereign Biodiversity Index to help investors assess national-level nature risks.

Solutions-linked biodiversity funds lead pack amid falling flows -report

Funds focused on companies with apparent solutions to nature loss have been the only biodiversity-related investors in the sector to attract net new money this year, as inflows to the strategies so far have plummeted, said a report published on Thursday.

UK rewilding company raises £40 mln with Aviva among investors

A UK-based rewilding company has raised £40 million ($52 mln) in a seed funding round, with investors including insurance giant Aviva, it announced Thursday.

TOOLS & GUIDANCE

BRIEFING: England needs land use framework to determine best intersection of farming and nature

England desperately needs a land use framework to best determine how land should be apportioned for the many competing priorities of farming, nature, carbon, energy, and housing, industry experts said on Thursday.

POLICY

More than 190k new marine protected areas needed globally to reach 30×30 target, pre-print study says

Over 190,000 new marine protected areas (MPAs) must be established if the world is to meet the 30×30 marine protection target under the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), equivalent to 85 MPAs created every day until 2030, according to a study published Thursday.

Protecting biodiversity in New Zealand could save more than NZ$270 bln over next 50 years -study

Protecting 30% of New Zealand’s lands and seas could help the country save more than NZ$270 billion ($163,6 bln) over the next 50 years, according to a study released on Thursday.

UN biodiversity chief urges countries to speed up efforts as CBD talks kick off

The executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has urged countries to accelerate efforts towards the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets, as implementation talks begin in Colombia shortly before COP16.

SCIENCE & TECH

Water crisis puts over half of global food production at risk, report says

The water crisis could jeopardise more than half of food production by 2050, with global GDPs also threatened in both high- and low-income countries, a new report has said.

COP16 must address “tidal wave” of ocean acidification, scientists say

Marine scientists have urged governments at the upcoming biodiversity COP16 to ramp up funding for research for ocean acidification (OA) to avoid disaster, in a report published on Wednesday.

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EVENTS

ecology calling brings London’s thriving nature markets and biodiversity community together for series II. Evening events are held in the Linnean Society of London’s Meeting Room from 17:30-20:00. Panel discussions by leaders in the field provide plenty of room for audience Q&A, with further networking opportunities at the pub afterwards. Upcoming discussions include: Nov. 19: Translating four-letter acronyms into action: TNFD, CSRD. Use the ‘pulse20’ code now to secure your discount on tickets.

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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

MARKET

Innovative credit risk methodologies – Financial institutions can mobilise finance for nature-based solutions (NbS) by introducing more innovative credit risk methodologies and business models, a report has suggested. Investment risk for NbS should be redefined as a key emerging barrier to such solutions is the “misalignment” between traditional financial models and the nascent risk-return profiles of nature-based projects, according to a report released Thursday by Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). (Carbon Pulse)

A new global standard – A Swedish company is set to present a global standard for biodiversity credits during the COP16 UN biodiversity summit, due to be held in Colombia from Oct. 21-Nov.1. The Global Biocredit Standard has been developed by researchers, forest owners, municipalities, and businesses, including the Swedish Biocredit Alliance, and it will be presented in Cali by Aleksandra Holmlund, CEO of Qarlbo Biodiversity, one of the project’s main partners.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Nature and miners – Mining giant Rio Tinto has said in a statement it is committed to working with the Australian government, First Nations Peoples, and civil society to reform the country’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. In a statement released on Tuesday, the company said it will support a “nature positive trajectory for Australia”, including the development of strong National Environmental Standards (NES) that establish shared goals for nature.

World nature champions – WEF has published a report on the latest nature insights and emerging trends from members of its Champions for Nature, a community of business CEOs, government ministers, and heads of international organisations. The document focused on policy coherence, sustainable land use, valuing natural capital, nature-climate nexus, and Indigenous Peoples.

TOOLS & GUIDANCE

English fail – A new tracker reveals England is failing to progress on biodiversity targets set in 2022, with action in many areas stalling or reversing, Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) has said. England hasn’t completely met any targets, with over half rated as “red” due to inadequate policies. This poses a significant challenge for the government to meet 2030 nature commitments, WCL said. The government has an opportunity to demonstrate global leadership in biodiversity by redirecting efforts to meet international nature targets, it said.

POLICY

Community-led – The Department of Conservation (DOC) Community Fund announced on Wednesday it will make C$9.2 mln ($6.6 mln) available for community-led efforts to safeguard New Zealand’s wildlife and ecosystems. The funding round, which will close on Nov. 28, aims to support projects focused on the protection of the species most at risk of extinction, Mirage News reported. Previously funded initiatives include predator control across several habitats and the restoration of duneland habitat to protect threatened bird species.

SCIENCE & TECH

Giant rabbits – A cross-border biodiversity project has received a grant for an initiative linked to deep-freezing animal DNA, Hungary Today reported. The National Agricultural and Food Centre of Slovakia, in partnership with the National Center for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation of Hungary, will receive money over the next two years for conserving the genes of endangered species. “The objective of the call for proposals is to develop deep-freezing methods for both [Hungarian giant] rabbits and indigenous poultry species,” the article said.

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