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TOP STORY
INTERVIEW: Biodiversity credit offsets require “unprecedentedly strict regulation”
Biodiversity credit markets are unlikely to be effective for nature if they function as offsets, as they will require an excessive amount of regulation to check they are achieving credible gains for nature, according to a group of UK academics.
MARKET
UK companies urge govt to support development of nature markets
The UK government should ramp up efforts to support the development of nature markets, acting as buyer of last resort to drive demand, a membership organisation comprised of some major corporates and NGOs in the country has said.
Biodiversity credit resource product launches
A set of pay-to-access resources on biodiversity credit metrics was launched on Thursday by analysis website Bloom Labs and consultancy the Biodiversity Footprint Intelligence Company (BioInt).
Bank lends to BNG projects in first private sector loan to scale nature impact
A UK sustainability-focused bank has delivered its first private sector loan based on a biodiversity net gain (BNG) unit model, in a potential blueprint to create nature-based solutions at scale.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Swiss hub launches to scale nature finance
A Switzerland-based non-profit has announced the establishment of a hub in the country aimed at advancing nature finance, with over 60 organisations interested in joining the initiative, Carbon Pulse has learned.
Financiers flag how policy can spur nature action
Action on nature could be boosted by blended finance, sending whole-of-government signals, and larger transactions, financiers said during a UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) event in Switzerland on Tuesday.
Ocean benchmark reveals big companies likely to be assessed
The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) has released a list of 63 companies out of the 125 that are very likely to be assessed on biodiversity in its forthcoming Ocean Benchmark.
Biodiversity target-setting gains momentum as big companies look beyond carbon
Environmental corporate commitments have broadened over the past couple of years, driven by an unprecedented increase in biodiversity-related target setting among some of the world’s biggest companies, according to global consulting firm McKinsey.
Swiss company, Swedish non-profit to develop nature framework for biodiversity investments
A Switzerland-based advisory company and a Swedish non-profit have partnered to develop a framework to ensure investments towards a soon-to-be-established biodiversity fund lead to positive outcomes for nature, potentially targeting biodiversity credit projects.
SCIENCE & TECH
Australian invertebrate extinctions laying waste to govt’s protection pledge, study finds
Between 1-3 Australian insects and other native invertebrate species are becoming extinct every week, according to a peer-reviewed study published this week, revealing the country’s biodiversity crisis is far greater than previously recognised.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKET
Biodiversity bank – Environment Bank has added over 2,000 biodiversity net gain units to the UK’s biodiversity net gain register from 16 sites spanning 340 ha. Its additions now represent more than 40% of the sites register, it said in a press release. “Altogether, our sites have generated more than 5,000 biodiversity units as of December 2024 – and our network is still growing.” (Carbon Pulse)
POLICY
Human rights – The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released this week a set of guidelines to combat human rights abuses in conservation efforts. The document outlined 10 principles that private conservation organizations should respect within their work, including: respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and all groups, exercising due diligence, engaging in good faith consultation with local stakeholders, preventing human rights abuses, and reporting regularly.
Coral restoration – Singapore has launched its largest coral restoration project to date, planning to plant 100,000 corals in national waters over the next decade, Bernama news agency reported. Dubbed the 100k Corals Initiative and backed by S$2 mln ($1.5 mln) in funding, the project is led by Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) in collaboration with the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory. Under the initiative, NParks also plans to establish a new coral culture facility on St John’s Island.
Bird power – Greece’s environmental ministry has revoked the licenses for three wind power projects in the region of Thrace following an appeal by environmentalists to protect birds, Balkan Energy News has reported. Environmental impact assessments for the wind farms were not based on the most relevant data, as required by law, failing to account for the consequences of the 2023 wildfires, groups including WWF Greece said. The activists expect the government to suspend more licences of wind farms in burned areas.
Chipping in – Germany has announced it will ringfence €9.5 mln to help Bangladesh advance biodiversity restoration and climate adaptation efforts across the country, the Daily Star reported. The funding will support two separate initiatives aimed at supporting the restoration of coastal ecosystems in the Sunderbans mangrove forest as well as fostering sustainable urban development.
SCIENCE & TECH
Community impact – The Nature Tech Collective members monitored over 43 mln ha – an area almost the size of California, deployed more than 1,700 biodiversity monitoring devices, and raised $95 mln in funding in 2024, it said in a community impact report. The group is composed of 189 representatives from the public and private sector, academics, project developers, and tech. The report marks the group’s first year since it evolved from the MRV Collective.
Long live the monarchs – The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week its plan to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies, largely considered at risk by conservationists due to the climate crisis. The species is set to be added to the list of threatened species by the end of 2025, according to local media. “The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across the US, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating life cycle,” said Martha Williams, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
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