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TOP STORIES
COP16 president sets course for compromise on funding ahead of resuming biodiversity talks
COP16 President Susana Muhamad has proposed a compromise to break the deadlock on financing at the resuming UN biodiversity negotiations, scheduled for next week in Rome, after last year’s summit in Cali was cut short amid tensions on who should manage global funds.
National biodiversity plans falling short of key UN targets, study shows
No country has so far released a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) that meets all the requirements for conserving and restoring 30% of lands and waters by 2030 as required under UN targets, a study has shown.
MARKET
EU’s first nature credit pilots to develop methodologies for wetlands, forests
The EU Commission is supporting the development of two separate methodologies for measuring biodiversity across wetlands and forests, as part of its efforts to lay the foundations for nature credit markets within the bloc, Carbon Pulse has learned.
French govt eyes expansion of national biodiversity credit scheme
A committee brought together by the French government gathered this week to lay the groundwork for expanding the national biodiversity credit market, with five organisations ready to generate units over the next couple of years.
Voluntary biodiversity credit sales hit $5.6 mln, report estimates
Sales of voluntary biodiversity credits have hit almost $5.6 million globally, with Australasian projects dominating the transactions, according to analysts.
Marine biodiversity credits attracting high interest, alliance says
Marine biodiversity credits are attracting a lot of interest from market actors, though transaction values are growing slowly, a Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA) executive has said.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Australian startups partner to advance AI, eDNA-powered biodiversity monitoring
Two Australian environmental startups have teamed up to scale artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental DNA-powered biodiversity monitoring, aiming to support nature markets and reporting frameworks, they said in a joint release on Friday.
POLICY
UK Nature Restoration Fund proposal is “horrendous” for nature, experts say
The UK government’s consultation on overhauling its environmental rules for the built environment, with the introduction of a Nature Restoration Fund, could be disastrous for nature, experts have said.
Australia should find ways to better link carbon, biodiversity outcomes, report says
A report published Friday by industry and regional advocacy groups in Australia urged the government incentivise dual carbon and biodiversity outcomes through new frameworks, funding, and requirements.
SCIENCE & TECH
Biodiversity leakage widely overlooked in nature protection strategies, study says
Conservation and restoration strategies worldwide largely overlook the risk of biodiversity leakage, which could undermine global efforts to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030, according to a paper released on Thursday.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKET
Nature test – Early monitoring, reporting, and verification findings for a marine carbon removal project suggest “minimal” environmental impact from the removal process, although further large-scale testing is needed, according to the California-based developer. Captura is conducting regional-scale modelling with the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) to quantify atmospheric CO2 drawdown from its direct ocean capture (DOC) system, designed to remove 20,000 tonnes of carbon annually. (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Learning tools – The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has launched two platforms aimed at building capacity for corporate reporting. The TNFD Learning Lab offers guidance on nature-related issues, while the TNFD Trainer Portal includes training materials for both in-house and third-party training providers. “The release of these learning tools … is further evidence of the taskforce’s commitment to equipping market participants with accessible, practical guidance as they look to build the confidence and capacity for their organisation to take concrete action,” said Tony Goldner, executive director of the TNFD.
Old cars – The Global Impact Coalition (GIC) launched on Tuesday a pilot project to recycle plastics from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in the Netherlands and Germany. The initiative, designed in partnership with seven companies in the chemical and recycling industries, seeks to dismantle, shred, and sort plastic fractions from 100 ELVs, which will then be recycled with specific technologies. “This pilot aims to validate the scalability of solutions capable of achieving these targets, ensuring significant impact, and reducing the current reliance on landfilling and incineration,” GIC said in a press release.
Ecological aberration – Mediapart has unveiled that TotalEnergies’ Tilenga oil project in Uganda is set to destroy the largest protected reserve in the country and its biodiversity despite ‘no net loss’ and ‘net gain’ measures announced by the French giant. According to two confidential reports obtained by Mediapart and produced by auditing firms Biotope and the Biodiversity Consultancy, the measures planned to preserve Tilenga’s wildlife are too general and insufficient, with species such as elephants, lions, and hippos set to be strongly impacted. A spokesperson from Biotope told Mediapart that those are “just superficial efforts to make people forget that this type of project is synonymous with the destruction of biodiversity”.
POLICY
Sidelined – A large conservation project launched by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has so far failed to include Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and local communities (LCs) in its design, Climate Home News has reported. DRC president said last month at the WEF annual meeting in Davos that the 2,600 km-long Green Corridor aims to protect some of the most intact tropical forests on Earth and preserve its biodiversity. However, IPs and LCs expressed concern about being excluded from the initiative, saying they fear it could impinge on their land. “We have not been consulted about this project – nor have local communities, people that own the land where it will take place, been contacted in advance,” Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, president of the League of Indigenous Pygmy Associations, told Climate Home News.
EU-Mexico – The EU and Mexico agreed to cooperate on tackling climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss at a meeting on Feb. 13 in Mexico City, the EU Commission said in a press release. Discussions covered carbon pricing, the protection of biodiversity and forests, and water resilience. Participants also explored sustainable use of natural resources in line with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and agreed to work together this year to combat deforestation.
Mining – In the Philippines, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued an administrative order that requires mining companies to address biodiversity loss and take action to improve the livelihoods of local communities. The order mandates businesses to align their Social Development and Management Programmes (SDMPs) with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Philippine News Agency reported. “The goal is to ensure that the wealth generated from mineral extraction is shared equitably, ecosystems are protected, and local communities gain empowerment,” said Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, DENR secretary. Under the Philippine law, mining companies must allocate at least 1.5% of their operating expenses to SDMPs.
SCIENCE & TECH
Biodiversi-tea – The rooibos tea industry in South Africa is demonstrating how sustainable farming can protect endangered species, restore natural habitats, and contribute to global efforts to curb biodiversity loss. The country lost approximately 0.12% of its natural vegetation annually between 1990 and 2018, said 2oceansvibe. For example, some farmers in the Cape region are protecting leopards by designating portions of their land as conservation areas.
Salmon spawning – Animals shape our landscapes in major ways, such as salmon spawning moving sediment with effects akin to flooding, a paper led by Gemma Harvey from Queen Mary University of London has found. The first-of-its-kind analysis identified 603 species that influence Earth’s surface processes. “Nearly 30% of the identified species are rare, endemic, or threatened, meaning vital geomorphic processes could cease before their full significance is understood,” said a press release on the report.
Coral bleaching – Divers have observed extensive coral bleaching at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, with affected sites including Turquoise Bay, Coral Bay, Tantabiddi, and Bundegi, the Guardian reported. The region has been experiencing a prolonged marine heatwave since Sep. 2024, with ocean temperatures remaining 1.5°C above average for the past five months. The news came just as the Australian government unveiled the expansion of the Australian Institute of Marine Science National Sea Simulator in Townsville to advance scientific research on the Great Barrier Reef, particularly in breeding corals that are more resistant to heat at a larger scale.
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