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TOP STORIES
COP16: Countries strike last-gasp deal on nature finance
Countries at the resumed COP16 UN biodiversity summit late Thursday reached a hard-fought agreement on a plan to mobilise finance for nature, in a decision that draws a line under months of tensions despite delaying critical steps to bridge the existing funding gap by the end of the decade, according to observers.
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To celebrate 10 years of Carbon Pulse, we are announcing the launch of two new subscription products – Net Zero Pulse and Nature & Biodiversity Pulse – to enhance our suite of specialist news and intelligence offerings.
MARKET
INTERVIEW: This year’s ocean conferences key steps for scaling marine biodiversity credit market
Upcoming major ocean conferences will be crucial to lay the groundwork for scaling the emerging marine biodiversity credit market, an expert told Carbon Pulse.
Australia finalises first Nature Repair Market method, biodiversity instrument
Australia has released the final version of its first new method for the voluntary Nature Repair Market (NRM) allowing project developers to earn biodiversity certificates, the government said Monday.
Biodiversity net gain has been harder for small companies, UK govt advisor says
Smaller developers have struggled more with biodiversity net gain (BNG) requirements than larger companies, an executive representing the government’s nature adviser has said.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Over a third of EU economy highly dependent on ecosystem services, report says
Over one-third of the EU’s gross value added (GVA) is highly dependent on ecosystem services, according to a report from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC).
Google unveils accelerator for nature tech startups
US giant Google has launched its first accelerator for startups using technology to protect, manage, and restore biodiversity, amid continuous growth of the global nature tech market.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
Most biodiversity offset flaws can be addressed, paper says
Most of the problems with biodiversity offsets are solvable, although some remain particularly difficult due to power dynamics, an academic paper has said.
POLICY
UN plastic treaty talks to resume in August in Geneva
Negotiations on the first-ever global treaty to tackle plastic pollution will resume in August in Switzerland after countries were unable to reach an agreement during talks in South Korea last December.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKET
Climate fund – A multi-billion-dollar climate fund has announced $143 mln in investments to support nature-based solutions (NbS) initiatives in Brazil, Southern Africa, and Kenya. The governing board of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) vehicle on Friday endorsed the financing through its Nature, People, and Climate (NPC) programme. These funds are expected to generate almost $1 bln in co-financing, including via the voluntary carbon market. (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Roadmap – Australia-headquartered mining and energy company Fortescue has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to develop a roadmap aimed at achieving a net positive impact on biodiversity. Under the three-year initiative, IUCN will review and help improve the company’s biodiversity management practices, it said on Tuesday.
POLICY
Extended – The EU has announced the extension of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP), aimed at helping Pacific Island countries enhance marine biodiversity conservation. Funded by the EU and the Swedish government with a combined €45 mln, the initiative will run until Sep. 1, 2025. Its objectives include promoting sustainable management and improving ocean governance. “This extension provides the necessary time to finalise key activities already underway across the Pacific,” said Barbara Plinkert, EU ambassador to the Pacific.
Extinction crisis – WWF-Australia has issued recommendations to help reverse species extinction in the country. These include investing at least 1% of the federal budget in biodiversity protection, strengthening national nature laws, adopting bold measures to safeguard marine habitats, cutting environmentally harmful subsidies, and halting the approval of new coal, oil, and gas projects. “Australia is at a crossroads, grappling with one of the highest rates of biodiversity loss globally. The priorities outlined above must become a national focus,” said WWF-Australia.
Give a dam – Beavers are to be officially released in England for the first time, The Guardian reported. The government is to set out an approach to allow beavers to live wild. Release projects will need to set out a 10-year plan to show how they will affect landscapes. About 500 wild beavers are estimated to live in the country following illegal releases. Until 20 years ago, they had been extinct in the country for centuries.
Octopus diplomacy – Greenpeace Bulgaria called on the government to ratify the UN High Seas Treaty by planting a huge inflatable octopus in central Sofia, reported the Bulgarian News Agency. Bulgaria was among the initial signatories of the treaty, officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) agreement, in 2023, but has not legislated for it. Greenpeace said it expected the Bulgarian government to ratify the agreement by the UN Ocean conference in June.
SCIENCE & TECH
Smart bees – Italian nature tech company 3Bee announced on Monday the launch of XNatura, its intelligence division dedicated to environmental monitoring and reporting. XNatura aims to digitise the management of impacts and risks on nature, biodiversity, and climate by combining artificial intelligence, IoT sensors, satellite technologies, and cloud computing. XNatura’s first product is an integrated platform encompassing a set of thematic suites, including climate change, pollution, water resources, and biodiversity and ecosystems. “Each suite focuses on specific indicators and provides a clear view of the environmental impacts, dependencies, risks, and opportunities associated with business activities and operations,” the company said.
On the brink – Over 25% of animal species in Hong Kong are at risk of local extinction, according to a report released by WWF-Hong Kong. Researchers assessed 886 species, finding that 21 have already disappeared from Hong Kong, while 232 are under growing threat. Birds and freshwater fishes were found to be particularly vulnerable, with nearly half of these species facing a moderate to high risk of local extinction. “We must make and invest in concrete plans to protect Hong Kong’s most threatened biodiversity and wildlife habitats before it is too late,” said Bosco Chan, director of conservation at WWF-Hong Kong.
Yangtze River – Severe droughts and heatwaves have significantly disrupted plankton in China’s Yangtze River, a study led by an academic at Nanjing University has found. They have reduced species diversity, shifted the dominant algae type, and weakened ecosystems, said the environmental DNA-based study. Rising global temperatures, especially in high-latitude regions, could further destabilise river biodiversity, it said.
Kenya fires – Wildfires are sweeping across some of Kenya’s largest protected areas, Xinhua Net has reported. Fires have been reported in parks near Nairobi, the Aberdare mountain range, and Mount Kenya, prompting the deployment of helicopters and ground teams. “While the exact causes of the fires remain under investigation, human activities, including discarded cigarettes, arson, honey harvesting, and extreme dry conditions are suspected contributors,” Kenya Wildlife Service said.
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