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TOP STORY
BRIEFING: Italy to pilot biodiversity credits amid unresolved market, ecosystem challenges
The Italian government plans to launch biodiversity credit pilot projects across the country, as interest in the emerging market has mounted among companies despite unresolved uncertainties, experts told a conference on Tuesday.
MARKET
South Africa to launch biodiversity offsets portal
South Africa is preparing to launch a digital biodiversity offsets “portal” on May 22 as a way of trying to increase financing for nature, a minister said on Monday.
EU to launch roadmap for building nature markets by year-end
The European Commission plans to finalise a roadmap for building and scaling up nature markets across the bloc by the end of this year, an EU official told a webinar on Thursday.
Carbon market stakeholders endorse restoration standard
Project developers, credit buyers, traders, service providers, and rating agencies have issued a letter of support, endorsing a France-based standard that aims to certify high-quality restoration projects in the voluntary carbon market.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Australian billionaire pledges half his fortune to environmental charities
Graphic design software platform Canva co-founder Cameron Adams and his wife Lisa Miller, CEO and co-founder of a restoration foundation, will donate at least half of their multi-billion dollar fortune to environmental charities, they announced on Tuesday.
Tesla unwilling to talk about deep sea mining concerns, non-profit says
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla did not engage with requests for dialogue about its position on deep sea mining before it applied for the blocking of a shareholder proposal on the topic, according to a non-profit investor in the company.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
UK industry experts launch consultation on nature-positive framework for built environment
A UK group of experts has opened a consultation on its nature-positive framework aimed at defining what ‘nature positive’ means within the built environment industry.
Little GEF nature financing reaches local communities, report says
Too little Global Environment Facility (GEF) funding reached Indigenous Peoples and local communities, where it was most needed over 2023-25, and it often failed to align with local priorities, according to a briefing led by the International Institute for Environment and Development.
Researchers launch new monitoring tool following rising interest in biodiversity credits
A group of researchers launched a searchable database on Friday designed for nature-based project developers to track biodiversity and soil health.
POLICY
Malaysian state passes bill for commercialising biological resources
Sarawak state in Malaysia passed a bill on Tuesday with the aim of monetising its biological resources for industry, while promoting benefit sharing and ramping up enforcement against misuse, according to local reports.
South Korea to design system for recognising voluntary biodiversity contributions
The South Korean government is developing a framework for recognising voluntary private-sector contributions to biodiversity conservation, as it signed a public-private partnership deal with a tech firm on Tuesday.
Australian state proposes bill to protect and restore biodiversity
The South Australian state government has introduced a biodiversity bill to parliament that could ramp up measures to safeguard native species.
SCIENCE & TECH
Think tank urges companies to address plastic-related risks amid increased liability exposure
Businesses across the plastic value chain are increasingly exposed to liability risks, with potential consequences on their reputation and ability to attract investments, according to a report released this week.
1.5C targets not able to limit the transgression of climate change planetary boundary -study
The planetary boundaries related to climate change, and nitrogen and phosphorus balances will continue to worsen in the long run – even in the best-case scenario – due to the inertia of current and future pollution trends, according to a new study.
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EVENTS
Ecology Calling events are returning with a morning of soil health and an afternoon of soil carbon on June 13. Join them at the Royal Linnean Society, central London to explore how to measure, conserve, and restore the subterranean realm. Register now, using the promotional code ‘pulse20’.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKET
Nature credit team – A UK bank has set up a new team to help clients buy and finance carbon and biodiversity credits, according to Bloomberg. Earlier this year, London-based Lloyds Bank appointed Emily Martin as its head of voluntary carbon and nature markets, a bank spokesperson told the media outlet. According to her LinkedIn profile, which confirms the role, she will support corporate and institutional clients operating in the voluntary carbon and nature markets. Lloyds also appointed Gabriella Carden to lead its carbon and nature markets strategy within the bank’s markets division, Bloomberg reported, also confirmed by her LinkedIn profile. (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Biodiversity in a box – Australian firm Thesium has developed a toolkit, dubbed Biodiversity in a Box, to support infrastructure and energy developers in de-risking and accelerating their projects. It provides a guide for NSW-based projects to evaluate offset risks, deliver an offset strategy, and analyse biodiversity credit feasibility and demand, Eco News reported.
POLICY
Bridging the gap – Bangladesh has launched a programme aiming to mobilise financing towards biodiversity conservation. The programme, part of the UN Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), was presented during an event at the country’s environmental department. “Ecosystems are foundational economic assets. Investing in biodiversity means investing in food and water security, climate resilience, and human well-being,” said Sonali Dayaratne, representing UNDP Bangladesh. During the launch event, Arif Faisal, UNDP programme specialist, proposed the establishment of a National Biodiversity Trust Fund, incorporating biodiversity budget tagging, eco-tourism revenue sharing, and payments for ecosystem services.
Nature-positive talks – Australia’s environment minister, Murray Watt, is set to visit Western Australia to restart discussions on the federal government’s Nature Positive Plan, ABC reported. The environmental conservation reforms, which have faced opposition from WA Premier Roger Cook, will be rewritten, said Watt. The minister’s visit coincides with a looming decision on Woodside Energy’s proposal to extend the life of its North West Shelf gas project from 2030 to 2070. The project has been under assessment for six years. Watt intends to make a final decision by May 31. The extension has sparked debate, with proponents highlighting its potential to secure energy supply, while critics have raised concerns about its environmental impact.
Coral campaign – The UAE is significantly expanding its coral reef conservation efforts through a series of large-scale restoration and innovation projects across multiple emirates. In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the cultivation of over 4 mln coral colonies by 2030 across 900 ha – an initiative described as the world’s largest. This is complemented by the launch of the “Abu Dhabi Coral Garden initiative,” which will install 40,000 artificial reef structures over 1,200 sq. km. Other emirates are also advancing similar projects: Sharjah has begun deploying artificial reef caves in Khorfakkan, while Dubai has launched the first phase of a reef project targeting 20,000 reef modules across 600 sq. km. (Tribune India)
Ocean conservation – Indonesia has set up a new committee to help meet its ocean conservation targets, the country’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has announced. Indonesia aims to protect 30% of its marine ecosystem by 2045 but, as a nation formed of more than 17,000 islands, this is no small feat. To meet its long term goal, Indonesia must conserve 97.5 mln ha of territorial waters. The country has also set a short-term target to protect 10% by 2030. In creating a new committee, the National Forum for Marine Protected Areas and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures, the KKP hopes to unite government agencies and marine conservation organisations to achieve Indonesia’s ocean goals.
SCIENCE & TECH
Decisions decisions – Swiss data provider GIST Impact and UK non-profit Global Canopy have announced a partnership with the aim of empowering financiers to integrate deforestation into decision making. By integrating Global Canopy’s Forest IQ dataset into GIST Impact’s platform, financial institutions can more easily identify their exposure to deforestation risks, the organisations said in a press release last week. GIST will contribute data as well as technology assistance to support the expansion of Forest IQ.
Warning – The UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board published on Monday a brief on deep-sea mining, as the topic has become crucial due to the recent US administration’s move to speed up special permits for commercial exploration of the seafloor. The document said that “exploitation of the deep seabed presents enormous risks across a wide range of areas, with far-reaching implications for environmental sustainability, biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and human wellbeing”. According to the UN, there is no evidence that available mitigation measures would be sufficient to avoid serious impacts, some of which are likely to be long-lasting or irreversible. Multilateral efforts led by the International Seabed Authority are currently underway to develop a global mining code, with the next Council meeting due to be held in Jamaica in July.
Oil rigged – An international study has revealed that artificial marine structures – such as offshore wind turbines, and oil rigs – are significantly disrupting marine ecosystems. The Biodiversity Information of benthic species (BISA) dataset compiled 3,864 samples, of organisms living near the sea bed, across the North Sea between 2003 and 2019. These structures alter habitats, with some species benefiting from the hard foundations at the expense of others, it found. (The Fishing Daily)
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