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Presenting Biodiversity Pulse, Carbon Pulse’s free newsletter on the biodiversity market. It’s a twice-weekly summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world. Subscribe here
TOP STORY
EU regions to push for nature credits in CSRD, national plans
Nature credits should be integrated into the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and into member states’ national environmental strategies, according to draft recommendations prepared by the European Committee of the Regions.
MARKET
INTERVIEW: Paper outlines biodiversity offsets ‘taxonomy of failure’
Biodiversity offsetting schemes around the world are suffering from critical challenges across a number of issues, according to a preprint paper published this month that outlined the “taxonomy of failure” for such programmes.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
UN framework aims to unlock finance for sustainable ocean economy
The UN Global Compact (UNGC) has released a guide to mobilise and scale finance to support the transition towards a sustainable ocean economy, projected to reach $5.5 trillion by 2050.
Biodiversity handbook for renewable energy developers in Australian state takes effect
The Victorian state government’s guide for renewable energy project developers to limit their impacts on biodiversity took effect on Thursday, the government announced.
POLICY
AFD, Banco do Brasil target €250 mln for bioeconomy and restoration projects
The French Development Agency (AFD) and state-owned Banco do Brasil (BB) have signed a Letter of Intent to raise €250 million for sustainable projects focused on bioeconomy, recovery of degraded areas, low-carbon agriculture, reforestation, and biofuels.
South Korea launches broad alliance to meet biodiversity targets, focus on OECMs
A wide range of government agencies, corporations, NGOs, and academic institutions in South Korea on Tuesday launched the 30×30 Alliance, set up to help ensure the country meets its 2030 biodiversity targets, with initial focus set to be on creating and expanding other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs).
EU member states face strategic choices to implement Nature Restoration Law, think tank says
EU member states have a number of options for how to implement the bloc’s Nature Restoration Law, and should in the short term focus on strategic decisions and mechanisms to incentivise land-owners, a Brussels-based think tank said in a paper published Tuesday.
SCIENCE & TECH
Just 2% of EU seas protected with management plans, WWF warns
Only 2% of EU seas are currently covered by Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with management plans, a significant shortfall that is likely to hinder progress toward the 30×30 target, the WWF said in a report released on Tuesday.
Bottom trawlers destroy French marine protected areas, NGO says
Bottom trawlers destroy French seabeds even inside the country’s marine protected areas (MPAs), according to analysis from an international advocacy NGO, as the country prepares to host the UN Oceans Conference next week.
Study reveals scale of extra MPAs needed to hit international targets for the ocean
Additional marine protected areas (MPAs) totalling over 18 million square kilometres, an expanse greater than the size of Russia, are needed to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030, according to a study released this week.
Report flags risks for nature, communities due to large-scale land concentration
The accumulation of vast amounts of land by a small group of corporate global landowners could fuel inequality and nature loss, with the biodiversity credit market seen as posing additional risks in the near future, a report released on Tuesday has said.
Researchers call for property rights to carry more weight in biodiversity finance governance
Property rights are not sufficiently considered in biodiversity finance governance, despite determining who controls and benefits from these funds, a group of researchers said this week.
BAVARDAGE
New hires boost Carbon Pulse coverage of key carbon, nature markets ahead of new products launch
Carbon Pulse has made a string of new hires across Europe and Latin America that will add to its already industry-leading coverage of carbon and nature markets across the regions, as well as bolster its data journalism offering.
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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
Three in one – A UK-based registry has launched a standard for nature-based solutions that integrates offsetting, insetting, and nature stewardship. Social Carbon released on Friday its ‘Nature’ standard and opened a public consultation that will run until July 15. “Nature does not operate in silos – and neither should our projects or standards,” said Mike Davies, CEO of the Social Carbon Foundation. “The Nature standard reflects years of market insight and technical evolution. It offers a trusted platform for certifying not just carbon, but the social and ecological value that makes nature-based solutions truly effective.” (Carbon Pulse)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Blue economy – Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) launched an initiative on Monday to attract projects focused on the restoration of breeding habitats for threatened or migratory seabirds on Brazilian oceanic islands. The programme, BNDES Biodiversity, has a budget of R$80 mln ($14 mln). The bank also announced an investment of R$176 mln to expand its initiative to restore coral reefs in the country. BNDES’ President, Aloizio Mercadante, also mentioned the institution’s intention to issue blue bonds by COP30, which happens in November in Brazil.
POLICY
TNFD – Asset management giant Schroders released on June 2 its first nature report, aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, Edie has reported. The disclosure outlined nature-related risks and dependencies across Schroder’s public and private investments, with land use, sea use, and freshwater change listed as primary drivers of nature-related impact. Additionally, Schroders noted that 58% of the infrastructure assets managed by its Greencoat infrastructure arm now have habitat management plans in place, aligning with UK’s BNG regulations.
Green light – The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved $195 mln in spending on 14 projects across 35 countries, aiming to support the restoration of a combined 10 mln ha. Backed by the GEF Trust Fund, approved projects range from the development of a lemur bond for biodiversity in Madagascar to the enhancement of conservation efforts in Indonesia’s protected areas. The GEF expects the allocation to mobilise a total of $2.6 bln.
Wildlife bill – Nigeria’s House of Representatives has read a bill to protect the country’s wildlife for the third and final time. This means the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill can move to the Senate for concurrence, Premium Times reported. The bill intends to tackle illegal wildlife trade as many traffickers transport ivory and pangolin scales through Nigeria. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime has said that wildlife trafficking threatens Nigeria’s biodiversity. The office ranked the country as among the top five sources for illegal animal products.
Goa’s goals – The Indian state of Goa has published a draft Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan covering 2025 to 2030. The draft highlights Goa’s wetlands due to their importance for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, the state’s wetlands are threatened by rises in both air temperature and sea level, and the diversion of the river Mhadei. The plan covers existing conservation projects and proposes initiatives to protect the Goa’s native species and wetland habitats. The 735-page document is open for public consultation.
Biodiversity backed – NGOs in England have provided more funding for biodiversity than in previous years, the UK government has revealed. The latest data from The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs shows biodiversity conservation projects received £353 mln from NGOs between 2022-23 – 8% more than the previous year. The UK government tentatively said £683 mln of public sector funding was spent on biodiversity in England over the same period, but acknowledged data collection had proved challenging. If this figure is correct, public sector funding increased 19.6% from 2021-22 figures.
Newly protected – Sri Lanka’s environment minister announced on Monday that the Nilgala Forest is now officially a protected reserve. The newly designed protected area covers over 40 ha and includes key forest zones in Madagama, Bibile, Nilgala, and Inginiyagala. The area had previously been vulnerable to exploitation by racketeers, who destroyed it by illegally felling trees and setting fires, the Sri Lankan Daily Mirror reported.
Tajikstan-IUCN – Tajikstan has become a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The announcement was made at the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, hosted in the capital of Dushanbe, with the aim of showing the country’s leadership in glacier conservation, IUCN said in a press release. As IUCN’s 88th state member, the second from Central Asia following Uzbekistan, Tajikistan gains access to the union’s global network. “As Tajikistan joins IUCN, we reaffirm our commitment to addressing critical environmental challenges, including glacier preservation, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem restoration,” said a spokesperson.
Californication – The state of California is considering extending its Habitat Conservation Fund, which buys land to maintain habitats with $30 mln annually, through to 2035, reported Public News Service. Since 1990, the fund has provided more than $1 bln to conservation efforts across over 485,000 ha. “Our entire state budget is $320 bln – so this $30 mln every year for habitat conservation is not going to make a difference in that overall budget, but it is critically important to support our ecosystems,” said the Democrat Senator behind the bill, Catherine Blakespear.
SCIENCE & TECH
Scottish protection – Marine campaigners have accused Scottish ministers of continuing to allow destructive fishing practices in protected areas, reported ITV News. Conservation charity Open Seas published a report on the sea beds in Scotland’s MPAs, in collaboration with Greenpeace UK. The surveys “uncovered clear evidence that in many cases these so-called ‘protected’ areas are merely lines on a map with little real world impact on marine conservation”, it said.
Wildlife without borders – France-based NGO Noe has launched a two-year project aimed at improving transboundary wildlife conservation along the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso. Funded by the Foundation Audemars-Watkins, the initiative is carried out in partnership with the Organisation for Indigenous Initiatives and Sustainability Ghana, and the Association of Nature Development. “This transboundary project was born out of the real-life experiences we’ve had over the past five years,” said Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw, project coordinator for Noe. “We realised that to effectively protect migratory species like elephants, our conservation efforts must go beyond national borders.”
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