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TOP STORIES
INTERVIEW: Environment Bank markets portfolio as voluntary biodiversity credits
Nature uplift from almost an entire network of habitat banks, initially developed for the UK biodiversity net gain (BNG) market, is also available to purchase as voluntary biodiversity credits from Environment Bank, Carbon Pulse has learned.
UAE fintech partners with Sri Lankan developer to deliver biodiversity, oxygen credits next month
A Dubai-headquartered fintech firm has teamed up with a Sri Lanka-based project developer to generate and issue biodiversity and oxygen credits within a pilot restoration project in the Belipola private forest.
MARKET
Nordic cohort to develop biodiversity credit methodology for the offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea
A group of Nordic companies and research institutes have banded together to launch a project aimed at developing a biodiversity credit methodology for the offshore wind sector in the Baltic Sea.
UK Coal Authority to explore nature credits by 2026
The public body in charge of managing the UK’s coal mining legacy has released a nature recovery plan, seeking to include nature-related credits into its financial models by 2026.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
NatureMetrics automates marine eDNA sampling
Biodiversity monitoring company NatureMetrics has launched a “revolutionary” system for sampling environmental DNA (eDNA) in marine and freshwater environments autonomously, it said on Tuesday.
POLICY
Indonesia signs $35-mln debt swap deal with US, NGOs to conserve coral reef ecosystems
Indonesia has signed a $35 million debt-for-nature swap and coral reef conservation agreement with the US and four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to protect and restore country’s coral reef ecosystems.
NGOs urge the EU to address biodiversity goals in its next budget
Well-targeted financing through the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is crucial for achieving EU biodiversity goals, including the establishment of a dedicated conservation and restoration fund, a campaign group has said.
Vietnam commits to protect nature, enhance biodiversity by 2030
The Vietnamese government has adopted a national environmental protection plan with the aim of preventing ecosystem degradation and enhancing biodiversity in the country by 2030.
UK’s Labour must swerve nutrient credit “cliff edge” after election, expert says
The UK Labour party, following its election victory, must take steps to allow the private sector to engage with the nutrient neutrality scheme, said an expert whose company has had to halt around 15 such schemes due to uncertainty.
SCIENCE & TECH
Amazon deforestation slows down in Brazil, hits best in 23 years in Colombia
Deforestation in the Amazon has dropped in Brazil and Colombia over the last few months, with the latter recording the lowest rates in the region in 23 years, according to government data.
Over 720,000 ha of forest cleared for mining in Indonesia since 2001, study says
An estimated 721,000 hectares of forest in Indonesia have been cleared for mining between 2001 and 2023, including 150,000 ha of primary forest, an analysis has found.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Vroom vroom – Formula 1 will analyse its impact on local biodiversity. The racing company will partner with postgraduate students from Oxford on the research, Nico Rosberg, the founder of Rosberg Ventures and former F1 champion, said in LinkedIn. “They will analyse air quality, fan travel habits, and the impact on local biodiversity to provide meaningful recommendations for sustainability,” he said.
Wildlife concerns – An application for building new business units on a former ironwork in Bradford, UK, submitted by Z Khan earlier this year, could be refused by the city Council due to wildlife concerns, The Telegraph & Argus reported. According to the local biodiversity officer, the space includes a green area which is a crucial habitat for invertebrates, birds, bats, and other mammals. Therefore, the plan would not comply with the biodiversity net gain (BNG) regulation, which requires developers to create at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity.
Boost – Toronto-headquartered blended finance network Convergence has awarded a grant to Swiss advisory company Clarmondial for the Biosphere Integrity Fund, which was established to scale funding for halting biodiversity and ecosystem services loss, addressing climate change, and supporting locally-led development. The grant was awarded under the Gender-Responsive Climate Finance Design Funding Window, funded by Global Affairs Canada. In June, the non-profit Rainforest Alliance partnered with Clarmondial to support the fund and boost investments towards conservation efforts among Mount Kenya’s farming communities.
POLICY
Marine millions – Projects to protect Scotland’s coasts and seas have received more than £3.8 mln ($4.8 mln) from the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund over the last three years across 54 projects, the government said in a press release. The projects tackle issues such as animal entanglement and improving species habitats. The fund runs off contributions from sectors that use Scottish waters across sectors such as fishing, shipping, and renewable energy.
Secured – The environmental organisation Nature Conservancy of Canada has purchased 248-ha Carey Island near Chilliwack, in the Canadian province of British Columbia to enhance salmon habitat protection, CBC reported. The organisation bought the island for C$8 mln ($5.8 mln) from Carey Island Farms Ltd., which used it to grow corn, thanks to contributions from individuals, foundations, and other donors, with C$4 mln from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Canada’s environment minister Steven Guilbeault said the Carey Island purchase will play a critical role in protecting lower Fraser River riverbed habitat for salmon. Guilbeault also announced the creation of a new priority place for species at risk, the Limestone Landscapes of the Great Northern Peninsula Priority Place in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Steps forward – Spain is moving forward with the ratification of the UN’s Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) treaty, also known as the High Seas Treaty, El Pais reported. The treaty seeks to conserve marine life in areas beyond countries’ boundaries, including the high seas and the seabed. Spain is the first EU member state to formally start the process after the EU Parliament voted in favour of the ratification during a plenary in April. So far, 89 countries have shown their commitments to ratifying the BBNJ, though only four have formally done so – Chile, Cuba, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Palau, and Seychelles. At least 60 ratifications are required for the treaty to come into force.
Tackling invasive species – Malawi’s government has released guidelines to help tackle invasive alien species and enhance biodiversity conservation, the Malawi Nyasa Times reported. The guidelines, consisting of three separate documents, were launched on Friday during the joint commemoration of the 2024 World Environment Day and International Day for Biological Diversity. Through this initiative, the government seeks to foster collaboration between the public and private sectors to address invasive alien species as a major driver of biodiversity loss in the country.
Chipping in – The French government will fund biodiversity actions in Bangladesh as part of the newly launched €300-mln climate fund ($324 mln), the Bangladeshi climate change minister announced Sunday. The partnership will support the restoration and protection of Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest in the world, through new plantations and community-based forest management. (Daily Observer)
SCIENCE & TECH
Culture vulture – The human-integrated agricultural approach ‘permaculture’ improves biodiversity, soil quality, and carbon storage, researchers have said. Permaculture methods can provide a real alternative to conventional cultivation while reconciling environmental protection and high yields, said the study led by an academic from the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau in Germany. Species richness of some types of plants, earthworms, and birds was 457%, 77%, and 197% higher on permaculture sites respectively.
Carbon stocks – Planted mangrove forests can capture up to three-quarters of the carbon found in natural ones, according to a new paper, which could help better assess how many blue carbon credits can be issued from mangrove restoration projects. The study, carried out by a group of 24 researchers from universities and government agencies worldwide, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), analysed 40 years of data on carbon stocks in mangrove stands, including natural, restored, and planted forests. Results indicated that planted mangroves reached approximately 75% of carbon stock values in intact forests, on average. (Carbon Pulse)
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