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
All articles in this edition are free to read (no subscription needed). However, we require that all Biodiversity Pulse readers have a Carbon Pulse login to access our nature and biodiversity content in full. To get a login, sign up for a free trial of our news. If you’ve already had a trial, then you already have a login.
TOP STORY
FEATURE: US aid freeze hits nature programmes as experts grapple with funding dilemma
The US administration’s sudden decision to freeze all foreign assistance programmes is having far-reaching impacts on biodiversity and climate projects worldwide, with some weighing options to bridge the funding gap amid fears that the move could foreshadow a permanent cut to aid for nature conservation.
MARKET
Colombian developer to market up to 30k biodiversity credits this year
A Colombian developer and asset manager is planning to put on sale up to 30,000 biodiversity credits later this year generated within a marine conservation project in Zanzibar, the company told Carbon Pulse.
UK sells over £200,000 in statutory biodiversity credits
The UK government has sold £236,376 in statutory biodiversity net gain (BNG) credits to developers to offset their impacts since the legislation came into force, Carbon Pulse has learned.
EU research council advocates cautious use of nature credits
A member of the European Research Council has endorsed the use of nature credits to address the biodiversity crisis, provided that the mechanism is developed ‘cautiously’, she told the European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) on Thursday.
Environmental standard launches consultation on nature stewardship credit framework
An environmental standard announced on Thursday it has opened a public consultation on its framework for Nature Stewardship Credits (NSCs), setting out eligibility criteria for biodiversity conservation and restoration projects with demonstrated social benefits.
Cercarbono sets up expert panel for biodiversity credit certification
Colombia-based environmental standard Cercarbono has set up an independent panel of biodiversity experts to facilitate its certification process, the company announced on Thursday.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
NGOs advise EU Commission to include biodiversity credits in agricultural reform
A group of global NGOs has included funding biodiversity credits among the steps that the EU Commission should take to mobilise financing under the bloc’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.
EU eco-schemes lack ambition on biodiversity protection, report says
Schemes established across the EU to help farmers adopt sustainable practices and support the bloc’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are failing to deliver robust outcomes for nature, according to a report released this week.
Company releases framework for corporate claims on nature
An England-based nature tech company released on Tuesday a framework seeking to steer private organisations to invest in nature, including a hierarchy of metrics to measure the recovery of ecosystems.
UK’s new agri-environment schemes could benefit farming, but most farmers still not confident -report
The UK’s new agri-environment schemes and England’s biodiversity net gain (BNG) policy could make the average farmer better off, but the majority of farmers are still not confident they will benefit from changes, a new report has found.
PROJECTS
Forest Stewardship Council verifies biodiversity benefits of first US-based project
A carbon removal developer with huge offtake support verified the first US-based afforestation (ARR) project through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), it announced Thursday.
SCIENCE & TECH
Agriculture has wiped out biodiversity over a third of the planet’s land, report estimates
The agricultural industry has destroyed biodiversity over an area of 55 million square kilometres across its supply chain, a report by CDC Biodiversite has estimated.
—————————————————
BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Madagascan forests – 35 European Parliament members are calling on the IMF to renegotiate some of its highway funding to Madagascar due to deforestation concerns. The IMF had announced $321 mln for Madagascar with the aim of aiding the country’s adaptation to climate change through enhancing its infrastructure, Mongabay reported. However, the MEPs called on the IMF to introduce safeguards to prohibit the funds from being used for projects that could threaten forests.
First round – The Scotland-based charity Future Woodlands Scotland (FWS) has announced the first three projects to receive grants of up to £20,000 through its Urban Forestry Programme. The funding will support two tree-planting initiatives in Edinburgh and a restoration project in a Glasgow nature reserve. “Our goal is for everyone to benefit from trees, whether through learning about them, actively engaging in their care or simply spending time among them,” FWS said in a statement.
POLICY
French seas – France officially ratified the UN high seas treaty on Wednesday. Also known as the BBNJ agreement, the accord aims to provide for the global governance of 95% of the planet’s oceans. Although many states have signed it, far fewer have legally approved it. “France is fully mobilised to achieve the 60 ratifications necessary for the agreement to come into force, between now and the UN Ocean Conference, which will be held in Nice in June 2025,” the government said in a statement.
Ramsar family – The Philippines announced last week that the Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve has been designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, becoming the country’s ninth Ramsar site. Spanning 175,551 ha in Zamboanga Sibugay province, the reserve provides a vital habitat for both migratory and endemic waterbirds, including the Philippine duck and the Chinese egret. (Philippine Information Agency)
SCIENCE & TECH
Operation Thunder – Nearly 20,000 live endangered or protected animals, including 18 big cats, have been seized in a global operation against trafficking coordinated by the World Customs Organization and INTERPOL. At the end of last year, Operation Thunder brought together law officials from 138 regions. They arrested 365 suspects and identified six transnational criminal networks suspected of trafficking protected species.
Bat box – Project developer Ponterra plans to use bats as indicators to improve biodiversity restoration efforts. The company joined forces with the Bat Lab at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to develop a prototype box that provides shelter for bats and allows researchers to monitor their activity, temperature, and humidity. “By installing these bat boxes, the goal is to draw bats back to these landscapes and encourage natural seed dispersion. Through bats, we can help reestablish the vital ecological processes needed for full forest restoration,” said the company.
Got a tip? How about some feedback? Email us at news@carbon-pulse.com
