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TOP STORY
FEATURE: Shrinking foreign aid opens space for private nature finance amid rising risks
Cuts to foreign aid programmes worldwide are set to accelerate the uptake of private involvement in climate and biodiversity finance, though this will likely come with increased risks for investors as well as local communities, according to observers.
MARKET
Uzbekistan sets course for national biodiversity credit, offset markets
Uzbekistan has released a strategy to attract finance for nature protection and restoration, including plans to establish national frameworks for biodiversity credit and offset markets.
Jaguar stewardship project in Brazil issues 71,000 biodiversity credits
A Brazil-based environmental company has marketed over 71,000 biodiversity credits generated through a jaguar stewardship project in the Pantanal region over the last few years.
French bank considers buying more biodiversity credits
La Banque Postale could invest in more voluntary biodiversity credits over the next few years to encourage broader demand, as it is confident they carry little risk.
Irish peatland standard for ecosystems certificates launches
An Irish government-backed non-profit has launched a voluntary standard for generating ecosystem certificates from peatland with biodiversity, carbon, and wildfire reduction benefits.
TOOLS & GUIDANCE
Harmonised biodiversity credit markets ‘promising’ tool to scale nature finance -report
Advancing biodiversity credit markets is among the key steps recommended by the World Government Summit to meet the $200 billion annual target set out under the Global Biodiversity Framework, provided that regulators develop a standardised framework to prevent greenwashing.
NatureMetrics launches habitat health tool
UK-based biodiversity monitoring company NatureMetrics has launched a tool for businesses and conservationists to assess the health of habitats.
POLICY
EU law on nature restoration continues to spark public debate
The European Commission’s blueprint for national nature restoration plans has drawn widespread criticism from environmental groups, landowners, and industry representatives, with concerns ranging from property rights to weak data and funding gaps.
INTERVIEW: US rollback on nature looms over resuming plastic treaty talks
The US administration’s recent rollback on environmental action is poised to overheat the debate on financing at the resuming talks on the UN plastic treaty, with the EU expected to adopt an even tougher stance than it did at last year’s summit, an observer to the negotiations told Carbon Pulse.
Hundreds of NGOs urge EU to reject proposal for streamlining environmental reporting
Some 362 NGOs have urged the EU to reject the so-called ‘omnibus’ proposal for streamlining its sustainability reporting in legislation on topics including biodiversity.
SCIENCE & TECH
INTERVIEW: Assemblage-level conservation ready for wide adoption in biodiversity preservation, researchers say
US-based researchers are calling on conservationists and policy makers to broaden their approach when acting to protect endangered species and limit global biodiversity loss.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Growing crew – The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) will announce the next cohort of adopters at the upcoming COP30 UN climate summit, due to take place in November in Brazil. “Business and finance leaders are increasingly recognising that the resilience of their business and investment returns depends on the resilience of nature,” said David Craig, TNFD co-chair. To date, 502 organisations with $6.5 trillion in market capitalisation have adopted the task force’s recommendations.
Fined – A fishing company has been fined A$90,000 ($57,000) by Australia’s federal court for trap fishing within the Oceanic Shoals Australian Marine Park, Marine Business News reported. Located about 150 kilometres northwest of Darwin, the site provides habitat for a wide range of species, including sponges, soft corals, sea snakes, sharks, and fish.
POLICY
Tanzanian plan – The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Tanzania have officially launched an initiative with the aim of bridging the national funding gap in biodiversity conservation. The Biodiversity Financing Plan Initiative aims to address critical funding challenges, while enhancing Tanzania’s ecosystems, the organisations said in a joint press release. The initiative’s goals include reducing subsidies that contribute to nature degradation and mobilising finance for biodiversity conservation.
Closing the gap – Namibia is set to launch new financial strategies for biodiversity conservation next year in partnership with UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative. The project seeks to implement new funding models such as area fees, green bonds, and carbon markets to mobilise resources towards nature protection. According to Bernadette Shivute, sustainable finance specialist for UNDP in Namibia, biodiversity funding is currently insufficient, and mainly comes from the government and international donors.
Kilimanjaro – UNESCO has launched an $8 mln project aimed at protecting biodiversity and water resources in the Kilimanjaro region. The initiative, carried out in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and funded by the Global Environment Facility, seeks to advance scientific research while enhancing collaboration with local governments to develop policies that support conservation and sustainable resource management.
Canadian OECMs – Five parks have been added to Canada’s list of Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). Ontario’s Navy Island National Historic Site, Fort George National Historic Site, and Rideau Canal National Historic Site, alongside Quebec’s Grosse-Ile and Irish Memorial National Historic Site, and Alberta’s Ya Ha Tinda Ranch are now recognised for their contributions to conservation.
Banking on genes – India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the establishment of the country’s second national gene bank, an initiative aimed at conserving the biodiversity, preserving rich genetic resources, and ensuring long-term food security. The bank will house a collection of 1 mln germplasm lines. The bank – a repository that safeguards genetic material, including seeds, pollen, and tissue samples, protecting plant species from extinction and preserving biodiversity – will be crucial in securing the country’s agricultural heritage. The country’s first gene bank was set up in 1996 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) in New Delhi.
Biodiversity horizons – Priorities for biodiversity studies under the EU research initiative Horizon Europe for 2025-27 have been leaked, according to Science Business. The group plans to contribute 10% of resources to biodiversity research and 25% to climate, it said. On biodiversity, the group plans to encourage work on the decline of insect species, improving the effectiveness of protected areas, and scaling up nature-based solutions. The plans are due to be discussed at a programme committee meeting on Mar. 12.
Funding for fish – The Canadian government has committed C$4.79 mln ($3.3 mln) to 10 conservation projects in British Columbia through the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk. Seven projects will target habitat restoration and risk mitigation in the Fraser and Columbia River watersheds, home to 70% of the Pacific Region’s freshwater species at risk. Three projects will focus on marine threats like entanglement, bycatch, and acoustic disturbances, benefiting species such as killer whales, grey whales, and the Rocky Mountain ridged mussel.
Protecting the prairies – Canada’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Manitoba have signed a memorandum of understanding to protect critical habitats, combat biodiversity loss, and build climate resilience. With up to C$2 mln in federal funding, the initiative aligns with Canada’s 2030 nature strategy, which aims to conserve 30% of land and water by 2030. The governments also launched a bilateral collaboration on climate adaptation, reinforcing efforts under the national adaptation strategy.
SCIENCE & TECH
Peacock protection – Activists are opposing a proposed land auction in Telangana, India for property development, Hans India reported. The local government plans to sell 160 ha of natural habitat that sustains hundreds of plant and animal species. Efforts to protect the land, next to the University of Hyderabad, have been ongoing for years. The area is home to peacock, spotted dear, wild boars, flamingos, and pelicans.
Butterflies – Butterfly populations fell by 22% between 2000-20 in the US, a study published in the journal Science has revealed. Funded by the US Geological Survey, the study showed that a third of assessed species experienced a serious decline, with others losing more than 90% of their populations. “We have never had as clear and compelling a picture of butterfly declines as we do now,” Collin Edwards, lead author of the study, said. However, butterflies can recover if urgent conservation measures are implemented, researchers added.
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