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TOP STORY
Credit rating agencies must consider nature risks to sovereign debt, think tank says
Credit ratings agencies have not been factoring in the risks that biodiversity loss poses to governments’ abilities to repay sovereign debts, an executive at a Brussels-based think tank has said.
EMEA
EU Horizon-funded project publishes biodiversity credit assessment tool
An Austria-based non-profit has published a tool in collaboration with an EU Horizon-funded wetlands project to help restoration practitioners assess whether biodiversity credits are a suitable financing option.
Swiss agribusiness, Israeli bio firm partner on soil carbon programme
A crop input supplier has struck a partnership to market biological products alongside a soil carbon programme that will allow farmers to generate carbon credits in Latin America and Europe, the companies announced Tuesday.
Albania’s EU membership at risk due to protected area failures, MEP says
Albania’s path to becoming an EU member is at risk due to the government’s failure to protect natural areas, a Dutch MEP has told local media.
Financial services firm invests in large UK woodland carbon project
A financial services provider has partnered with National Parks Partnerships (NPP) and the South Downs National Park to finance one of the UK’s largest woodland creation projects through carbon markets, in a move designed to accelerate nature restoration while generating credits.
INTERNATIONAL
MDB climate finance reached $163 bln in 2025
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided $163 billion in climate finance in 2025, driven primarily by mitigation efforts in the energy sector, while remaining on track to meet collective 2030 financing targets despite political complexities.
IUCN urges finance coordination across Rio Conventions, elevates rangelands ahead of CCD COP17
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has urged governments ahead of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP17 to ensure efforts to strengthen cooperation across the Rio Conventions do not come at the expense of dedicated funding streams for biodiversity, climate, and desertification.
Nature-based standard updates methodology for soil carbon projects
A standard-setter for nature projects is seeking feedback on a fundamental shift in its methodology for soil carbon projects, recognising that they need to be tailored to local conditions, it announced on Tuesday.
ASIA PACIFIC
NZ reforestation initiative retools for carbon, nature markets
A New Zealand initiative aiming to encourage native reforestation is pivoting to broader carbon and nature markets for funding, following a lack of commitment from the government for an earlier iteration which would have leveraged the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Pacific climate finance strategy eyes carbon pricing
Exploring carbon pricing, including cap-and-trade systems, was flagged as a priority activity in a new climate finance strategy for the Pacific Islands – with a goal to initiate carbon pricing pilots in the next four years.
Major Japanese manufacturer signs partnership with conservation organisation
A Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer and a conservation group have signed an agreement to promote domestic biodiversity initiatives and nature positivity through 2030, according to a Monday statement.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
AMERICAS
Projects aplenty – Mexico is aiming to reforest nearly 33,000 ha of land by the end of the year with plans to plant approximately 15.5 mln trees, Mexico News Now reported this week. Work has already started, with 83 projects across Oaxaca working to restore land. The government has invested $28 mln in these initiatives. It also plans to start projects focused on soil conservation, water harvesting, firebreak creation, and biodiversity protection. The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources set out the vision as part of its National Environmental Restoration Program 2026.
Wetland watch – Researchers at University of California, Santa Cruz have installed atmospheric monitoring towers at two Southern California wetlands to measure CO2 uptake, methane emissions, and air-quality impacts. The project, conducted with the California Air Resources Board and AmeriFlux, will compare the industrially degraded Los Cerritos Wetlands in Long Beach with the nearby Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge over two years. The continuous measurements are intended to fill a regional data gap, as most previous wetland monitoring in California has focused on the San Joaquin Bay Delta, and to improve state estimates of wetland emissions and carbon storage.
Conservation finance – Brazilian conglomerate Votorantim said its private Atlantic Forest reserve, Legado das Aguas, reached financial break-even in 2025 after revenue from carbon credit sales completed the business model underpinning its conservation efforts, Capital Reset reported. The project spans nearly 22,000 ha in Sao Paulo state and is the largest private reserve in the Atlantic Forest. It has generated around 120,000 carbon credits, with sales accounting for 12% of the revenue of Reservas Votorantim, the group’s environmental asset management company.
EMEA
Exempt – The exemption to the UK’s biodiversity net gain (BNG) policy for the smallest developments of 0.2 ha will come into effect on Aug. 6, the government confirmed on Tuesday. Another exemption for temporary developments lasting up to five years will also be introduced, alongside the removal of an exemption for self and custom build developments. The changes aim to reduce the burdens on the smallest developers and local authorities, focusing resources on larger developments. The government will continue to bring forward changes to other exemptions for developments that conserve biodiversity as a primary objective. (Carbon Pulse)
Wildlife relocation – Zimbabwe has begun relocating some zebras, giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs, and African wild dogs to Equatorial Guinea under a government-to-government conservation agreement aimed at restoring wildlife populations in protected areas, New Zimbabwe reported. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) said ecological assessments confirmed habitat suitability and stressed only abundant, non-threatened species are being moved, with the operation following international animal welfare transport standards.
Sea basin – An initiative working with others to tackle the growing pressures on Europe’s northern seas has already achieved results, reported EU Reporter. The Northern European Sea Basin project, co-funded by the EU through a maritime fund, brings together partners from seven EU member states. Its achievements include a policy brief on the progress of transboundary cooperation in the Greater North Sea, a shared glossary of terms on the energy transition and biodiversity, and a summary report mapping cumulative impact assessment work across the North and Baltic Seas.
Mor meadow – A seagrass restoration project has been announced in Cornwall, UK as part of a £1.8 mln marine recovery programme by a non-profit. Alongside plans to restore 10 ha of seagrass meadow in Falmouth Bay, the three-year Mor Nature project also seeks to restore native oyster populations through habitat restoration, monitoring, and community stewardship, said Ocean Conservation Trust. Partners include the Zoological Society of London, the University of Exeter, the Duchy of Cornwall, and Cornwall Council.
ASIA PACIFIC
Cheers – Drinks company Suntory has launched a project aimed at improving water levels and biodiversity in Japan, FoodBev Media reported on Tuesday. Multinational Suntory’s latest wetland restoration project will focus on winter flooding of old rice paddies in the town of Mashiki on Kyushu island. This is expected to improve soil fertility, boost groundwater stores, and help make the area more biodiverse. The company will employ a local organisation to oversee the daily running of the initiative including water level management and nature monitoring.
Australian grants – The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government has opened applications for its 2026-27 Environmental Grants Program, offering more than A$400,000 ($279,800) to support community-led projects focused on environmental protection and biodiversity. Grants of up to A$25,000 are available for environmental initiatives, while volunteer groups can apply for up to A$5,000 to build capacity and continue stewardship activities. Applications close on Aug. 25.
More Australia – A 4,730-ha stretch of Aboriginal-owned land in Australia has been formally dedicated as a new Indigenous Protected Area. The announcement on the Pmere Atherre Antenterreme area in the Simpson desert means that around a quarter of Australia’s landmass is now protected through Aboriginal and other conservation management. These sites, established through agreements between First Nations groups and the Commonwealth, enable Traditional Owners to manage land and sea for biodiversity conservation.
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