Toha Network

📺𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀: 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 🌿With over 52 methodologies for biodiversity credits out there, understanding how different metrics and measurements of biodiversity fit together is key for understanding the market. This expert panel hosted by the BCA explored the complexity of measuring biodiversity, as well as key considerations in data management such as ensuring that Indigenous Peoples and local communities have sovereignty over their data. 💡Check out the recording here: https://lnkd.in/e6yJaSff to hear from BCA’s Josh Brann, Hannah Simmons from ERA - Ecosystem Regeneration Associates, Nathalie Whitaker from the Toha Network, Orion McCarthy from SeaTrees and Richard Field from the University of Nottingham for this important discussion

David Hall, Policy Director at Toha Network, has recently returned from COP16 (the UN Biodiversity Conference) in Cali, Colombia 🌎 Charlotte Kootstra (SBC's Sustainability Manager - Climate & Environment) caught up with David post-return about the focus of COP16, what he learned that might be relevant for NZ businesses, and what more they can do to support biodiversity 🌿 Have a watch below. Also feature in yesterday's Pānui, we call for CLC signatories to join for the snapshot launch, KiwiRail unveils the first of its new low emissions locomotives, COP29 kicks off next week, we share WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development's Business Breakthrough Barometer 2024, and more. Check out the full edition here: https://zcu.nz/m32k?m=0 #COP16 #biodiversity #nature #naturalsolutions

Did you know that some of the founding crew behind the Toha Network were also the founders of Givealittle.co.nz? We've been working on new ways to reconnect Kiwis with nature since...(see post below 🐠🐡🦈 ⛱️) Thanks to Movac, Spark New Zealand and Perpetual Guardian for backing an innovation journey to unleash generosity.

Did you know that some of the founding crew behind the Toha Network were also the founders of Givealittle.co.nz? We've been working on new ways to reconnect Kiwis with nature since...(see post below 🐠🐡🦈 ⛱️) Thanks to Movac, Spark New Zealand and Perpetual Guardian for backing an innovation journey to unleash generosity.

The Toha Network is thrilled to announce our first MAHI sale to Air New Zealand for the direct financing of nature-based jobs in Te Tairāwhiti. 🌱🌱🌱 Air New Zealand has co-invested with Te Puni Kōkiri into regenerative land use projects at Te Kautuku as part of this inaugural MAHI pilot. Te Puni Kōkiri has contributed regional development funding directly to the Te Kautuku Ahuwhenua Trust. These transactions are facilitated by the East Coast Exchange NZ, a regional venture which is underpinned by Toha’s innovative digital infrastructure. MAHI is a digital token which represents a unit of work in service to #nature. We are piloting MAHI in our test marketplace. By purchasing MAHI, market participants are directly and securely releasing funds for actions that restore and regenerate the landscape. In future, market participants will also be able to access data for claimable impacts such as biodiversity uplift and climate risk reduction. Direct financing of frontline communities is a strong theme at this year’s UN Biodiversity Conference #COP16 COP16 Colombia . It is exciting to demonstrate how #DigitalPublicInfrastructure can unlock new forms of funding and financing that go directly to frontline communities. But we are especially proud that the MAHI pilot at Te Kautuku answers the call of the 2023 report, Outrage to Optimism, by the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Uses in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa. It recommended that the New Zealand Government should partner with the East Coast Exchange to create ‘a proof-of-concept co-investment arrangement’ for whenua Māori ‘to transition to a mosaic of high value land use and biodiversity’ (R.31–33). The MAHI pilot at Te Kautuku delivers on these recommendations and lays the foundations for a direct financing mechanism which might be adapted to other regions, both nationally and internationally. Learn more in the press release attached and our explainer series, linked to in the comments below. 🔗 ⏬

"Biodiversity Credits + Friends: Why, How, Now!" – A COP16 Event 🌍🐬🐙🐡🐠 ICR is proud to co-host this impactful event with Savimbo and Cercarbono. This event is crafted to foster open, hands-on discussions on biodiversity credits, innovative financing, and community-driven solutions for conservation and restoration. 📅 Date: Today, Monday, October 28, 2024 🕒 Time: 13:30 -18:00 GMT-5 📍 Location: YAWA Science Center, Cali, Colombia 🇨🇴 Event Highlights: 🔹 Opeing Session: Perspectives from Indigenous communities on conservation and restoration 🔹 Panel Discussions: - Democratizing science for scalable biodiversity credits - Rights-based approaches for biodiversity projects - Community-centered financing models for impactful, ethical funding 🎤 Our team will be represented by Alvaro Vallejo Rendón and Rannveig Anna Guicharnaud PhD who will participate in the session 🚀 "How – Democratizing the Science for Speed and Scale" to discuss accessible scientific data that drives biodiversity credits and conservation impact. The rest of the panel includes Hector Jhony Lopez, Alex Saer, Dr. Ulrike Pfreundt. To sign up and see the agenda, visit 👉 https://lnkd.in/ehahhU-b Some of the organizations represented are: FSC, Health In Harmony, EarthAcre, Toha Network Colectivo Jaguara Climate Collective, Kinray Hub: Indigenous-led R&D Bloom Labs, rrreefs, The International Land and Forest Tenure Facility Rights and Resources Initiative Pollination Bezos Earth Fund KAPITAL Naturatech and more. Drea Burbank Gudmundur Sigbergsson Oli Torfason Alondra Silva Muñoz

📢𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀: 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 On Friday at #COP16, BCA had the pleasure of co-organizing a panel on metrics, measurement and comparability in the beautifully designed pavilion by CAF -banco de desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe-. In opening remarks, CAF representative Ignacio Lorenzo Arana emphasized CAF's support for the development of nature markets and biodiversity credits as an important mechanism for sustainable development. CAF is a BCA Forum member, and we look forward to working together in the future! Here are some key insights from the panel: 🧩𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 Panelists shared about how measuring biodiversity involves navigating multiple different metrics across different ecosystems, ranging from assessing restoration in marine ecosystems by SeaTrees, to protection of jaguar habitat in the Pantanal by ERA - Ecosystem Regeneration Associates, which makes establishing a level of standardization challenging. While designing projects, it is important to consider which metrics are used and how those might align with the purpose of the project. 💻𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆 Given the complexity of measuring biodiversity, having a data ecosystem to manage different streams of information is crucial to the success of the market. Here, Nathalie Whitaker of Toha Network emphasized the importance of Indigenous Peoples and local communities having sovereignty over their data. 🌿𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀 While standardization in the market around a unit might be a challenge, we still need to be able to communicate about credits in a standardized way. To that end, the BCA has been developing a discussion paper on a comparability framework for biodiversity credits, which will be released soon. Keep your eyes on this space! A recording of this event will be made available soon. Thank you to our panelists and moderator: Richard Field, University of Nottingham; Orion McCarthy, SeaTrees; Hannah Simmons, ERA - Ecosystem Regeneration Associates; Nathalie Whitaker, Toha Network; Josh Brann, Biodiversity Credit Alliance

The Toha Network is totally stoked to participate in this year’s UN Biodiversity Conference COP16 Colombia. With its overarching theme of “Peace with Nature”, this year’s Conference of Parties (COP) has a strong focus on how to fund and finance the protection and regeneration of #nature, especially direct funding for Indigenous peoples, local communities, and others on the frontline of the biodiversity crisis. Toha Network is attending COP16 to: 🌱 open our Impact Sale NZ-1 to fund #NatureBasedJobs #Resilience and #ClimateAction in Aotearoa New Zealand. 🌱 share our experiences of building the East Coast Exchange NZ in Tairāwhiti and our MAHI pilot to fund #regenerative action. 🌱 offer practical insights on #DataSovereignty, #DigitalPublicInfrastructure and #NatureFinance. We would love to build relationships at these upcoming events in Calí: Monday, Oct 21st: 15:00-16:00 🗓️"Building the Future: Digitally Native Frameworks for Scaling Biodiversity Credits", hosted by Biodiversity Credit Alliance at Finance and Biodiversity Pavilion Blue Zone Tuesday, Oct 22nd: 16:20–17:10 🗓️“Building and scaling biodiversity credit projects led by Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant and Local Communities”, hosted by United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) at their Finance & Biodiversity Pavilion. Thursday, Oct 24th: 10:10 start 🗓️“Indigenous data sovereignty in biodiversity markets”, an official side-event hosted by the Toha Network in the Blue Zone (Nuqui meeting room, Plaza One). Thursday, Oct 24th: 13:20 start 🗓️“Risks and Opportunities of the Biodiversity Credit Market” with Community Advisory Panel (CAP) of which Toha is a member (Sumapaz - JUSCANZ meeting room, Plaza One). Friday, Oct 25th: 13:30-14:30 🗓️Biodiversity Credits Alliance (BCA) panel on metrics & measurement in the CAF Pavilion. Monday, Oct 28th: 13:30–18:00 🗓️“Biodiversity credits + Friends! Why, How, Now!” with Savimbo and others at YAWA Centro de Ciencia, Arte y Tecnología de Cali. Thursday, Oct 31st: 09:30–11:00 🗓️“Conservation International Event at COP16”, a roundtable event in the CI Pavillion Blue Zone. We’ll be attending many other events during the conference, so reach out via DMs if you want to coordinate and connect Nathalie Whitaker Mike Taitoko David Hall For event details, see the links in comments below. ⏬ 🔗

As Tairāwhiti takes steps to transition from forestry reliance, the community's voice must remain central. At ECX, we champion the bringing together of mana whenua and local communities in creating land-use strategies that will serve generations to come. We welcome all efforts toward change, there is still a long road ahead to ensure that future land management decisions respect the wisdom of those most impacted. Let's keep pushing for a future that's stronger, greener, and fair for everyone! 👇 Check the comments for an RNZ story where experts urge the government to support Tairāwhiti's shift to sustainable land use and economic opportunities.

Recently, Tairāwhiti Enviroschools came together for a vibrant day exploring land use and climate change. ECX was excited to join and see the brilliant ideas and future visions our rangatahi have for our whenua, awa, and moana. More from this inspiring day at the link in comments below.