Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative’s Post

As we all know, the biodiversity crisis, driven by unsustainable human activities, threatens global ecosystems. Despite efforts like the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, progress is limited due to policies addressing symptoms rather than root causes. If interested in a deeper analysis have a look at the recently published study "Exploring the societal factors enabling to halt and reverse the loss and change of biodiversity" by the European Topic Centres - Research consortia supporting the European Environment Agency. The report identifies societal barriers like knowledge gaps and governance challenges and proposes five strategies: offering alternative narratives, leveling power imbalances, enhancing knowledge, understanding societal acceptance, and strengthening governance. It also emphasizes the need for structural interventions, such as regulatory reforms and targeted funding, to support transformative change and achieve the EU’s 2030 biodiversity goals. KUDOS TO Alessandro Galli for the amazing work done! #biodiversity #EUBiodiversityStrategy2030 #sustainablefinance https://lnkd.in/dnHWeC7T

Shaping the future of finance by guiding organisations to become nature-positive🌿 Exciting times ahead as we get to be part of the Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) report on Biodiversity Measurement Approaches for the second time! In this edition, we've kept integrating data from the pioneering Global Impact Data for Biodiversity (GID Biodiversity) database, signaling a leap forward in the intersection of finance and biodiversity conservation. Over 3000 top-performing companies worldwide are leveraging this guide to evaluate their methods, highlighting its global relevance and impact🌐 At the heart of sustainable finance lies the imperative to accurately measure and mitigate biodiversity impacts. The FfB report empowers stakeholders across industries with actionable insights to drive informed investment decisions that prioritise both financial returns and environmental sustainability. Our involvement in the report underscores our commitment to biodiversity measurement, as we strive to establish standardised methodologies that resonate with the principles of transparency, comparability, and accountability 📊 Our aim is not only to assess current biodiversity impacts but also to catalyse transformative change by aligning financial flows with conservation objectives. As we navigate the complexities of our interconnected world, we need to embrace innovation and collaboration to safeguard our planet's biodiversity. By leveraging cutting-edge data and insights, we are not only mitigating risks but also unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth and resilience. Join us in championing a transition to sustainable finance where environmental stewardship and financial prosperity go hand in hand. #Biodiversity #Finance #ThoughtLeadership #Sustainability #GIDBiodiversity #ImpactMeasurement #EnvironmentalStewardship

Three international organisations released a set of 21 high-level principles for biodiversity credits on Wednesday in a move designed to encourage market alignment. The guidelines were released by the Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA), the World Economic Forum, and the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits at #COP16 in Cali, Colombia. They apply to both regulatory and voluntary biodiversity credits, addressing matters such as ensuring robust outcomes, demand integrity, and protecting Indigenous Peoples and local communities’ rights, writes Sergio Colombo and Giada Ferraglioni. However, the three organisations did not go into detail on the highly debated issue of offsetting. The principles built on the draft high-level governance and integrity principles for voluntary biodiversity credits that were launched by WEF in 2022. Read and subscribe for free to read Biodiversity Pulse's coverage live from reporters in Cali, which includes the below picture from Stian Reklev: https://lnkd.in/eMNgq7wH Other biodiversity credit stories published during the conference, available on the website, include: 🌲 Policy group sets out next steps for ‘compelling’ biodiversity credit markets 🌳 Less than $1 mln of biodiversity credits purchased, BloombergNEF says 🌴 Biodiversity credits could be core part of corporate nature strategies, WEF says 🌳 Mexican state announces “comprehensive” nature credits strategy 🌲 BCA to launch digital framework for improving biodiversity credit markets transparency

❗ 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈: 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐞 The Convention on Biological Diversity announces that the UN Biodiversity Conference (#COP16), suspended earlier in Cali, Colombia, will reconvene from February 25 to 27, 2025, at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy The suspension occurred on November 2 due to a loss of quorum. The upcoming session aims to address unresolved agenda items, including: 🔹 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Developing a strategy to secure $200 billion annually by 2030 for biodiversity initiatives and reducing harmful incentives by at least $500 billion annually. Discussions will also consider establishing a global financing instrument for biodiversity. 🔹 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: Finalizing tools for Parties to measure progress against the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's (KMGBF) 23 targets. 🔹 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦: Deciding how progress toward KMGBF implementation will be reviewed at COP17, including incorporating commitments from non-state actors and finalizing the national reporting template with headline indicators. 🔹 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦: Endorsing the achievements of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), encouraging further contributions to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), and providing additional guidance to the GEF in light of its upcoming replenishment negotiations. We are thrilled to see such a quick international commitment to #biodiversity and that the meeting is happening here in Italy! Here the press release: https://lnkd.in/dhUgHMqJ Here our article on COP16: https://lnkd.in/d7Mwz_Z9

Just this morning, I delved into some articles from "Environmental Finance's Biodiversity Insight 2024," and I was particularly captivated by the interview "A Growing Focus on Biodiversity Risk" featuring insights from Reza Marvasti and Brian Colantropo. Their discussion sheds light on critical points regarding the intersection of business operations and biodiversity impact. 🌍 Key points: - Recent studies pinpoint land-use change as a major factor driving global biodiversity loss. With an assessment covering over 16,000 issuers, it's clear that land-based industries like food and beverages, energy, and materials have the most significant impacts on biodiversity. - The development of target setting and scenario analysis is increasingly becoming integral to how investors approach biodiversity risks. This shift is greatly influenced by the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the introduction of sector-specific nature targets. We're starting to see initiatives like those from the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation and the SBTN make strides in this area. The focus of investors is broadening from merely addressing deforestation to encompassing a wider scope of biodiversity impacts and dependencies on ecosystem services. This holistic view is crucial for understanding how the loss of these services could affect economic outcomes. Exciting times lie ahead as we anticipate significant developments in biodiversity-related investment strategies over the next year. Let's keep pushing the boundaries on how financial decisions can align with ecological health! 🌱 #Biodiversity #SustainableInvesting #EnvironmentalFinance #ClimateAction #GreenFinance #ESGInvesting #Conservation #NatureBasedSolutions #Sustainability #ImpactInvesting https://lnkd.in/etfSyacm

Ninety One has launched a Sovereign Biodiversity index, providing a quantitative way for investors to assess nature and biodiversity risks at a national level https://lnkd.in/ebyNbdTm #biodiversity #sustainableinvestments #index

Biodiversity challenge is much about measuring, monitoring and reporting; about assessing, disclosing and verifying – but most of all, it is about recognizing and rethinking how our daily activities impact and depend on nature. May 23, 2024 there will be an opportunity in Helsinki to meet individuals and organizations interested in solving this complex equation

🌍🌿 International Day for Biological Diversity - today - shines a spotlight on action 🌿🌍 Today, on the International Day for Biological Diversity, we celebrate the incredible variety of life on Earth and reflect on our role in preserving it. This year’s theme, "Be part of the Plan," is a powerful call to action for everyone to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by supporting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also known as The Biodiversity Plan. At GreenCollar, we are dedicated to taking action by partnering with landholders on environmental projects - in carbon, water, plastics and nature - and committed to applying science to measure and validate real outcomes that afford a value to critical environmental services. Our biodiversity initiative, NaturePlus™, is a world-leading biodiversity credit scheme that uses a scientifically robust environmental accounting framework to inform and incentivise evidence-based decision-making, ensuring positive impacts for nature. NaturePlus™ generates certified outcomes in the condition of native ecosystems, which are valued and rewarded with transferrable NaturePlus™ Credits. Our aim is to achieve and maintain a net gain in the condition of native ecosystems globally. We enable scalable voluntary investment in projects that demonstrate real, measurable, and verifiable biodiversity outcomes. Find out more - www.naturepluscredits.com

The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held annually on May 22. The observance of this day commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 22 May 1992 and provides a unique opportunity to foster wide support for the Convention, its Protocols and related action frameworks. Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth, including humans. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms, we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that we rely on to provide us with a multitude of benefits, such as the air we breathe and the food we eat. At present, the International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals. “Be part of the Plan”, is the theme for 2024, and calls to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan. Photo credit: Nachilala

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 #biodiversity 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡’𝐬 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬? Biodiversity credits are somewhat similar to carbon credits – they exist for polluters to compensate for the damage they have done. However, with biodiversity, things are more complicated. Biodiversity credits are less predictable and involve longer contracts. Additionally, there is no international marketplace for trading biodiversity credits. Does this mean biodiversity credits are useless? The report “𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬: 𝐀 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲” https://lnkd.in/eB_3uyhX, developed by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, explores the potential of biodiversity credits. Notably, the report provides four potential use cases for biodiversity credits: 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬: Integrating biodiversity benefits into carbon credits to achieve broader environmental goals. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬: Utilizing biodiversity credits to protect and enhance ecosystem services like pollination, water purification, and soil health. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲: Employing biodiversity credits for restoring and conserving natural habitats and species. 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐬: Offering products that contribute to biodiversity recovery, which is appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. The report's authors admit that the concept of biodiversity credits is still in its early stages. At the same time, they call for urgent action, citing an article published in Science Advances as an illustration of rapid biodiversity loss. What are the downsides of biodiversity credits? “These metrics are quite simplistic, mechanistic and crude,” says Dr Elia Apostolopoulou of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). “What you need to actually question is the very idea of the economic valuation of nature.” What do you think about the future of biodiversity credits? Will they replace or complement carbon credits? #NEAH_research #Biodiversity #BiodiversityCredits #Ecosystems #Conservation #ClimateAction #EnvironmentalProtection #NatureRecovery #CarbonCredits #Sustainability #BiodiversityLoss #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalImpact #EcoFriendly #NatureConservation #BundlingWithProducts #EcosystemServices #Pollination #WaterPurification #SoilHealth #WorldEconomicForum #McKinsey #Report #CarbonOffset