Biodiversity Credits, Current Challenges & Opportunities

This webinar explored the most recent challenges and opportunities of Biodiversity Credits as an innovative tool for financing nature. Each panelist shared their latest updates on the application of biodiversity credits and any advice they have for conservationists.

Speakers

• Sinclar Vincent, Verra

• Toral Shah, Plan Vivo Foundation

• Timothy Male, Environmental Policy Innovation Center

• Grégoire De Warren, International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits

Moderator

• David Meyers, Executive Director, Conservation Finance Alliance

The Business Case for HIFOR with WCS

This webinar introduced and explored the High Integrity Forest (HIFOR) Investment Initiative which aims to create a new climate and biodiversity asset class to help finance the protection of high integrity tropical forests — those that are least degraded by human impacts — on the basis of their role in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation. Can this new tradable asset incentivize the conservation of our last remaining high integrity forests? 

Speakers

• Daniel Zarin Head of Forests and Climate Change Program at WCS

• Ashley Camhi, Director of Innovative Finance, Forests and Climate at the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS

• Charlotte Streck, Co-founder, Climate Focus

Moderator

• David Meyers, Executive Director, Conservation Finance Alliance

CFA Incubator Webinar: Nature Stewardship Bonds

The financial sustainability of modern African conservation landscapes is often built around portfolios of nature-based businesses – particularly in the tourism sector; and while these can comprise both successful and responsible businesses, they are all too often characterized by one major shortcoming – their ownership structure does not meaningfully engage or benefit local stakeholders.  The conservation community has historically attempted to address this ownership divide by building new community-owned enterprises that lack competitiveness, have long pathways to profitability, and high risks. Mwenzi Capital seeks to democratize existing conservation-focused enterprise ownership and value streams in critical African conservation landscapes.  This will be done through making specially structured investments in existing, and hence de-risked, revenue generating nature-based businesses that could benefit from stronger community collaboration – and directing ownership or revenue back to collaborating communities and conservation organizations so that all parties benefit from the enterprise’s enhanced success.  The approach is both scalable and flexible and, in tourism markets at least, has current relevance and applicability in the post-Covid-19 period. Initial pipeline development revealed has significant appetite.

CFA Incubator Webinar: Ngwala Inventions

Ngwala Inventions is one among seven finalist of the second cohort selected by Conservation Finance Alliance Incubator’s Technic al Review Committee to receive nine months incubation. Since February 2022, Ngwala Inventions has been receiving mentorship and financial support from Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA) Incubator / Wildlife Conservation Society and its partners. Ngwala In ventions is a registered company in Tanzania with the purpose of solving inaccessibility and unaffordability of organic farm inputs. More – over solving chemical exposure problems caused by farm empty pesticide and fertilizer containers replacing them with A utomated Solar Powered Bio - pesticides and Bio - fertilizer Delivery Machines that allows smallholder farmers to access organic farm inputs on time, on farm ,on credit, at lowest cost and on demand. Since the starting of the incubation in February Ngwala Inve ntions has manufactured 5 Automated Bio - pesticides and Bio - fertilizer machines which are installed at 5 strategic farming locations and currently manufacturing bio - pesticides and bio - fertilizer for refilling the machines. Ngwala Inventions has helped thous and farmers in rural communities with the expectation to reach 5000 farmers by the end of 2022.

CFA Incubator Webinar: Blue Recovery Bond

This work provides a robust first pass at understanding how to evaluate fisheries blue recovery bond candidacy and highlights the types of data / information streams that will prove useful in moving blue recovery bonds for fisheries recovery forward. Using the calculator that we developed to evaluate blue recovery bond candidacy can help any fishery evaluate whether this type of instrument would efficiently contribute to support their sustainability – and also signal interest from fishery stakeholders for this type of instrument.

CFA Incubator Webinar: Ocean Eye

Global studies have shown that stakeholder buy-in is the number one success factor in marine conservation, but too often coastal communities lack incentives to support conservation initiatives. Ocean Eye is a fintech solution for the tourism sector that facilitates micro payments by marine tourists towards coastal communities based on wildlife sightings. In other words, Ocean Eye is a data collection and financial transfer platform that collects wildlife sighting data and transfers ecosystem service payments. The animal sighting reports are directly linked to small payments from tourists that go to coastal communities and incentivize the protection of endangered and vulnerable species. The mechanism creates incentives for communities to reduce harm to nature and become conservation allies.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds - Using the Standards: Starting a CTF

Please join us on Tuesday, 16 November at 11 am EST for the "Using the Standards - Starting a CTF," the 11th webinar in our series on the Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds.

The webinar will focus on how the Standards can be useful in the initial stages of creating a Conservation Trust Fund.

Scott Lampman from USAID-TFCA will provide a context-setting overview, and Sasha Middleton, CEO of the MEPA Trust, and Mirjam de Koning, Executive Director of PONT, will present case studies of their practical experiences using the Standards.

Risk Financing for Nature-Based Solutions

Risk Financing for Nature-Based Solutions

Nature plays a significant role in reducing risks for coastal communities, flooding, food security, and a range of other ecosystem services that often remain undervalued and inadequately financed in our market economy. This inspiring webinar will look at innovative ways in which the risk abatement value of nature can be monetized and maintained through innovative risk financing mechanisms that support ecosystem resilience. Presenters and panelists include Cherie Gray of Swiss Re, Mark Way of TNC, Jacq Wharton of Willis Towers Watson, and Claudia Ruiz of the MAR Fund.

Conservation Finance in Practice: CPIC Blueprint Replication – Guarantee-backed Lending for Clean Textile Production

Conservation Finance in Practice: CPIC Blueprint Replication - Guarantee-backed Lending for Clean Textile Production.

Joint CPIC and CFA webinarCPIC

The Coalition for Private Investment in Conservation (CPIC) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on enabling conditions that support a material increase in private investment in conservation. To increase deal flow in conservation, CPIC develops replicable, scalable investment "blueprints" for delivering risk-adjusted returns from specific types of investment in natural capital. Replication of business and investment models is key to leverage experience and scale impact across geographies. To date CPIC has released twelve blueprints available in a short 2 page and long format.

Kieron Brand, Bankable Lead: Freshwater at WWF Netherlands will speak about the CPIC blueprint on Guarantee-backed Lending for Clean Textile Production, prepared by WWF. WWF has gone on to replicate this "blueprinted approach", after successful initial implementation in Turkey, in similar settings in India, Viet Nam, Pakistan, Myanmar and Thailand. Jim Stephenson, Director at Terranomics Limited, will highlight approaches on how to replicate blueprints, based on his experience developing CPIC's Conservation Investment Blueprints Development Guide.

Designing Financing Structures for Nature-Based Solutions

Register for one of the two sessions (both will be live sessions with time for Q&A)
April 20th: 9am - 10:15 EST (GMT- 4)
April 22nd: 9am - 10:15 SGT (GMT + 8)

On April 20th and 22nd, Convergence and the CFA are bringing together practitioners to discuss lessons learned and challenges encountered in early-stage design work of natural capital and conservation finance structures. Convergence’s Asia Natural Capital Design Funding Window provides grants for the design and launch of blended finance solutions focused on natural capital in Asia. The CFA’s Incubator program seeks to identify, support, and promote innovative ideas and solutions to conservation finance challenges that have significant positive conservation impacts. The webinar will feature past grant recipients and program participants, who will share their practical insights.

Convergence accepts applications on a rolling basis, and the next deadline for the window is June 3rd, 2021. Click here for more details. The CFA is currently seeking additional technical and financial partnerships for the CFA Incubator. Click here for more details.

 The webinar will be held on April 20th and April 22nd in order to accommodate all time zones.

The first webinar on April 20th will feature the following invitees for a panel discussion:

• Blue Finance

• Clarmondial

The second webinar on April 22nd will feature the following invitees for a panel discussion:

• Blue Forest Conservation

• The Nature Conservancy

About the hosts

Convergence is the global network for blended finance, generating data, intelligence, and deal flow to increase private sector investment in developing countries. Convergence’s Design Funding program supports the design and launch of new blended finance solutions that aim to catalyze private investment in development countries toward the Sustainable Development Goals.  The Asia Natural Capital Design Funding Window provides funding for the design and launch of blended finance solutions focused on natural capital in Asia.

The Conservation Finance Alliance is the leading professional association for conservation finance experts and practitioners. CFA’s mission is to promote awareness, expertise, and innovation in conservation finance globally. CFA’s collaborative network of volunteer members participate in Working Groups, Task Forces, Executive Committee and Secretariat to promote knowledge and the effective use of conservation finance tools in their activities across the planet.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds: Safeguards

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds: Safeguards

Please join us for our 10th webinar in our series on the Practice Standards for CTFs. Octobers webinar will focus on Risk Management and Safeguards, a new core area in the 2020 edition of the Standards. Kathy Mikitin, the chair of the CFA's task force on Environmental and Social Safeguards, will present an overview of the topic, and Lourdes Lares from Profonanpe will share their experiences with safeguards.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds - Using the Standards: Accreditation

The ninth webinar in our series on the Practice Standards for CTFs will focus on how the Standards can support CTFs in the process of becoming accredited by partners like the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund. The webinar will be conducted as part of the RedLAC Virtual Assembly during the last week of September.

The webinar will be held at 1400 EDT on Wednesday, September 29. Please visit the RedLAC website to register.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds - Governance and Institutional Effectiveness

When: August 17th, 11am EDT
Where: Register Below!

Please join us on Tuesday for the eighth webinar in our series on the 2020 edition of the Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds. This month's webinar will focus on the core areas of Governance and Institutional Effectiveness.

Speakers:
Paquita Bath, co-author of the 2020 edition of the Practice Standards, and CEO and Founder, Aligning Visions
Angelique Pouponneau, CEO, Seychelles' Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT)
Jean Paul Rugama, CFO, Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre

The webinar is hosted by the CFA's Environmental Funds Working Group. Simultaneous English/Spanish translation will be provided by Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre.

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds Series - Technology

When: July 20, 11am EDT

Please join us on Tuesday, July 20 at 11 am EDT for the seventh webinar in our series on the Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds. The July webinar will focus on the new cross-cutting theme of Technology. Herminia Lugo from Fondo de Conservación de Bosques Tropicales de Paraguay (FCBT) will present technological tools that FCBT is using to connect with grantees. Following the presentation, we will use breakout rooms on Zoom to hold smaller group discussions on technological challenges and solutions that are working for CTFs.

Speakers and Panelists:

Katy Mathias, Wildlife Conservation Society

Herminia Lugo, Manager of Administration, Finance and Sustainable Project Management, FCBT Paraguay

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds - Resource Mobilization

When: May 18, 11am EDT

On Tuesday, May 18, at 11 am EDT, please join us for the fifth webinar in our monthly series taking a deeper look at the 2020 edition of the Practice Standards for CTFs. The May webinar will focus on Resource Mobilization. The webinar will include an overview on new content in the 2020 edition of the Standards, and presentations by two Conservation Trust Funds on their practical experiences.

Speakers and Panelists:

Katy Mathias - Wildlife Conservation Society

GroupAmilcar Guzman - Partner, Wolfs Company, and co-author of the Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds, 2020 update

Romain Renoux - Executive Director, The MedFund

Sean Nazerali - Director of Innovative Financing, Biofund

Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds - Administration and Human Resources

On Tuesday, April 20, please join us for the fourth webinar in our monthly series taking a deeper look at the 2020 edition of the Practice Standards for CTFs. The April webinar will focus on Administration and Human Resources. Human Resources is a new cross-cutting theme, and the Administration Standards have been expanded in the new edition to include Human Resource Management and Technology. The webinar will include an overview on the new standards, and presentations by two Conservation Trust Funds on their practical experiences.

Speakers and Panelists

Zdenka Piskulich - President of RedLAC and Co-Chair of the CFA's Environmental Funds Working Group

Paquita Bath - Aligning Visions and co-author of the Practice Standards for Conservation Trust Funds, 2020 update

Mirjam de Koning - Executive Director, Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust / also representing Nature Trust Alliance

Additional panelist to be confirmed

CFA Incubator Webinar: Blue Finance

This project aims to develop a Payment for Ecosystem Service for beachside hoteliers on the SIDS of Barbados to help maintain the coral reefs that act as natural shoreline protection. Based on State-of-the-Art science knowledge to identify where this ecosystem is maximized, the mechanism will allow the hoteliers to finance reef conservation and restoration activities.

Some of the expected outcomes of the project include: Improved coral reef health (i.e. live cover), improved structural ability of the reef to protect shorelines, scenic beauty and fish biomass, increased revenues and self-financing capacities of the Marine Management Authority charged with reef protection.

CFA Incubator Webinar: Natrx

Biodiversity Lending Instruments for Coastal Restoration and Protection

Substantial research and development efforts have been applied to core energy transition technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and transmission equipment, leading to substantially lowered costs for renewable energy in recent years.  However, the vast majority of the habitat interface of these systems consist of traditional structural and armoring materials such as painted steel, rock & concrete. For example, a Natrx analysis of a planned US offshore wind farm indicates that 98% of the marine surface area consists of rock and concrete armoring of turbines & cables.  Unfortunately, design and construction techniques for infrastructure protection are decades or even centuries old and generally have not been developed with ecological considerations in mind. These represent excellent candidates for eco-engineering. There is a growing consensus that nature based techniques can provide lower costs, higher community resilience, and enhanced biodiversity, and the current scale of alternative energy demands examination of alternative infrastructure designs.

We will share examples of nature-based deployments in traditional and emerging energy infrastructure applications refined during our residence in the CFA accelerator program, including comparisons of hurricane resilience for nature-based systems versus traditional infrastructure. The session will examine alternatives to traditional heavy construction techniques with a data-driven design & adaptation approach.  Finally, we will address new opportunities for innovative financing to accelerate the adoption of nature-based techniques in the industrial and energy sectors.

CFA Incubator Webinar: Greenstand

Digital Tree Wallet Mechanism

Greenstand is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that creates mobile technology for better reforestation monitoring and simultaneously seeks to reduce poverty. Our mobile app, the Treetracker, can be applied to nearly any restoration use case by allowing smallholder farmers anywhere in the world to plant and care for trees in exchange for supplementary income. Tree growers upload photos of their trees regularly, which are displayed on Greenstand’s public web map. This technology works to bring much-needed transparency to the tree planting space and create financial incentives for rural communities to engage in environmental stewardship.

During the CFA Incubator, Greenstand was able to significantly accelerate the organization’s capacity for bringing on new team members and tree planting organizations around the globe primarily by supporting the development of a new framework that guides our technical service provision. Prior to this period, the team functioned using an ad hoc communication culture which has now shifted to a consistent, agenda-driven virtual meeting schedule across the community. Additionally, major advancements were made to impact valuation metrics and token trading logic over the year, with anticipated release of this system now scheduled for summer 2021. This incubator pushed Greenstand’s leadership to critically examine proposed revenue streams and to finalize a more sustainable business model for the organization. During this presentation, our Vice President of Programs, Sebastian Gartner, will be presenting these advancements made possible by the CFA Incubator in more detail. We hope to see you there!

Read more: https://greenstand.org/home

CFA Incubator Webinar: Greenfi

Tools to design, manage and monitor performance-based and sustainably financed ecosystem restoration and protection projects

Communities which depend on nature and the organizations which support them often lack effective and appropriately-priced tools for local ecosystem management.

We are a team of experienced community-based natural resource practitioners, and in response to the challenge, we provide highly effective and cost-efficient tools to NGOs and companies to help communities who depend on nature to establish and manage reef and forests banks.

Using our tools, communities supported by NGOs or companies, set up community-owned banks, from which loans to community members are issued. When community members repay loans and protect the environment, they receive a credit score which qualifies borrowers for higher levels of credit and lower levels of interest.

The GreenFi approach is founded on the recognition that credit systems are blind to natural resource overuse, and only by incorporating environmental requirements into credit terms can we create systemic incentives for environmental restoration rather than degradation.