Nature’s investment frontier

Practical paths forward for biodiversity markets and finance

Biodiversity-based investment themes are suddenly in the spotlight, after years of feeling like a bit of an understudy to the carbon market. Given a ballooning finance gap for nature, and the obvious materiality of nature risk to business, there is renewed interest in economic instruments that can drive private investment toward interventions to avert biodiversity […]

Untapped Potential: Forest Ecosystem Services for Achieving SDG 15

UNFF13 Background Analytical Study

The world’s forest ecosystems provide critical and diverse services and values to human society. As primary habitat for a wide range of species, forests support biodiversity maintenance and conservation. Yet, continuing forest loss worldwide negatively impacts the livelihoods of millions of people and poses major challenges to sustainable development, in part because these forest ecosystem services continue to be […]

The business of biodiversity

Environmental market in Vietnam to rise

The Katoomba event in Hanoi on June 24th and 25th, co-hosted with Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE), will convene policy makers, the scientific community, major financial institutions, business leaders, NGOs, and the community-based organizations from the region and other experts from around […]

Environmental Funds and Payments for Ecosystem Services

RedLAC Capacity Building Project for Environmental Funds

RedLAC implements a capacity building project with the objective of strengthening the capacity of EFs to develop innovative financial mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, reducing their dependence on donations, and also to support the establishment of new EFs, by systematizing and sharing proven best practices in funds day to day operation. This book was prepared to […]

Global Market Trends and Opportunities for the Forest Industry

Developing Markets Welcome and Introduction

Global forest trends are creating new tensions and new opportunities in forest production, conservation and industry. British Columbia is at ground zero for some of the greatest pressures for change—with the stress that involves, but also the greatest forestry innovations. Thus it is an ideal venue for this conference, which should help to place the […]

Markets for Biodiversity Services

Potential Roles and Challenges

In recent decades, several factors have stimulated those concerned with biodiversity conservation services to begin exploring new market-based instruments. The model of public finance for forest and biodiversity conservation is facing a crisis as the main sources of finance have stagnated, despite the recognition that much larger areas require protection.

Capital Markets and Sustainable Forestry

Opportunities for Investment

In this report, we frame the differences in the business models of conventional forestry and sustainable forestry. We cover the sustainable forestry sector “from the forest to the floor”, along its value chain of business enterprises. We consider the varying situation in tropical, temperate and, to some degree, boreal forests. We endeavor to give a […]

Payment Where It’s Due

The financing and management of natural protected areas has historically been seen as the responsibility of the public sector. However, budgets for government protection and management of forest ecosystem services are declining, as are those from overseas development assistance. At the same time, processes of devolution and decentralization are shifting public responsibility for nature protection, […]