N4C Weekly Briefing
November 30 - December 6 2022
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The N4C Weekly Briefing's final edition of 2022 will hit your inboxes on December 14th and will return January 11th after the holidays. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and restful break.
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COP15 IS UNDERWAY
COP15 has kicked off in Montreal this week with the world watching to see if negotiators can develop a new framework for protecting biodiversity worldwide. Below are some of the top stories, recently published resources, and events you can engage with the summit.
Reuters reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his nation would direct $350 million towards global biodiversity finance. The Guardian publishes an editorial that urges world leaders to recognize the perilous situation humanity and countless other species face if a new agreement and action isn't achieved at COP15 held in Montreal this week. Carbon Brief shares an interactive table breaking down priority issues for various parties attending the COP15 summit. The Independent, The Times, Vox, China Dialogue, The Guardian, BusinessGreen, Capital Reset, Schroders, World Economic Forum, Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC, and Carbon Pulse all provide overviews of what to expect at COP15. New Scientist covers a report that finds the COP15 target to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 is ‘unrealistic’. NRDC shares a blog on Canada's failure to protect its forests ahead of the biodiversity summit. BusinessGreen shares a commentary from Mark Gough of the Capitals Coalition stating that COP15 must culminate in a pact that sets a clear direction of travel for business committed to building a sustainable economy to be a success. TIME reports that scientists warn global policies must be directed to become nature-positive at COP15 to avoid biodiversity collapse.
The World Economic Forum publishes a white paper that provides context and potential implications for ten of the draft Global Biodiversity Framework’s (GBF) 22 proposed action targets that are most likely to result in changes to business strategies or operations across multiple sectors, and presents case studies of companies that are already taking action to mitigate nature-related risks in their operations, while investing in new business opportunities that contribute positively to the targets of the GBF. World Economic Forum also shares a post on what governments must agree at COP15 to accelerate business action on biodiversity and nature.
NatureFinance shares a new Taskforce on Nature Markets report, with knowledge partners Vivid Economics by McKinsey, that maps for the first time the current economic value of nature markets, providing a more technical taxonomy, analysis, and trends.
WWF runs a video Call to Action for world leaders stressing the importance of an ambitious and comprehensive global framework agreement at COP15 to protect people and nature. WWF's new report, When Finance Talks Nature, reveals that while a growing number of countries are developing government-led sustainable finance investment frameworks, the majority of these fail to adequately address nature loss.
EVENTS
A full list of events that will be held at the Nature Positive Pavilion is shared here
A full list of events that will be held at the Global Environment Facility Pavilion is share here
The role of spatial planning in delivering on targets for climate and nature
Date: 8 December
Hosts: Spaces Coalition
Location: Room Nile 511 BE
Time: 13:15 EST
Launch of the Nature-Finance Alignment Tool
Date: 10 December
Hosts: NatureFinance
Location: Place Quebec in the Palais de Congrès
Time: 13:45-14:30 EST
Investable Solutions for Zero Deforestation
Date: 11 December
Hosts: Innovative Finance for the Amazon, Cerrado and Chaco
Location: Montreal Convention Centre 1001
Time: 10:00–10:45 EST
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Guyana nets 33 mln carbon credits in inaugural jurisdictional REDD+ issuance, first sale imminent
Carbon Pulse, William Koblensky Varela, 1 December
Carbon Pulse reports that Guyana has received millions of TREES credits from the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) programme, becoming the first government to earn the jurisdictional-scale carbon credits and the first ever recipient of TREES credits. It also marks the first time a country has been issued carbon credits specifically designed for the voluntary and compliance carbon markets for successfully preventing forest loss and degradation. The day after the issuance, AP reported U.S.-owned Hess Corporation has agreed to buy $750 million worth of TREES credits from Guyana, and at least $112 million of the sale will be directed to Guyanese Indigenous groups. AFP, Guyana Times and QC Intel, among others, also carried the story.
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Amazon loses 10% of its vegetation in nearly four decades
Associated Press, Fabiano Maisonnave, 2 December
Associated Press reports that new data from Raisg and MapBiomas confirms the Amazon region has lost 10% of its native vegetation, mostly tropical rainforest, in almost four decades, an area roughly the size of Texas. Brazil accounted for 84% of all forest destruction in the period. Reuters, Al Jazeera, Mongabay, and Folha De S. Paulo all cover the analysis. Repórter Brasil reveals the farmers who deforested the Amazon and made a fortune in a new deep-dive, interactive report. Radio France Internationale reports that French banks have been accused of ‘massively’ fuelling Amazon deforestation. Reuters reports that President-elect Lula is courting the UK, France and US to join The Amazon Fund, started under Lula's first administration from 2003-2010 to support conservation projects and which counts Norway and Germany as its biggest donors. Reuters reports that President-elect Lula wants to establish a new Brazilian police unit to tackle environmental crimes. Reuters also shares that President-elect Lula is holding meetings with the soy industry to discuss a new pact to stop deforestation in the Cerrado savanna, modeled on an agreement for the Amazon. The Guardian reviews the legacy of President Bolsonaro that will create challenges for Lula to meet his goals. Sumaúma reports that the Bolsonaro government set to erase indigenous communities from 2022 Census.
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My Community Doesn’t Exist Just to Absolve You of Your Climate Sins [Commentary]
The New York Times, Levi Sucre Romero, 1 December
The New York Times publishes a commentary from Levi Sucre Romero, a member of the Bribri Indigenous peoples of Costa Rica and the coordinator of the Mesoamerican Alliance of People and Forests. The piece calls out the failure at COP27 to create any new rules and safeguards for Indigenous communities to benefit and be protected from harm when it comes to nature-based carbon credits. He calls for the U.N. body that will oversee carbon markets to require that any proposal for partnering with Indigenous people begins with recognition of IP's land rights, transparency about project details and a consultation process with Indigenous and local communities.
Carbon Pulse launches Biodiversity Pulse and carries a feature on the growth and future of the biodiversity credits market as a potentially significant source of nature conservation funding. Bloomberg reports that the UN is backing biodiversity credits as a way to boost conservation financing, but critics warn the new financial instrument may give companies another tool to burnish green credentials without changing the way they do business. Carbon Pulse reports that UNDP and IIED have backed a carefully designed biodiversity market to unlock finance.
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EU agrees law preventing import of goods linked to deforestation
Reuters, Kate Abnett, 6 December
Reuters covers the European Union agreement on a new law to prevent companies from selling into the EU market soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa and coffee, as well as derived products including leather, chocolate, furniture, rubber, charcoal and some palm oil derivatives linked to deforestation around the world. The law will require companies to produce a due diligence statement showing that their supply chains are not contributing to the destruction of forests before they sell goods into the EU - or they could face hefty fines. While campaigners welcomed the law as "historic", they also criticised its requirement for companies to prove they respected the rights of indigenous people - but only if those rights are already legally protected in the producer country. Agence France Press, Euractiv, Carbon Pulse, Capital Reset and The Brazilian Report cover the passage of the law.
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EU climate plan sacrifices carbon storage and biodiversity for bioenergy [Commentary]
Nature, Timothy Searchinger, Oliver James, Patrice Dumas, Thomas Kastner and Stefan Wirsenius, 28 November
Nature shares a commentary highlighting that incoming policies will cause the European Union to harvest more wood and shift one-fifth of cropland to bioenergy and outsource deforestation, and calls for officials to change course. The Guardian reports that more than 650 scientists are urging world leaders to stop burning trees to make energy because it destroys valuable habitats for wildlife ahead of COP15. Euractiv posts an interview with the executive director of the World Bioenergy Association who argues that countries around the world such as Brazil or India are scaling up the production of biofuels to decarbonise transport, while the EU is still stuck in the “food versus fuel” debate and missing out on the sector's benefits.
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION
UNEP releases the second edition of the State of Finance for Nature report revealing that nature-based solutions are still significantly under-financed. If the world wants to halt biodiversity loss, limit climate change to below 1.5C and achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, current finance flows to NbS must urgently double by 2025 and triple by 2030.
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Rainforest Journalism Fund announces an open call for applications to the Dom Phillips Reporting Grant: "How to Save the Amazon?" for ambitious, wide-reaching journalism projects that investigate the future of the Amazon and how to prevent its collapse.
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Packard Foundation shares a call for concept notes for projects the Forest for People and Climate Initiative can support in Indonesia centered on youth working to end deforestation and climate change.
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Emergent Chief Commercial Officer Allan Traicoff shares a LinkedIn article detailing the main challenges for corporations looking to lead on climate and nature action: industry jargon and what actions to prioritize.
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IOP Science shares a study that estimates the economic and environmental costs of preventing further Amazon rainforest loss to prevent a tipping point scenario where it transforms into a savannah.
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EcoAgriculture Partners open enrollment for its Landscape Climate-Smart Agriculture Planning Training of Trainers course. A program that aid in facilitating learning to strengthen capacities for collaborative planning of climate smart landscapes.
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World Economic Forum shares a CEO Briefing on Measuring Nature-positive Outcomes from Business Actions to empower leaders to take steps to effectively measure the impacts of their business and get ahead of upcoming regulations and an overview of how the nature-positive outcomes of business actions can be measured and highlight crucial resources.
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Finance for Biodiversity releases a the third installment of their position papers on ‘Aligning financial flows with biodiversity goals and targets' highlighting what the financial sector needs to see in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
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Landscale shares that it has established a fund to which locally-led landscape coalitions can apply to receive our Validated by LandScale service for the highly reduced fee of $500.
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Mana Impact releases a report titled Catalysing Nature-based Solutions: Perspectives and Practices for Developing High-Quality Projects that helps identify opportunities for impact investors to support nature conservation and regeneration.
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Global Witness shares a report identifying why Europe’s meat industry drives human rights abuses in Paraguay as its demands for soy grows.
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Earth Commission publishes a new paper that champions a holistic whole earth approach for securing strong biodiversity and social equity outcomes.
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Chicago Wilderness is an alliance of organizations that seeks to conserve and sustainably manage the Chicago Wilderness region. Members of the alliance altogether manage around 4.4 million acres of agricultural land, 25% of which implements regenerative practices to prevent against degradation and ensure resilience against climate change. 500,000 acres remains under protected status, and public-private partnerships work in collaboration to prevent the encroachment of invasive species and commit to protecting the biodiversity of the region. 84,000 acres will also be used for native landscaping and green infrastructure, which includes green roofs and infiltration planters.
N4C is compiling an index of NBS case studies, together with an interactive map, to highlight action on the ground. Each week, we will be choosing a case study to present, to help give concrete examples of work being done to bring NBS theory into practice.
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The Amazon region has lost 10% of its native vegetation, mostly tropical rainforest, in almost four decades, an area roughly the size of Texas (69,566,303 hectares).
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NATURE JOBS/OPPORTUNITIES
In this section, we'll be posting NBS-related jobs as a service to the community. If you have an opportunity you'd like featured in the newsletter, please send the details to us.
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Media Round-Up
Conservation
The US is finally getting serious about nature-based solutions
GreenBiz, Joel Makower, 5 December
8 key takeaways from COP27 on forests’ critical role
Climate and Forests, UNDP
Australia’s total biodiversity finance market could hit $94 bln by 2050, report finds
Carbon Pulse, Stian Reklev, 5 December
Why humanity needs more investors to back deforestation-free legislation [Commentary]
Reuters, Etelle Higonnet, 29 November
Canada: Ambassador tells EU that deforestation rules 'burdensome'
BBC, Nadine Yousif, 2 December
Investment case for natural capital 'needs to be stronger': UN report
Agri Investor, Daniel Kemp, 1 December
SCOR natural capital loan fund targets €500m
Environmental Finance
Investor launches $25 mln funding round to protect Amazon biodiversity and land-use, considers credits
Carbon Pulse, Roy Manuell, 30 November
TUNISIA: Economic sectors join "Biodev2030" for biodiversity
Afrik 21, Boris Ngounou, 1 December
Taiwan should prioritise biomass carbon sinks to reach net zero -report
Carbon Pulse, 1 December
Investment in nature must double, UN says
The Hill, Saul Elbein, 1 December
In an ancient reindeer forest, one woman has found a way to slow climate change
The Washington Post, Shira Rubin, 4 December
CBI: Businesses need more guidance to protect and restore the natural world
BusinessGreen, James Murray, 1 December
Peru is tackling water scarcity with nature-based solutions, leading the way in Latin America
Mongabay, Kimberley Brown, 29 November
Maker's Mark's case for business conservation of nature
GreenBiz, Emily Payne, 5 December
From quieter streets to flood resilience: How trees deliver a £3.8bn economic boost to the UK
BusinessGreen, James Murray, 5 December
In a New Book, Annie Proulx Shows Us How to Fall in Love with Wetlands
Inside Climate News, Kiley Bense, 3 December
Biden Could Be Missing Out On His Biggest Conservation Opportunity
Huff Post, Roque Planas, 4 December
Canada announces biodiversity, climate funding for 40 projects
Carbon Pulse, 24 November
Innovation platform in the Amazon wants to accelerate bioeconomy business
Epoca Negocios, Juliana Causin, 1 December
COP15: Nature’s new deal must also be a Paris moment for food
The Food and Land Use Coalition, 5 December
Indigenous and Local Communities
Indigenous peoples in Ecuador win decades-long battle to protect rainforest
Verdens Bedste Nyheder, 27 November
Indigenous peoples and communities drive climate finance reform
Mongabay, John Cannon, 6 December
Indigenous communities in Peru ‘living in fear’ due to deforestation, drug trafficking
Mongabay,Yvette Sierra Praeli, 2 December
In first for Indonesia, government recognizes Indigenous Papuans’ ancestral forests
Mongabay, Asrida Elisabeth, Hans Nicholas Jong, 1 December
Indigenous Knowledge guides the conservation of culturally important plants
Mongabay, Roxanne Hoorn, 5 Decembe
How can Canada stop the biodiversity crisis? Step back and centre Indigenous Peoples
The Narwhal, Stephanie Wood, 30 November
White House elevates Indigenous expertise to inform policy
E&E News, Scott Waldman, 1 December
Indigenous youths lured by the illegal mines destroying their Amazon homeland
Mongabay, Victor Raison; Jean-Mathieu Albertini, 30 November
Biden pledges new commitments, respect for tribal nations
AP News, Felicia Fonseca and Fatima Hussein, 30 November
US to Pay Millions to Move Tribes Threatened by Climate Change
The New York Times, Christopher Flavelle, 30 November
U.S. to boost spending on tribal lands, protect Nevada sacred site
Reuters, Andrea Shalal, Valerie Volcovici and Jeff Mason, 30 November
Defending the environment can be a death sentence
Deutsche Welle, Julett Pineda, 1 December
54% of projects extracting clean energy minerals overlap with Indigenous lands, research reveals
Phys.org, Deanna Kemp, John Owen and Kado Muir, 2 December
From Acre to the world: The leader who put the Yawanawá on the fashion map
Capital Reset, Vanessa Adachi, 5 December
Carbon Markets
Developer reportedly steps back from Washington state forest carbon project
Carbon Pulse, 2 December
Malaysia’s Sarawak to begin first forest carbon project under new regulations in Q1 2023
Carbon Pulse, 2 December
VCM Integrity Council appoints Indigenous, other members
Carbon Pulse, 1 December
3 primers for buying carbon offsets
GreenBiz, Jesse Klein, 1 December
Where’s the biodiversity market at and where is it headed?
Carbon Pulse, 4 December
Swiss Re signs deal to buy large volume of biochar credits
Carbon Pulse, 1 December
Canada-based global wealth firm launches international forest carbon fund
Carbon Pulse, 1 December
Rio Tinto firms up role for offsets to help meet 2030 emissions target
Carbon Pulse, 1 December
California’s forest carbon offset programme “not doing much” for climate, scientists warn
Carbon Pulse, 2 December
Three primers for buying carbon offsets
BusinessGreen, Jesse Klein, 2 December
Biodiversity credit market must learn from carbon offset mistakes [Commentary]
Mongabay, Francisco Benedito, Mariana Sarmiento, 30 November
Nature Loss
EU deforestation law will affect earnings of JBS, Marfrig and Minerva
Beef Point, 1 December
We won’t stop biodiversity loss without transforming food systems [Commentary]
Context, Oliver Oliveros and Alison Blay-Palmer, 5 December
Ranchers, greens on edge as BLM rewrites grazing rule
E&E News, Scott Streater, 5 December
The gold-mining city that’s destroying a sacred Venezuelan mountain
The Washington Post, Samantha Schmidt, Ana Vanessa Herrero and Janice Kai Chen, 6 December
Whistleblower: Enviva claim of ‘being good for the planet… all nonsense’
Mongabay, Justin Catanoso, 5 December
P&G Faces Shareholder Rebellion Over Deforestation Debate
Public News Time, 1 December
Companies not doing enough to protect nature, environmental non-profit says
Reuters, Simon Jessop, 29 November
Opinion: Malaysia’s sustainability standard can clean up murky supply chains [Commentary]
China Dialogue, Robert Hii, 29 November
Governments are subsidizing the destruction of nature even as they promise to protect it
The Narwhal, Ainslie Cruickshank, 1 December
The cost of wildfires is rising. But by how much?
Grist, Jessie Blaeser, 1 December
House to try to override veto of EPA spending bill
POLITICO, Avery Ellfeldt, 30 November
From the Amazon to Australia, why is your money funding Earth’s destruction? [Commentary]
The Guardian, George Monbiot, 30 November
Nearly 1 million hectares in forest loss attributed to palm oil industry
Eco-Business, Hans Nicholas Jong, 5 December
Study: Nature impacts remain 'blind spot' for major corporates
BusinessGreen, James Murray, 5 December
More than half of companies fail to act on biodiversity commitments
Carbon Pulse, 30 November
Illegal Mining Spreads to Furthest Reaches of Amazon in Ecuador
InSight Crime, Scott Mistler-Ferguson, 2 December
Restoration
Charity launches £100,000 award for one large-scale rewilding project a year
Belfast Telegraph, Emily Beament, 2 December
Campaigners call for target to increase hedgerows by 40% by 2050
Evening Standard, Emily Beament, 5 December
Sustainable Forestry
Canada accused of putting its timber trade ahead of global environment
The Guardian, Jonathan Watts, 1 December
Ivory Coast: Yamoussoukro launches the 2nd phase of the Forestry Investment Project
Afrik 21, Benoit-Ivan Wansi, 1 December
Manulife Launches Forest Climate Fund to Raise $500 Million
Carbon Credits, 1 December
The wood-energy sector – An ally for the sustainable management of EU forests?
EURACTIV, Bogna Wiech, Malte Ketelsen and Zoran Popovici, 1 December
New Forests seeks to raise A$600m for Australia and New Zealand fund
Real Assets, Florence Chong, 1 December
New Forests Targets A$600M for ANZ Landscapes and Forestry Fund
Agri Investor, Daniel Kemp, 5 December
Agriculture and Soil Health
EU Commission wants farmers, landowners to lead carbon removal push
EURACTIV, Julia Dahm, 30 November
Environment Secretary confirms green farming subsidy regime to proceed
BusinessGreen, Cecilia Keating, 1 December
Don't Call It Dirt: The Science Of Soil
NPR, 5 December
House to try to override veto of EPA spending bill
POLITICO, 2 December
Nature-based farming-subsidies scheme given green light
BBC News, Claire Marshall, 2 December
Core Environmental Standard: WWF calls on government to deliver on green trade promises
BusinessGreen, James Murray, 1 December
A Philippine resin trade proves sustainable for forests, but not tappers
Mongabay, Keith Anthony S. Fabro, 30 November
Podcast: Can controlled environment agriculture really feed the world?
Agri Investor, Binyamin Ali, 1 December
Photos: Newcomer farmers in Brazil embrace bees, agroforestry and find success
Mongabay, Inaê Guion, 2 December
EU’s carbon farming plan comes under fire
POLITICO, Federica Di Sario, 30 November
Farming lobby urges New Zealand govt to halt new biodiversity statement
Carbon Pulse, 30 November
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Events
IPDD Progress Report Launch Webinar
Date: 7 December
Hosts: WEF
REDD+ safeguards requirements in the current climate finance landscape
Link for the 7th
Link for the 8th
Dates: 7 and 8 December
Hosts: UN-REDD
Biodiversity as a key asset for forest restoration in Europe
Date: 14 December
Hosts: Global Landscapes Forum
How Innovative Finance Solutions are Re-Shaping Conservation Efforts: Examples from around the World
Date: 14 December
Hosts: IUCN, UNDP, RSPB
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Nature4Climate's Weekly Briefing summarises content from international media outlets (and our partner organisations) on stories, developments and events that relate to nature-based solutions. Our editorial policy is to circulate articles and opinion pieces whether we agree or disagree with viewpoints represented. Please submit NCS jobs, news, reports and events for the newsletter to info@nature4climate.org.
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