FEATURED NEWS
Poll challenges notion that carbon-credit buyers are climate laggards
Investments & Pensions Europe, Rachel Fixsen, 10 October
Investments & Pensions Europe covers a new report that shows companies buying credits to offset their carbon footprint are more likely to report lower emissions and invest more in their reduction, compared with businesses not taking part in voluntary carbon markets, according to a report by Ecosystems Marketplace. Businesses engaging in voluntary carbon markets are already addressing climate change in their direct operations and throughout their value chains, and thus reducing emissions more quickly than peers. World Economic Forum shares an article from John Lotspeich, Executive Director of the Trillion Trees Initiative, addressing recent media attention on tree planting. He reminds us that even if forests aren’t a silver bullet for climate solutions, there’s no world where we succeed in addressing climate change without restoring the world’s forests – in the right way.
Climate Change News covers satellite images showing dramatic deforestation in three community-based forest conservation schemes on the carbon market in Cambodia and Brazil. Project owners disputed the findings, while Verra, which oversees the projects, said it “is committed to refining and improving its methodologies based on the best available science and data.”
Top grain traders ‘helped scupper’ ban on soya from deforested land
The Guardian, Sophie Kevany, 6 October
The Guardian reports that Cargill and ADM, two of the world’s leading livestock feed companies, helped to scupper an attempt to end the trade in soya beans grown on deforested and threatened ecosystem lands in South America, a new report alleges. Last year, in response to internal concerns and growing public awareness of the issue, 14 of the world’s largest agricultural commodity traders worked intensively to agree on new standards for trade of goods harvested from deforested and threatened ecosystem lands, including Brazil’s Amazon forest, the Pantanal wetlands and the Cerrado savanna, according to the report. Instead of agreeing to the ban, Cargill and ADM “led the push” for weaker language in the final statement. EU Observer shares that large agribusiness lobbying groups have been in constant contact with a small group of influential European politicians, holding an average of more than two meetings a week while the bloc negotiated flagship reforms to protect nature and climate. Reuters reviews new negotiations between European Union and Mercosur delegates in Brazil trying to reconcile their different positions and complete a trade deal that has been in the works for two decades. The European Union has waited since March for Mercosur’s response to their effort to include sustainability and climate change commitments to the deal struck in 2019.
Wall Street urged to back Indigenous peoples as protectors of forests and oceans
Reuters, Peyton Fleming, 5 October
Reuters covers the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples to gain access and support to unlock the policies, collaborations and financing that will be needed to protect their territories and nature. Included in the coverage is an overview of breakthroughs for nature protection at New York Climate Week, including exposing the financial risks of nature, new public-private partnerships to channel funding towards conservation and investor engagement with companies tied to nature loss.
Government provides green NGOs with ‘no evidence’ that it is on track for key nature target
Edie, Sarah George, 10 October
Edie shares that the UK’s DEFRA told environmental NGOs that it has not conducted its own assessments of Government progress on land and ocean protections. It also claimed that no emails relating to such assessments had been sent in that timeframe. This target has been ratified by the UK and more than 185 other nations through the UN’s Biodiversity Treaty. It was signed late last year but the UK had been supportive of this target in particular for more than a year prior to the final agreement. The Treaty is intended to halt nature loss this decade and bring about restoration at an unprecedented scale and pace thereafter. BusinessGreen reports that Green MP Caroline Lucas, former Conservative Environment Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith, and TV presenter Chris Packham are among dozens of campaigners and politicians to have accused the government of a “decade of inaction” on safeguarding biodiversity in an open letter.
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon falls 57% in September
Reuters, 6 October
Reuters reports that deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell 56.8% in September compared to a year earlier, government data shows, while the region is struggling with a historic drought. The total area cleared in the Amazon in the first nine months of the year fell 49.5%, according to preliminary data from Brazilian space research agency INPE. Reuters covers Brazilian Indigenous inhabitants in the Amazon are asking the government to declare a climate emergency as their villages have no drinking water, food or medicine due to a severe drought that is drying up rivers vital for travel in the rainforest. The Guardian shares that the South American monsoon, which determines the climate of much of the continent, is being pushed towards a “critical destabilization point”, according to a study that links regional rainfall to Amazon deforestation and global heating. Human degradation of the Amazon – by land clearance, fire, logging and mining – is pushing that system towards a tipping point, after which drier conditions would be expected to cause an abrupt “regime shift” in the rainforest, which would be unable to sustain itself and transport moisture.
SPOTLIGHT
Submit Your Entry to The Climate Awards
We are very thrilled to announce that The Climate Awards are now officially launched and are accepting project submissions! The Climate Awards by Agora aim to inspire the world and its leaders to unite in the fight for a better future for our planet. Submit your photos and videos through the Agora mobile app in accordance with the contest rules and guidelines, through 4 November 2023. Nature4Climate’s Lucy Almond will serve as a juror for this year’s awards.
The Climate Awards will be given in two categories: a #PlanetEarth Photography Award which celebrates the breathtaking beauty of our planet, and a #ClimateSolutions Video Award, showcasing climate projects by organizations and individuals.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Ecosystem Marketplace releases a new report finding that companies that buy carbon credits are taking more action to reduce their emissions than companies that don’t.
UN PRI announces a new collaborative stewardship initiative on nature convening a group of investors to use their voice and influence to drive positive outcomes for nature.
Food and Land Use Coalition shares a survey for individuals working within or adjacent to the food and land use systems to help determine how FOLU can best support others’ work.
Dalberg calls for applicants to the first Biodiversity Project Accelerators in Africa, which will support high-quality biodiversity projects to become investor-ready, as part of the Biodiversity Investments—Researcher & Accelerator (BIRA) initiative. Hosted by the African Leadership University and co-funded by Dalberg and FSD Africa, BIRA aims to enhance biodiversity measurement and cultivate a robust pipeline of investment opportunities in Africa.
IC-VCM invites experts from any sector to apply to join its Continuous Improvement Work Programs, which attempt to understand and identify emerging best practices and innovative approaches to addressing key complex issues in the VCM.
The Jurisdictional Approaches Resource Hub publishes a report on how companies can help accelerate progress towards nature, people and climate goals by contributing to multi-stakeholder collaboration at landscape and jurisdictional scale.
Pollination shares the findings of its extensive global survey of biodiversity credit schemes. This process has created three review frameworks to support the comparative analysis of biodiversity credit schemes: a design framework, integrity framework, and technical framework.
Climate Impact X releases its first CIX Pricing Perspectives that offers of a round-up of key developments and pricing trends in the voluntary carbon market over the last quarter and more.
IFPRI seeks a consultant organization for the elaboration and validation of the 2022 Peru deforestation map.
The World Benchmarking Alliance publishes its 2023 Nature Benchmark, assessing how 1000 of the world’s most influential companies stand on their contribution to halt and reverse nature loss. Its results show that although some companies are taking significant steps to transition to sustainable production, the overwhelming majority do not yet really understand how they affect and rely on nature.
The World Benchmarking Alliance shares the 2023 Food and Agriculture Benchmark, which ranks the sustainability performance of the 350 most influential companies from farm to fork on their environmental, nutritional and social impact. This benchmark saw more companies reducing their carbon footprint and adopting regenerative agriculture practices, but very few putting people at the center of this transition.
The Global Mangrove Alliance launches its Mangrove Restoration Tracker Tool (MRTT) and accompanying User Guide. The tool invites mangrove practitioners to record and track their restoration projects across its lifetime while ensuring best practice towards sustainable long-living mangroves globally.
Re:wild explains a new study published in Nature finding that climate change is emerging as one of the biggest threats to frogs, salamanders, and caecilians.
UNDP releases a practical toolbox aiming to provide countries in both the Global North and the Global South with a methodology, resources, and tools to assess, prioritize, integrate, and implement circular economy interventions in their updated NDCs. The digital toolbox was designed to help enhance ambition and accelerate implementation of NDCs through a circular economy, while supporting a just and inclusive green transition.
Trove Research announces that MSCI Inc., a leading provider of mission-critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, has signed a purchase agreement to acquire Trove Research. It says that this will help accelerate MSCI’s goal to offer expanded climate solutions and meet identified needs for transparent, credible insights on voluntary carbon markets.
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership shares its new Let’s Discuss Nature with Climate Engagement Guide detailing how banks and investment managers can accelerate the transition to a nature-positive economy by engaging with portfolio clients and investee companies on nature protection and restoration through existing climate mitigation efforts.
CASE STUDY
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.
New Community Forest in the Northeast of England, (DEFRA & England Community Forests)
WHERE: NORTHEAST OF ENGLAND, UK
TYPE OF NCS SOLUTION: RESTORE
This initiative brings together six local authorities alongside charities, businesses and landowners, in an attempt to increase canopy cover to 30% by 2050. Backed by the Nature for Climate Fund and local councils, up to 500 hectares of trees will be planted by 2025, with a long-term goal to increase canopy cover across the north east to 30% by 2050 – almost double the current national average.
NUMBER OF THE WEEK – 57%
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest fell nearly 57% in September compared to a year earlier, government data shows, while the region is struggling with a historic drought.
GOOD NEWS
Nature restoration to benefit from new fund of more than €3bn
A new fund of more than €3bn earmarked for nature restoration in Ireland has been hailed as a “landmark moment” and a “huge opportunity” by environmental groups. Part of a new overall €14bn infrastructure, climate, and nature fund, the €3.15bn for nature alone is one of the first in the world and will come from what the Government calls “windfall” corporation tax receipts.