Books

The Conservation Finance Working Group released their first book, The Little Book of Investing in Nature, in January of 2021, in collaboration with Global Canopy and eight other partners.


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The Little Book of Investing in Nature

The Little Book of Investing in Nature is a comprehensive publication that lays out frameworks and mechanisms to increase financing of biodiversity conservation. While some measures to protect biodiversity may come at an economic cost, others generate strong returns, economic and otherwise. This book presents evidence that, if a well-considered series of measures to protect nature is implemented, nature may be able to pay for itself. This book is designed to serve not only the needs of the public sector, business and civil society actors in developing practical financing solutions for biodiversity, but also as a survey of the variety of mechanisms currently in use in biodiversity finance for those who want to understand how to invest in nature in a manner that helps protect our biosphere rather than damage it.

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Introduction

Closing the biodiversity financing gap will require that chief executives and national leaders rethink their approach to nature and work towards transforming both public and private finance, redirecting funding away from nature-negative activities, such as intensive agriculture or fossil fuel developments, and seeking nature-positive investment opportunities, for example in green energy and natural infrastructure, protecting nature while supporting economic growth.

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By the Numbers

Figures, calculated for The Little Book of Investing in Nature, show that we currently spend more than USD 1 trillion of public money on subsidies to economic sectors that harm biodiversity – five times the amount spent on protecting nature. Annual private and public investment in nature in 2020 was estimated at USD 143 billion, while the estimated need was USD 967 billion.

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Recommendations

The LBIN calls for eight key steps from governments and private actors:

1.  Biodiversity loss risk assessments

2. Better metrics for investment impacts

3. National Biodiversity Strategies and Biodiversity Finance Plans

4. Realign harmful subsidies

5. Investment in sustainable supply chains

6. Capacity building, technical assistance, and financial support

7. Legal reform to encourage ESG investments

8. Align investment portfolios with values