It is no secret that the planet is at risk. The threats to nature – and humanity, given our dependence on nature – take many forms. Ever-rising resource consumption and pollution damage natural habitats, while climate change further erodes ecosystems and puts plants and animals in danger. Up to a million species are at risk of extinction.
But a focus on nature-based solutions can go a long way towards addressing these dangers.
Just as there have been many pathways to the endangerment of nature, our strategy embraces multiple approaches to conserve it. Doing so requires collaboration across both the public and private sectors at local, national and global levels. Last year marked meaningful progress, particularly in the corporate sector, to combat biodiversity loss and climate change.
The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Glasgow brought together 120 world leaders and over 40,000 participants representing nearly 200 countries. COP26 covered topics such as efforts to stop commodity-driven deforestation and improve sustainable fishing and production of soy, beef, leather and other commodities. Overall, the conference saw positive steps, with governments and companies alike putting money towards objectives, agreeing to roadmaps and reaffirming commitments to sustainable land use.
The event also affirmed the important role philanthropy can play in strategies related to combating climate change, including mobilizing resources needed to combat threats.
Our Conservation and Markets Initiative saw progress in its efforts to delink cattle and soy production, sourcing and financing from ecosystem degradation. At COP26, eight financial institutions and agribusiness companies made commitments worth $3 billion to soy and cattle production that is free of deforestation and land conversion in South America. These companies have become the first signatories of the Innovative Finance for the Amazon, Cerrado and Chaco (IFACC) initiative. The initiative’s goal is to reach $10 billion in commitments and $1 billion in disbursements by 2025.
Also, among the interventions highlighted at COP26 was one that currently receives support from the initiative’s efforts decouple environmental degradation from seafood production. A risk-assessment tool is being developed that would enable insurance companies to easily and reliably identify when a fishing vessel or company is likely engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. With that knowledge in hand, underwriters will be able to make different decisions about what is and is not an insurable fishing vessel, shipment or company. The company will benefit from reducing its exposure to reputational and legal risk, and the ocean environment will benefit from a reduction in IUU fishing, one of the primary drivers of stock depletion and ocean ecosystem degradation.
Our Environmental Conservation Program aims to safeguard healthy, resilient and productive ecosystems. Realizing our vision to conserve important landscapes and seascapes is not something we can do alone. The Moore Foundation will continue to collaborate across sectors, engage new allies, and mobilize the resources necessary to protect biodiversity and protect nature for future generations.
"Realizing our vision to conserve important landscapes and seascapes is not something we can do alone."
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