Rewriting the Rules of Global Conservation | Global Conference 2024

Crisis Context and Economic Stakes

• Global wildlife populations have declined by approximately 70% over the last five decades.
• Deforestation and negative land use rank as the world's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Amazon Basin alone captures roughly 10% of global greenhouse gases but has lost forest area equivalent to Texas and California combined over the last 40 years.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that over 50% of global GDP is directly or almost directly dependent on nature.
• Nature-based solutions are projected to provide 30% of the necessary mitigation for climate change to meet Paris Agreement goals.
• Experts warn the Amazon faces a tipping point within the next five years; if deforestation does not cease, the region risks shifting from a carbon sink to a net emitter.

The 30x30 Pledge and Political Will

• Over 100 countries have committed to protecting 30% of the world's land and oceans by 2030 under the "30x30" pledge.
• Colombia successfully increased its protected land area from 13% to 32% in four years (2018–2022) through top-down leadership and scientific coalitions.
• Colombia also expanded its maritime protected areas from 13% to 38% and co-launched the largest shared maritime protected area in the planet with Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama.
• The "Enduring Earth" initiative represents a collaboration between major NGOs (Nature Conservancy, WWF, Pew) to pool resources and support 20 countries in achieving 30x30 goals.
• Political will was identified as a primary driver, requiring the alignment of scientific communities, corporate behavior, and smart finance.

Finance, Markets, and Capital Mobilization

• Carbon pricing currently applies to only 20% of global emissions, leaving 80% (approx. 40 gigatons) unpriced.
• The LEAF Coalition (Lowering Emissions by Accelerating Forest Finance) has raised over $1 billion to pay countries like Ghana and Costa Rica for reducing deforestation.
• The Nature Conservancy's "NatureVest" program has mobilized $3 billion in private capital across 17 projects, achieving financial returns alongside conservation.
• Sovereign debt-for-nature swaps have been executed in four countries (Seychelles, Belize, Barbados, Grenada), unlocking $400 million in private sector financing and refinancing significant portions of national debt.
• Colombia launched a "green taxonomy" that resulted in a 7% "greenium" premium on green bonds, proving that transparent, traceable data attracts capital.
• Biodiversity credits are identified as the next major financing mechanism, intended to value protected species and habitats beyond carbon sequestration.
• Private capital is deemed insufficient to fund the $2.8 trillion needed for Africa to meet 2030 climate goals; market-based mechanisms are required.

Technology, Philanthropy, and Innovation

• Philanthropy acts as "early risk capital" to de-risk technologies that markets will not yet fund.
• A $5,000 initial investment by the Schmidt Family Foundation in autonomous sailing drones eventually attracted $95 million in venture capital and enabled high-risk ocean data collection.
• Low-cost sensors and data sharing allow conservationists to prove the economic value of biodiversity rather than relying solely on emotional appeals.
• The Schmidt Ocean Institute has conducted over 650 dives since 2016, discovering that deep-sea areas previously thought to be barren are highly biodiverse.

Indigenous Engagement and Land Rights

• Conservation fails without local communities acting as "shareholders" in the decision-making process rather than mere stakeholders.
• Indigenous communities steward 80% of the world's biodiversity but receive minimal direct financial compensation.
• Successful models require land titling, payment for ecosystem services, and enforcement against illegal activities (cattle, mining, logging) to protect indigenous stewards.
• Guyana serves as a case study where 14% of the country is controlled by indigenous communities with formal land titles.
• Supply chain transparency initiatives, such as tracking cattle in Brazil's state of Pará, aim to link consumer markets to deforestation-free practices.

Forward-Looking Statements and Strategic Shifts

• A global movement is called for to ensure every ton of emissions carries a price, ending the era of the atmosphere as a free resource.
• Conservation is increasingly framed as a bipartisan issue, particularly in the U.S., offering a pathway for cross-party political cooperation.
• Future economic models must shift from extraction to regenerative and circular systems to avoid requiring "four Earths" to sustain current consumption levels.
• Investors and asset managers are urged to adopt climate filters for portfolios and integrate nature-based solutions into traditional markets like mitigation banking.
• The "greenium" and blue carbon bonds indicate that financial instruments are becoming viable tools for unlocking trillions in capital for global conservation.