NESP Marine and Coastal Hub’s Post

Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) programme grants: scaling up locally-led restoration is now calling for applications! REDAA is a programme that catalyses research, innovation, and action on ecological restoration in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, by providing grants and technical support.   In this second REDAA Grant Call, up to 09 Programme Grants of between £1,000,000 and £1,500,000 (GBP) will be offered to the best proposals for substantial programmes. Proposed programmes from the Southeast Asia region must be focused on Peatlands in farm-forest landscapes or peri-urban or coastal lands, including mangroves. Grants will fund programmes of four years, with the implementation of these programmes expected to begin on 1 February 2025. ⏰ Deadline to apply: Sunday, 30 June 2024 >> Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/dur8BRCv

#bestpractice #4 🌴Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) offers powerful solutions for adapting to climate change. However, integrating #EbA principles into laws, policies and urban planning remains a challenge. By 2017, 67% of Nationally Determined Contributions (#NDCs) referred to ecosystem-based adaptation, according to IUCN. But quantifiable targets and mechanisms for knowledge sharing and scaling up are still limited. 🌉Effective governance is crucial to bridge this gap, bringing stakeholders together around common goals and tailoring approaches to local contexts. 🔎Through the GreenWatersheds Project, OroVerde and partners have identified four key lessons to help achieve this. See our last Lessons Learned for more information 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqbjKrk2 Project partners: Centro Para La Educación Y Acción Ecológica, CEDAE (Dominican Republic) | Defensores de la Naturaleza (Guatemala) | Pronatura México A.C. | Upsa (Cuba) #Governance #EcosystemBasedAdaptation #GreenWatersheds #CuencasVerdes #naturEBAsedsolutions

Are you looking for your next BIG investment opportunity? Look no further than the Great Southern region of Western Australia. With rich farmland yielding record crop volumes, proximity to a thriving industrial port, innovation in tertiary education, a space project and plenty more, there is no better time to come and explore your options. The #Invest Great Southern #Conference is just around the corner, and we're setting the stage for a pivotal exploration of the six key pillars that are the bedrock of our region's growth and sustainability.   Taking place in Albany, WA on 8-9 May, the conference will explore opportunities in Mining, Housing and Planning, Agriculture, Education, Tourism, and Renewables within WA’s Great Southern region. Each pillar represents a cornerstone of our region's vibrant #economy and #community. Join us and Leaders in Industry to hear about:    #Mining: Discover cutting-edge innovations and sustainable practices reshaping the mining sector. #Housing & #Planning: Engage in critical conversations about the future of urban and rural living in the Great Southern. #Agriculture: Learn from the success stories transforming agriculture into a beacon of innovation and sustainability. #Education: Be inspired by the transformative power of education in driving regional development and opportunities. #Tourism: Explore the latest trends and strategies in tourism that showcase the unique beauty and culture of the Great Southern. #Renewables: Get energised by the advancements in renewable technologies and their impact on our region's economic and environmental future. Be a part of the discussion. This is your opportunity to network, gain insights, and be part of the dialogue shaping the #future of our region.   Book your tickets at https://lnkd.in/gieN7Y5V #InvestGreatSouthern #Growth #Innovation #Sustainability #FutureFocused #westernaustralia #greatsouthern #development Great Southern Development Commission Regional Development Australia Great Southern WA City of Albany Southern Ports Bendigo Bank Roberts Gardiner Architects Vestas nbn® Australia Merrifield Real Estate Paul Higgins Vestas Oranje Tractor AusIndustry Regional Chambers of Commerce & Industry of WA REIWA Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA AgriFutures Australia AgriStart DECMIL Grange Resources Harvest Road Group Australia's South West Tourism Western Australia The University of Western Australia Curtin University CBH Group GHD Marine Energy Research Australia MILNE GROUP LTD Dune Beer Co Edith Cowan University #WASpaceport

Collaborative Research Across Northern Australia Our member universities, CQUniversity, Charles Darwin University, and James Cook University, are working together on research that address the unique challenges and opportunities in Northern Australia. Through the Water Security for Northern Australia program delivered in partnership with Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) and the Northern Australia Universities Alliance we are tackling the constraints on sustainable water resource utilisation across key regions: 🌍 Gilbert (QLD) 🌍 Daly-Katherine (NT) 🌍 Ord (WA) 🌍 Lower Fitzroy (QLD) This program will inform decision-makers on: - Water resource availability and allocation - Environmental impacts and management - Economic returns from water resource use - Indigenous benefit from water resources Learn more about Water Security for Northern Australia: https://lnkd.in/ghSfU3Uk #WaterSecurity #NorthernAustralia #ResearchImpact #CollaborativeResearch

Looking to learn the latest about the #environment sector in #Canada? In this edition: how to turn climate ambition into #ClimateAction, according to Tej Gidda and Greg Carli from GHD; continuing #eco education opportunities via ECO Canada and Royal Roads University; nominations are now open for the #BrownieAwards, presented by Canadian Brownfields Network (CBN) and Actual Media Inc.; a new international #carbontrading hub is in the works with IETA; research from the The ReCover Initiative and QUEST Canada reveals how municipalities can make the most of retrofits for #decarbonization; upcoming industry events, such as the #EnvironmentalSummit presented by Environmental Services Association of Alberta, you won't want to miss; and more. https://lnkd.in/eTyUv9dW

After 18 months of hard work, consultation, and drafting, the South Coast Region is proud to present a framework for creating green jobs and diversifying the WA economy. This project is designed to create green jobs and new income streams for local managers of the South Coast region’s natural assets and to position the region and Western Australia as a preferred destination for investment in the new nature repair market, which seeks to restore ‘natural capital’. This project will build regional climate and drought resilience while protecting and restoring the region’s globally significant biodiversity while supporting regional economic growth. South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. and partners will: a. Develop the first regional ‘natural capital’ environmental account in WA, incorporating First Nations cultural values. Skilled workers will complete assessments of the condition of the region’s natural environment, including vegetation, soil, water, and wildlife. This data will be collated in an online database platform publicly accessible to farmers, Indigenous groups, policymakers, and industry. b. Support the establishment of up to five pilot ecological restoration projects, to be owned by local organisations and businesses, and supported by South Coast NRM and its partners. These projects will undertake on-ground ecological restoration of natural areas, such as forests, heaths, sand plains, and waterways. These projects will use the data held in the natural capital account to demonstrate the financial value of their ecological restoration efforts to a new class of investors seeking natural capital products and assets. Through the involvement of the #WABSI The Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute (WABSI), all project accounting methods and processes will be fully transparent, enabling rapid and cost-effective replication across the State. Sectors that will benefit from these projects include agriculture, aquaculture, mining, public and private conservation, and First Nations. Public investment is being sought for the formation of this environmental account and five pilot projects, while around 30 restoration projects will be financed through corporate partnership funding and natural capital investment. The South Coast projects are expected to employ up to 345 people once the project is fully operational by 2026. This represents 3.5% growth in rural and regional employed positions (outside Albany) across the Great Southern region. Curtin University’s ARC Centre for Healing Country #HealingCountry will support the initiative to ensure that natural capital metrics reflect and align with Indigenous cultural relationships with Country and nature and that this project supports the advancement of a diversified Indigenous-led restoration economy. #nature #naturepositive #economicdevelopment #NRM #SGDs

Experts from the financial and insurance sectors shared with us about the challenges and solutions related to financing #naturalinfrastructure and successful financing structures and incentives. Thank you to all experts and wonderful IISD Sustainable Finance team David Uzsoki & Edoardo Carlucci. This is an important step in shaping our thinking about the role of private capital in financing nature restoration & conservation and how regions like the Canadian Prairies can implement these approaches.     💡📝 Find out more about outcome-based financing, biodiversity and carbon credits, natural asset companies, and ethical considerations when it comes to scaling up private financing for natural infrastructure in our new report "Financing for Natural Infrastructure Projects": https://lnkd.in/gQ4Z6JdD   I look forward to continued discussion and practical implementation, so that more investments are directed to natural infrastructure – especially through effective partnerships between private, public, and Indigenous stakeholders and rightsholders!   International Institute for Sustainable Development, Quantified Ventures, Blue Forest, Nature Conservancy of Canada/Conservation de la nature Canada, #IveySustainableFinanceLab #Financingnature #water #ecosystemrestoration #conservationfinance #biodiversityconservation #canada #nature #sustainablefinance #naturalassets

Sustainable land management depends on the willingness and inclination of collective action. This is however only possible if there is sufficient trust and social cohesion between affected parties and stakeholders. https://lnkd.in/d5egpQag #landmanagement #collectiveaction #china #ruraldevelopment

NAYPW sprung from our work in the Columbia River. I remember co-facilitating the first #youth centering version of the #bluepeace index in 2020. Four years later--NAYPW is still a voice for intergenerational inclusion in the Basin, even as our current leadership is gearing up to pass the baton to the next rising tide of #youth4water. From the first adapted Blue Peace Index workshop, to the Columbia Youth Forums, and the work by Kate Brown Henry Pitts and @Rheanne Kroschinsky for the One River Ethics Matter conference, I hope the Columbia River will continue to be a place the stands out for youth inclusion in planning for our shared #waterfuture. Our work getting recognized by allies like Emily Lorra Hines and FLOW is also an important part of intergenerational water planning! Youth need allies like this, along with Dr. Joanne M. Taylor and so many others who have supported youth access and representation at this important time in the Basin. Curious about how youth can take action for in local waters, or how you can be an ally for intergenerational water planning? Check out NAYPW's special project, the Youth Act! Blue Peace Index Toolkit (https://lnkd.in/eXueiCGx) #youth4water #watergeneration #thirstyforchange #columbiariver #youthadvocacy #intergenerational #youthinclusion #watermanagement

Highlight of today, facilitating the session on the signing of grant agreements between 5 Blue start up entreprises from around Kimbe Bay- West New Britain Province.These five entreprises were selected through a thorough interview and selection process, with more training and mentorship to follow for other start up entreprises. The term "Blue Entreprises" or "Reef positive entreprises" can be defined as businesses which have utilized marine resources, or situated in coastal areas, that are sustainable, or have reduced negative impacts on the marine environment. This concept is new to PNG, and has slowly gained momentum in Kimbe Bay. Historically, Kimbe Bay is significant globally for its Coral reef biodiversity and is also one of the sites of hope. The signing of these grant agreements today, witnessed by the Honorable Governor for WNB, is an output of the UNDP Blue Economy-"Gutpla Solwara Gutpla business" project - which I have been assigned to assist and have been involved with on behalf of the CEPA Marine Division since it kicked off in 2022. I would like to congratulate the hardworking project team. Elsie Hampalekie Simeon , Theresa Dearden and team KPMG; Kalinga Baliki , Rachel Armstrong, and Nishtha Chadha. Today was a huge milestone seeing the 5 businesses sign their grant agreements. It took a lot of work by the project team to get these reef positive entreprises to this stage -and they still have a long way to go, but at least it's a start. This is the 1st ever project in PNG to trial the proof of concept for the Blue Economy in a Marine Protected Area. The success of this project will determine how others will follow. This project is funded by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs and UNDP. To learn more about their projects, please visit their website. Video Credit courtesy of West New Britain Provincial Govt Media page. #PNGBlueEconomy #MarineProtectedAreas #Sustainability #ReefpositiveEntreprises