Rocío Cota’s Post

🌳Japan’s nature transition strategies🌳 Transition plans are taking centre stage as companies and governments gear up for a sustainable future. Japan has recently released its “Transition Strategies toward Nature Positive Economy - Creating Corporate Value Based on Natural Capital”. The strategy recognises that dependence on, and loss of, natural capital in economic activities present clear risks to the sustainability of society and economy. ❓What is a nature-positive economy❓This is defined as an economy that contributes to halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity to put nature on a path to recovery. ❓What will this mean for companies❓The strategy refers to “nature positive management”, i.e. the incorporation of nature into value creation. This will require companies to consider how natural capital creates material risks and opportunities for their business. ❓What will this mean for directors❓Directors who are astute to these issues can demonstrate leadership. Prioritising sustainability, embracing innovative solutions, and driving positive change are opportunities for directors to contribute to both environmental protection and long-term business success. The strategy: ☑️Demonstrates how using natural capital sustainably can lead to value creation. ☑️Outlines factors companies should account for when transitioning to nature-positive management (e.g., value chain traceability). ☑️How the relevant ministries and agencies will support companies in this shift (e.g.,  encouraging disclosure using the TNFD and supporting the creation of new industries that contribute to the realisation of nature positivity). ❓Why are nature strategies important❓ Business has a crucial part to play in supporting states to implement their 2030 commitments in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), taking "urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on a path to recovery". Nature strategies can outline a clear commitment to environmental stewardship and can help companies prepare for nature-related disclosures aligned with GBF Target 15. #transitionplan #nature #naturerisks #GBF

🌍🐜 The hidden link between our economy and biodiversity 🐜🌍 Reading this afternoon about COP16, the United Nations summit on biodiversity currently underway in Cali, Colombia, I’m reminded of an article I wrote for Lombard Odier back in 2021 that explores the vital, yet often overlooked, role that ants play in our global economy. As biodiversity continues to decline, we risk losing species that quietly yet reliably deliver ecosystem services that underpin entire industries. I take a closer look at one such species in my article, “Ants: The Hidden Workforce Supporting Multi-Trillion-Dollar Industries,” which reveals how our forest ecosystems depend on the work of these tiny creatures and why we must transition to a sustainable economic model that values not only our natural resources, but also the species that regenerate them. Read the fascinating story of how ants contribute to our global economy and why our natural capital is worth investing in: https://lnkd.in/eEeFMFti #Sustainability #Biodiversity #NaturalCapital #SustainableInvestment #Writing

Tropojë, Albania: The Dawn of a Green Revolution In the picturesque town of Tropojë, Albania, an extraordinary innovation is unfolding that promises to redefine environmental sustainability. Our community is at the forefront of a revolutionary endeavor, establishing the world’s largest hyperaccumulating farm. This groundbreaking initiative represents a monumental leap forward in our quest for ecological balance and resource efficiency. At the heart of this pioneering project is an innovative process that not only produces green metals crucial for the development of batteries and sustainable transportation but also addresses the pressing issue of carbon dioxide emissions. For every ton of nickel produced, 200 tons of CO2 are permanently sequestered, effectively removing and storing this greenhouse gas in a manner that is both secure and transformative. The captured CO2 is converted into essential nutrients that enhance biodiversity, fostering a thriving environment while supporting the production of sustainable resources. This transformative approach not only mitigates the impacts of climate change but also contributes to the advancement of green technology. Our exceptional team in Tropojë is leading the charge in this new era of environmental stewardship. Through their dedication and ingenuity, we are charting a course towards a greener, more sustainable future, where innovation and ecological responsibility go hand in hand.

Krista Tukiainen is my guest is Episode 236 of The Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP), which followers of the SFP can view on YouTube at the link below. In this episode we spoke about how ClimateAligned is building the world's first human-led, AI-assisted platform with the ability to analyze any bond issuer, borrower, bond or loan against any standard, framework, taxonomy or expert opinion in a fully customizable way, thanks to Generative AI. Episode 236 of The Sustainable Finance Podcast at YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ekWuVsgc #debtcapitalmarkets #generativeAI #standards #taxonomies

"read this book, ... 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐢𝐭. And that’s also what’s happening in the world, with oil companies and mining companies: they don’t truly and deeply understand the land, the forest, the ecosystem, and how it is providing life to all of us, and how interconnected all of us are across the globe. I want investors and financial institutions and the ones that are making decisions about where money flows, I want them to read the book and this story. I want to talk with them.” .... “If we continue on this path of little by little destroying forests, destroying rivers, destroying air, the consequences are going to be awful for humans and cultures around the world, for all forms of life. And I want people to wake up.” Nemonte Nenquimo, the indigenous campaigner won a historic legal victory to protect Waorani land in the Amazon rainforest. Now she has written a groundbreaking memoir - read it! (link below in comments) It is a stark reminder to those who try to 'fix'market-driven ills with even more markets - e.g. commodification of biodiversity / #BiodversityCredits- that with the 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 - and our utter reliance on - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬* 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 we simply should stop messing nature up. We must also restore what we have already destroyed for which finance is essential. So we must both stop the 'destructive finance steams' and mobilizing the 'restoring flow' to meet Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) targets. The GBF sets the course for halting and reversing biodiversity loss and putting nature on a path to recovery by 2030 with a set of globally agreed goals and action-oriented targets. GBF’s Target 19 is aimed at “mobilising $200 billion per year for #biodiversity from all sources, uncluding $30 billion through international finance. It aims at substantially and progressively increase the level of financial resources from all sources, in an effective, timely and easily accessible manner, including domestic, international, public and private resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans, including a larg(er) variety of sources and forms of funding/money. * more than 80% of species are still waiting to be found & some 86 % of Earth's 8.7 million known species have yet to be fully described not to mention the complexity of any ecosystems / biomes . Some more & a comparison of biodiversity crediting with carboncredits see my earlier article: https://lnkd.in/eFkbNiFx

🌱 We just celebrated International Day for Biological Diversity last week! Let's take a look at biodiversity projects in #greenbonds 👇 🏆 Top five issuer types for bonds with biodiversity projects mentioned in their Use of Proceeds are... (ranked by $ volume of bonds issued in 2024): 🥁 1. Sovereigns and local governments 2. Banks 3. Power utilities 4. Other financial institutions 5. Packaging companies 🔍 Sovereigns and Local Governments as well as Banks & Financial Institutions dominate both the volume and bond count between them and are unsurprisingly the biggest biodiversity allocators! A good amount of biodiversity allocation now also coming from Power and Packaging companies. 📌 The projects that qualified as nature & biodiversity-related included: forestry (re- and afforestation, land remediation), conservation of different managed and unmanaged ecosystems (e.g. forest, coastal, marine, watershed and other types), REDD projects, and all types of machinery, equipment, intelligent management systems and technology for ecosystem management. 📊 If, like us, you’re interested in the full rankings, more of the details or how green investment flows have evolved over time, reach out to try our product. Or work with the ClimateAligned team to start getting your own live insights! 👉 Test the trial version of our product here: https://lnkd.in/eqB-5JVj *Analysis excludes bonds from China, Japan, South Korea and US munis. #sustainablebonds #greenbonds #greenfinance #naturefinance #transitionfinance #sustainableinvesting #climatealigned

It is crucial to involve and include First Nations' leadership in transitioning the forest sector in Ontario. Provincial legislation has historically prioritized resource extraction, often at the expense of First Nations' well-being and livelihoods. Marginalization cannot be tolerated in any industry transition, especially within the forest sector. Together, it is our responsibility to reshape the narrative towards a future of shared prosperity. #FirstNations #ForestSector #Ontario #Inclusion #Leadership #CollectiveAction

The Great Green Wall is an ambitious ecological initiative aimed at halting desertification in the Sahel region of Africa. Launched in 2005, this project involves the creation of a belt of artificially planted trees and shrubs approximately 15 kilometers wide and over 7,700 kilometers long. This green belt is intended to prevent the Sahara Desert from expanding southward, thereby protecting areas with naturally occurring trees and agricultural lands from degradation and soil fertility loss. The initiative includes 11 African countries that are collaborating to build this green wall, which aims to serve as a barrier against the spread of the desert. The project also seeks to improve living conditions for local communities by supporting agriculture, retaining water in the soil, and restoring biodiversity. While the project is impressive, its effectiveness is often questioned. Challenges such as harsh climatic conditions, lack of adequate resources, and difficulties in maintaining the planted vegetation have made the implementation of this endeavor challenging. A similar initiative has been undertaken in China, known as the Green Wall of China. This project, aimed at protecting against the expansion of the Gobi Desert, also involves planting trees and shrubs to halt desertification and protect fertile agricultural lands. Both projects, although ambitious, demonstrate global efforts to combat the advancing desertification, which is one of the key environmental challenges facing the world today.

Why should deforestation concern us all? Over 50% of the world’s tropical forests have been destroyed since the 1960s, causing a significant change in landscapes. A large portion of the land that is now farmland was once covered in forests. The current situation has dramatic consequences, increasing the climate crisis and the biodiversity loss. But what are the root causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and what role does the European Union play in this global issue?   Read the insight and stay tuned to learn more about the #EMMA4EU project! 👇 Together we can build a deforestation-free future 🌳 ETIFOR Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali Wageningen University & Research Preferred by Nature The University of Freiburg explorer.land by OpenForests AidEnvironment Makerere University Fòrema

We have all the evidence we need that current approaches to ending deforestation aren't working. We are still tinkering at the margins, decades later. We must go deeper into the into the hierarchy of interventions, into how the economic game is structured, and our myths around identity and what we need to thrive. Side note Damian Carrington: the photo of "reforestation" in this article is actually of a monocultural plantation, which no best practice framework would consider reforestation or a forest. It's simply short rotation pulp as agriculture, and a major driver of deforestation itself. Put simply - if it's in rows, it's not reforestation, it's conversion. I strongly recommend replacing it with a photo of actual reforestation of natural forest. 🙏