Investing in natural climate solutions to maximize nature’s role in averting climate change
"Nature-based Solutions hold exceptional promise, but it will take sustained investment to unleash that potential at scale. This initiative sends a powerful message to the financial services industry. Generating healthy returns, protecting nature, and supporting community development need not be mutually exclusive goals."
- M Sanjayan, Conservation International's CEO
By storing and absorbing gigatons of carbon, natural climate solutions (NCS) can provide 30% or more of the reduction in emissions needed to keep temperature rise this century below 2°C. NCS also deliver benefits including sustainable jobs, biodiversity protection, livelihoods for communities, water regulation and pollination services, among others. Yet, NCS are underfunded, receiving less than 3% of global climate finance.
To support NCS projects of the highest quality, CI launched the Asia-Pacific Natural Climate Solutions Technical Assistance (TA) Facility. This TA Facility will provide tactical financial support to early-stage project development opportunities in order to reduce the bottlenecks in project sourcing and pipeline development. We have secured US$ 5.5 million of the funding target of US$ 10 million.
In August, CI partnered with Schroders to launch Akaria Natural Capital, an impact-first fund management company investing at scale in NCS across Southeast Asia.
Akaria will invest in projects with a view of delivering long-term returns and environmental benefits by deploying capital to 15-20 NCS projects in Southeast Asia over five years with investor funds.
CI’s goal is for NCS projects to catalyze and scale the financing and implementation of long-term, transformational change of the sectors and drivers causing deforestation and unsustainable land use.
