How NbS and LA/JAs can save the planet

The Mangrove Breakthrough is officially adopting the High-Quality Blue Carbon Practitioners Guide and Progress Wheel as their global quality assurance framework, developed by Conservation International and ORRAA. 🌱🤝 “ORRAA is excited to welcome the Mangrove Breakthrough’s adoption of the HQBC Practitioners Guide and Progress Wheel. Together, these tools ensure that the global mangrove community is aligned on high integrity and high-quality standards. This both de-risks and builds the confidence of potential investors, funders, intermediaries and communities. It is crucial to unlocking the public and private sector finance needed to scale up investment into blue nature-based solutions,” - Karen Sack, ORRAA Executive Director ✍️ Mark Beeston of Conservation International discuss this and more in his latest Op-Ed. 📚 Read the full piece: https://ow.ly/O9lJ50XePBG 📸 ©Cristina Mittermeier #ConservationInternational #ORRAA #BlueCarbon #Mangroves

The Beyond Conservation Toolkit, created by the Indigenous Knowledge Circle (IKC) of the National Boreal Caribou Knowledge Consortium (NBCKC), is more than a resource—it’s an invitation to shift how conservation is practiced. This Toolkit calls on non-Indigenous partners to: 🌱 Centre reciprocity and trust 🌱 Recognize the equal value of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems 🌱 Support Indigenous Nationhood, self-determination, and leadership Its 10 guiding principles encourage stronger conservation outcomes rooted in collaboration and respect. We invite you to dive deep into the Toolkit through the IPCA Knowledge Basket and reflect: What does “beyond conservation” mean in my work, my community, and my relationships? Learn more here: https://ow.ly/7ViO50WZPUF #NDTR #TruthAndReconciliation #AccountabilityPledge

“The Forest is Our Life”: UNDP and CEPA help conserve the Hunstein Range WMA in East Sepik Province 🌳 Deep along the Sepik River in East Sepik Province lies the Hunstein Range Wildlife Management Area. The area covers 2,200 square kilometers of unique rainforests 🌿— ecosystems that local Indigenous communities have relied on for survival for hundreds, if not thousands of years. In recent decades, these precious ecosystems have come under increasing pressure from unsustainable mining and logging practices. ⚠️ To ensure the Hunstein Range is preserved, UNDP and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority of the Government of Papua New Guinea, with the generous funding of the Global Environment Facility, are supporting local communities in strenghtening sustainable livelihoods, which will enable them to meet their needs in a modern economy without destroying the forest. 🌱 Through the PNG Biodiversity and Climate Fund, a grant has been given to a community-led eco-timber initiative. This initiative seeks to help local communities to reap the benefits of their natural resources, while preserving the vitality of the ecosystem. 🎥 Watch the video below to hear from the people of Hunstein what preserving the forest means for them and their future! #SDG13 #SDG15

Although Indigenous Peoples, Afrodescendant Peoples and local communities manage over half of the world’s land, including many of the most biodiverse and carbon-rich ecosystems on earth, their ownership is often not legally recognised or respected. This lack of ownership makes it difficult for them to truly manage and defend their land, leaving areas vulnerable to deforestation, displacement and can put livelihoods at risk. The International Land and Forest Tenure Facility is addressing this at scale, using a dual approach: - Direct funding for Indigenous communities - Legal support to secure long-term land rights Because without land rights, conservation efforts are at risk of being undone. Already, Tenure Facility is supporting communities in 20 countries, helping protect 34 million hectares of land - an area the size of Germany. And this is only the beginning. Their vision is to mobilise billions in climate funding and scale impact globally. The opportunity is clear: support the people who know the land best and unlock lasting climate action.

✨ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞? This is the question that has haunted and guided my entire professional journey. This week has been particularly meaningful, as two milestones brought this question to life in very tangible ways: 🌿 1️⃣ 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭-𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 At the IUCN World Conservation Congress, PeaceNexus Foundation launched an innovative course, I had the honour to co-developed with the amazing Hesta Groenewald. Bringing together leading experts in the field, we designed this course to give conservation practitioners practical tools to apply conflict-sensitive approaches — ensuring that conservation not only protects biodiversity but also navigates conflict more effectively, strengthens trust between stakeholders, and fosters peace for lasting impact on both people and nature. 👉 The course is now live and freely available to practitioners around the world: https://lnkd.in/e4g4_wVz 🌎 2️⃣ 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚, 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐬 This week, I joined a project visit to La Moskitia, one of Honduras’ most biodiverse regions — and also one of the most challenging. The area faces serious security issues, including drug trafficking and high crime rates, which create complex dynamics for conservation initiatives. The visit is part of the WAN KABU KA project, supported by Blue Action Fund and implemented by Oikos - Cooperação e Desenvolvimento and inspiring local partners CDE, Mopawi and ilili. 🔗 Project fact sheet: https://lnkd.in/eqxf4QDA What stood out clearly during the visit is that for conservation to advance in contexts like La Moskitia, certain elements are non-negotiable: ✅ Local leadership – Local stakeholders are the ones best placed to navigate the complexity of the context. ✅ Robust and inclusive stakeholder engagement, including Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). ✅ Flexibility – to adapt to evolving realities. ✅ A long-term perspective – real change takes time. All in all, it’s been a wonderful week for my own conflict-sensitive conservation journey — a reminder that protecting nature and fostering peace are deeply interconnected. #ConflictSensitiveConservation #BlueActionFund #PeaceNexus #IUCNWorldConservationCongress #IUCNAcademy 

🌍 Sustainable organisational development of civil society organisations: for whom, why, how? Yesterday, at #IUCNCongress, this session – co-organised by the Programme des Petites Initiatives, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, African Marine Conservation Organisation (AMCO), and Comité français de l'UICN – explored how to strengthen the organisations driving conservation impact on the ground and ensure their long-term sustainability. The session examined whether capacity building remains the key to ensuring the sustainability, autonomy, and impact of civil society organisations in biodiversity conservation and under what conditions it truly brings transformative change. Moderated by Paul Estève (Comité français de l'UICN) and Haizea Jimenez (Comité français de l'UICN), the discussion brought together Aurélien Garreau (PPI/Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund), Aristide Takoukam Kamla, Malika Dreyfuss (Fondation Hans Wilsdorf), Olivier Langrand (CEPF), and Cristina Romero (IUCN BESTLIFE2030). 💡 Key insights: 🔹 Trust and ownership are central to supporting local organisations. 🔹 Long-term, personalised engagement builds real capacity and resilience. 🔹 Donors also learn – by simplifying processes and listening better. 🔹 Resilient CSOs are those equipped to thrive beyond project cycles. Strong, well-supported CSOs are essential to lasting conservation impact. Investing in their leadership, people, and institutional resilience is the foundation for transformative, nature-positive change. #CivilSociety #OrganisationalDevelopment #CapacityBuilding #Biodiversity #Conservation

🌍 Big news: Namibia is the 11th country to join the BES Solution Fund! This move is powerful not just for its symbolism but for the doors it opens: new partnerships, funding for locally designed biodiversity solutions and stronger support for communities. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/d3W5u-Tg

Earlier this week, with support from the Global Environment Facility, we hosted the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) Implementation Exchange, bringing together 40 leaders from 14 countries to share experiences, challenges, and solutions for implementing PFP agreements. From Brazil to Mongolia, Costa Rica to Gabon, participants represented diverse contexts yet shared a common goal: advancing durable conservation outcomes through lasting financial and governance solutions. Through interactive formats, from open forums to small-group discussions, participants: - Built a stronger sense of belonging to a global community of practice. - Gained a clearer understanding of where to turn for support and collaboration. - Drew practical insights from PFPs at different stages of implementation. - Left feeling empowered and better equipped to drive durable results. The exchange also highlighted the need for more practical guidance on issues such as financial structuring, monitoring and evaluation, governance after close, and community engagement. Throughout, one message was clear: common success factors and best practices unite PFPs worldwide. Together, we are not only advancing country-led conservation solutions, we are building a learning community to ensure they endure. #conservationfinance #PFP #naturefinance #fornature #conservation #localleadership #knowledgesharing ~ Global Environment Facility, The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, The Pew Charitable Trusts, ZOMALAB, Funbio - Fundo Brasileiro para a Biodiversidade, Profonanpe, Forever Costa Rica Association, Indigenous Leadership Initiative, Mongolian Nature's Legacy Foundation (MNLF) / Монголын Байгалийн Өв Сан, @zde Paulina Arroyo, Maria Luisa Hernandez

New case study and report 💡 Using natural capital assessments to evaluate benefits to people and livelihoods in a Cook Island community and key tourist area. Learn more: bit.ly/3PsCookIslands As part of the #PeoplePlanet project (3Ps), Stanford University's Natural Capital Project and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) worked with government agencies and community organizations to conduct natural capital assessments and surveys. The natural capital assessments identified where restoring or creating riparian buffers in the Muri Lagoon watershed would generate the most benefits for water quality and flood protection. The team also surveyed locals and tourists on their “willingness to pay” for reef fish abundance, water quality for recreation, and marine biodiversity, which could support a Payment for Ecosystem Services program that would compensate land owners for efforts to protect those benefits. As part of this pilot project, Muri Environment Care received funding to expand their restoration of riparian buffers, and local leaders were trained in both technical and policy approaches for continuing this work. #NaturalCapital #PeoplePlanet #SustainanbleDevelopment #ESS

Historic river restoration led by Indigenous advocacy. The Klamath River is finally flowing free as part of the largest dam removal project in U.S. history, led by decades of Indigenous leadership and environmental collaboration. This transformative effort will reopen over 400 miles of habitat, restoring natural ecosystems and protecting wildlife such as river otters, coho salmon, and bald eagles. A model for how Indigenous knowledge, science, and policy can unite to restore ecosystems and build a sustainable future. 🌿 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dZcUd5mh 📸 Photo credit: Monique Willems #Conservation #IndigenousLeadership #KlamathRiver #EcosystemRestoration #Sustainability #Biodiversity #EnvironmentalJustice #WildlifeProtection #DamRemoval