The technical session on "Emerging financing mechanisms for nature" at the National Environmental Congress (CONAMA 2024, held from December 2 to 5, coordinated by Ecoacsa, explored emerging financial mechanisms aimed at promoting nature conservation. This session provided a platform to identify innovative solutions that foster public-private collaboration, aligning with the commitments of the Spanish private sector under the Global Biodiversity Framework (Kunming-Montreal), the Nature Restoration Law, and the National Plan for Natural Heritage and Biodiversity (PEPNB).
After the first part of the session en la que se ofreció una visión sobre el contexto actual de la biodiversidad, desde el punto de vista global, nacional y regulatorio, la segunda parte de la sesión estuvo moderada por Andrés Alcántara, Liaison and Institutional Officer de IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Executive Director of Ecoacsa. Experts from the business world, third-sector organizations, and the public sector provided a comprehensive view of current trends and needs regarding nature financing, emphasizing the importance of optimizing financing strategies for ecosystem restoration and conservation, as well as public-private collaboration.
Francisco Purroy, Director of Land Life, presented a pioneering case of quantifying a restoration project in Grisel (Aragon), which goes beyond carbon. In this project, covering an area of around 100 hectares with 119,000 trees planted, the restoration impacts are evaluated using tools such as environmental DNA, establishing new biodiversity metrics under Verra's Nature Framework.
Claudia González, Senior Associate of the Green Finance Green Finance Institute Spain España, presented a fund of over 20 million pounds, designed by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the UK Environment Agency, which supports projects that generate viable business models to restore nature in England, attracting private investment and generating measurable positive impacts: the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF). GFI advises and evaluates all proposals and has developed online toolkits to share learning and support the projects presented.
Paz Ferrer, Communication Officer at Ecoacsa, presented the Interreg Euro-MED project, with a budget of 2.9 million euros, aimed at accelerating the restoration of seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean through ecosystem service payment mechanisms. The 10 partners from Bulgaria, Spain, France, Greece, and Italy will carry out four pilot restoration projects for seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean, generating an additional 2 million euros of funding through ecosystem service payments. Restoration will take place in Crete (Greece), Sardinia (Italy), Menorca (Spain), and Monfalcone (Italy). The results can be replicated in another 10 restoration projects of over 5 hectares, with a total value of 50 million euros by the end of the project.
According to the Communication Officer, the entities behind ARTEMIS will work until June 2026 on the evaluation and incorporation of ecological, social, and economic benefits of posidonia seagrass meadows into public and private policies; the implementation of restoration actions, from transplantation in degraded areas to the application of protection measures to facilitate natural recovery; involving communities, authorities, and the private sector in the restoration process; and establishing systems to evaluate progress and monitor the impact of restoration efforts on marine environments and biodiversity, complemented by training programs to improve skills and knowledge in ecosystem restoration and management.
To conclude, Ferrer detailed some expected outcomes of ARTEMIS: a roadmap for integrating ecosystem services from seagrass meadows into business decisions; an Euro-MED action plan and a map of opportunities for seagrass meadow restoration; a toolkit for seagrass meadow restoration; and a transnational framework for the valuation of ecosystem services from seagrass meadows.
Toni Peruga, Manager at Aper Ambient, shared with the audience an innovative and ambitious project to stop biodiversity loss and combat climate change through the restoration of nearly 1,400 hectares of forest. The project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of almost 1,400 hectares of forest land in the Junta de Montes de Macastre in Valencia by creating carbon sinks that increase the absorption of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs); generating biodiversity reservoirs and restoring degraded ecosystems; and boosting the economy and quality of life for local communities.
Víctor Gutiérrez, Coordinator of the Conservation and Ecosystem Restoration Area at Fundación Biodiversidad, , focused his presentation on the LIFE IP–INTEMARES, an example of an innovative management model to address the funding gap for restoration projects in the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network. To date, they have secured €42 million in funding through 30 calls for grants published since 2017, by integrating several European funds. The foundation's representative shared several examples of marine biodiversity projects, such as PUFMED, which explores land-sea connectivity for the conservation of two threatened Mediterranean endemics: the Balearic and Mediterranean shearwaters; or EFROCAN, which seeks to establish the foundations for generating knowledge about Cantabrian ecosystems.
Raúl Alonso, Coordinator of Brinzal, highlighted the role of land stewardship as an effective tool to preserve the natural, cultural, and landscape values of the territory. During his intervention, he described an innovative agreement between Holcim España and Brinzal for the restoration and conservation of the La Chanta quarry in Madrid. After the execution of a pioneering ecological restoration project, La Chanta has become a hotspot for biodiversity and an international benchmark in mining restoration. In fact, it has received several international and national awards and, since 2023, is part of the Madrid Region Wetlands Catalogue.
Lennys Rivera, Climate and Energy Program Technician at WWF España, dedicated her presentation to "New financing schemes for climate change adaptation" and highlighted the significant gap between adaptation needs and available financing. Rivera also presented the "Study on new financing schemes for climate change adaptation applicable to the Spanish insurance sector," which identifies the main barriers to investment in climate change adaptation, as well as recommendations and alternatives for the Spanish insurance sector.
To conclude, she presented a second report that analyzes the underlying common success factors that have contributed to securing commercial investments. The aim of this research was to help develop a portfolio of financeable Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) that could attract the private financing necessary to address the biodiversity financing gap. In this regard, she emphasized that the biodiversity financing gap is estimated to be between USD 598 billion and USD 824 billion per year, and highlighted the need for robust financial standards and greater awareness of the benefits of these solutions.
Raúl contreras, founder and manager of the socio-economic innovation platform Nittúa, explained his organization's soil care project as a lever for transformation, based on achieving a triple value: social, environmental, and financial. In his presentation, he pointed out that, in the context of water scarcity, frequent droughts, excess CO22 emissions, and biodiversity loss, it makes no sense to continue wasting, contaminating, and underutilizing water. To effectively reverse this situation, Nittúa's proposal is to recognize the economic value of soil care, which has always provided benefits. According to Contreras, soil care to increase water retention in aquifers, the measurement of filtered water in cubic meters3 through digitalization, and the use of blockchain technology to facilitate water exchange are key strategies.
La ponencia de Eduardo de Miguel, Director of Fundación Global Nature, , focused his presentation on "Water and carbon footprint compensation in wetland restoration. He presented successful cases such us the "Wetlands4Climate" project, which provides a methodology to quantify carbon exchange and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere, and proposes climate change mitigation measures based on wetland management. De Miguel emphasized how compensating for water and carbon footprints can finance projects that combine both environmental and economic benefits.
Lorena Guerra, Brand and Projects Technician at FSC España, shared with the audience how FSC's verified impact system enables the communication of how action is being taken to address some of the greatest challenges of our time, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Through ecosystem service declarations or verified impact statements, forest owners and managers can credibly and verifiably communicate the positive impact of their forest management on biodiversity, carbon storage, and other ecosystem services.
In this regard, she clarified that the system ensures that raw materials or products come from sustainably managed forests; adds value to certified timber and non-timber products (apiculture, hunting, mycology, livestock farming, etc.); provides greater access to markets; promotes responsible consumption by both companies, clients, and consumers; allows the use of brands and promotional statements about companies' environmental commitments; and facilitates compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
