Shares
0

Biodiversity is in crisis. With over one million species at risk of extinction, protecting nature has become a race against time. Conservation efforts require more than scientific research and policy commitments—they need funding. Without sufficient financial investment, even the most well-intentioned conservation strategies will fall short. 

Conservation finance is emerging as a critical tool to bridge this gap. From biodiversity credits to carbon markets and payment for ecosystem services (PES), innovative financial mechanisms drive nature protection while ensuring sustainable livelihoods for communities that depend on healthy ecosystems. Yet, many people are unfamiliar with how these tools work and why they matter.

So, what is conservation finance? How does it work? And why is it important? It’s time to test your knowledge.

Bolaina plantation in an agroforestry system. Photo by Juan Carlos Huayllapuma / CIFOR-ICRAF

/8

1 / 8

Category: PART 1: Understanding conservation finance

Conservation finance refers to the financial mechanisms and strategies designed to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management. This field includes innovative approaches such as biodiversity credits, payments for ecosystem services (PES), and carbon offset programs. Mastering these tools is crucial to tackling the global biodiversity crisis and meeting ambitious targets like the 30x30 goal, which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.

01. Which of the following best defines conservation finance?

2 / 8

Category: PART 1: Understanding conservation finance

Conservation finance refers to the financial mechanisms and strategies designed to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management. This field includes innovative approaches such as biodiversity credits, payments for ecosystem services (PES), and carbon offset programs. Mastering these tools is crucial to tackling the global biodiversity crisis and meeting ambitious targets like the 30x30 goal, which aims to protect 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.

2. How important do you think financing is for achieving global biodiversity targets like the 30x30 goal?

3 / 8

Category: PART 2: The role of local communities

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation by sustainably managing ecosystems, preserving traditional knowledge and engaging in conservation finance initiatives. Effective conservation finance mechanisms must recognize their contributions and ensure equitable access to funding and decision-making processes.

3. How do Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) contribute to conservation finance?

4 / 8

Category: PART 2: The role of local communities

Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation by sustainably managing ecosystems, preserving traditional knowledge and engaging in conservation finance initiatives. Effective conservation finance mechanisms must recognize their contributions and ensure equitable access to funding and decision-making processes.

4. How can conservation finance tools like biodiversity credits benefit local communities?

5 / 8

Category: PART 3: Innovative tools and technologies

Advancements in technology, such as eDNA, camera traps and artificial intelligence (AI), are revolutionizing biodiversity monitoring and conservation finance. These tools make data collection more efficient, accurate and cost-effective, enabling better decision-making and resource allocation.

5. How can technology and traditional ecological knowledge work together in conservation finance?

6 / 8

Category: PART 3: Innovative tools and technologies

Advancements in technology, such as eDNA, camera traps and artificial intelligence (AI), are revolutionizing biodiversity monitoring and conservation finance. These tools make data collection more efficient, accurate and cost-effective, enabling better decision-making and resource allocation.

6. What role do biodiversity metrics play in conservation finance?

7 / 8

Category: PART 4: Challenges and opportunities

While conservation finance holds immense potential, several barriers hinder its effectiveness. Key challenges include insufficient funding, weak policy support and limited stakeholder awareness. Overcoming these obstacles requires coordinated efforts among governments, the private sector and local communities to create environments that enable sustainable investment in conservation.

7. What are the main barriers to scaling up conservation finance globally?

8 / 8

Category: PART 4: Challenges and opportunities

While conservation finance holds immense potential, several barriers hinder its effectiveness. Key challenges include insufficient funding, weak policy support and limited stakeholder awareness. Overcoming these obstacles requires coordinated efforts among governments, the private sector and local communities to create environments that enable sustainable investment in conservation.

8. What is the potential of conservation finance to address both biodiversity loss and climate change?

Your score is

The average score is 78%

0%

Copyright policy:
We want you to share Forests News content, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This means you are free to redistribute our material for non-commercial purposes. All we ask is that you give Forests News appropriate credit and link to the original Forests News content, indicate if changes were made, and distribute your contributions under the same Creative Commons license. You must notify Forests News if you repost, reprint or reuse our materials by contacting forestsnews@cifor-icraf.org.
MENU CLOSE ×