Nov 16, 2022
The science is inescapable: climate change presents an existential threat to global ecosystems. Human actions — at least the unsustainable ways in which we manage natural resources—significantly increase the threat to our forests, rivers, farmlands, coastal systems, marine environments, and the intricate web of life supported by all these habitats. Our actions are having measurable consequences, with 75 percent of the terrestrial environments having been “severely altered” by humans, according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Against this background, today’s COP27 theme is Biodiversity Day which focuses on the importance of managing and conserving biodiversity of the natural world. It provides an opportunity to discuss approaches and policies for protecting nature and continuing to build resilience to climate change, with a special focus on helping indigenous populations and local communities in low- and middle-income countries that are most at risk of the negative impacts on biodiversity.
For its part, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) fully recognizes the crucial importance of investing in managing and conserving biodiversity. In particular, CIF is using its almost 15 years of experience to boost climate resilience through its Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR), nature projects, its Forest Investment Program (FIP) for sustainable forest management by local communities, and its newly launched Nature, People and Climate investment program.
CIF uses the PPCR to support regions in low- and middle-income countries by investing in strengthening their adaptive capacities and resilience against impacts on their communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure. CIF does this by helping integrate climate resilience into strategic development planning across multiple stakeholder groups.
For example, in Jamaica’s White River Sanctuary, working in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, CIF has helped mobilize a grassroots movement restoring coral and providing habitats for fish to grow sustainably. Situated in reefs along the coast of North Jamaica, the sanctuary is a 372-acre no fishing zone. A team of “coral wardens” enforce the policy and local fishermen have been trained to turn the tide against further degradation, by growing more coral. The sanctuary has almost doubled the amount of coral in the zone, putting it on track to achieve 500 percent more fish biomass in five years.
Additionally, CIF has been using FIP for more than 10 years to tackle forest loss and degradation by empowering local communities. Under its auspices, 41.3 million hectares of land has been brought into sustainable land management practices and interventions across 23 countries. In all, 1.1 million livelihoods have benefited from FIP interventions so far.
And through the new Nature, People and Climate Investment Program, CIF aims to bolster collective regenerative action in support of nature-based solutions in a diverse range of landscapes.
CIF investments are helping bring about a lasting impact supporting an integrated land management approach to adapt and mitigate climate change. And by working in collaboration with indigenous peoples and local communities, governments and other stakeholders, CIF can help conserve biodiversity and our collective future.
