Free-to-use module is launched by UN-backed Natural Capital Finance Alliance, as Green Finance Institute publishes recommendations for how UK finance can help develop a nature-positive economy
A new UN-back module has been launched today to enable financial institutions to map their exposure to biodiversity risks based on sectoral activities, in a bid to push the economy towards a nature-positive future.
By Elena K Johansson2021-05-26T12:23:00+01:00
A new tool has been launched that allows investors to explore the potential impact of their investment activities in agriculture and mining on biodiversity loss, in particular species extinction and the loss of “ecological integrity”.
Eric Usher, head of the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), said the tool “allows financial institutions to take material action to pivot the real economy towards a nature-positive future”.
The ENCORE (Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure) biodiversity module is an extension of the already existing online tool of the same name. Over 30 financial institutions participated in the development and testing of the module, including APG Asset Management, BNP Paribas Asset Management and EOS at Federated Hermes.
Asset managers launch biodiversity module that shows portfolio impact on extinction risk
New module aims to drive sustainable finance
The new module will allow banks to analyse the impact of their financing and investment activities in agriculture and mining on biodiversity loss
Federated Hermes, BNP Paribas AM and Natixis are among 30 financial institutions that have taken a pioneering role in the development of a biodiversity module that will allow investors to assess the potential impact of their financing in agriculture and mining on biodiversity loss.
The ENCORE biodiversity module was launched today (26 May) by the Natural Capital Finance Alliance, a collaboration between the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative and Global Canopy.
Protected land and ocean jumped 42 per cent in the last decade
Stephen Leahy
Saturday, May 22nd 2021, 6:30 am - Roughly 21 million square kilometres on Earth have been protected or conserved since 2010, but scientists say that s not enough to curb loss of biodiversity.
Land and ocean under protection or conservation increased 42 per cent in the past decade according to a new report. In total, some 21 million square kilometres of protected and conserved areas might seem like a lot, but that has not curbed the continuing loss of biodiversity.
The 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity found that more than one million of the estimated 8.7 million species on the planet were at risk of extinction due to human activities. The main drivers of species loss include land conversion, deforestation, overfishing, bushmeat hunting and poaching, pollution, invasive alien species, and climate change.