• 20 January 2025
  • Spotlight

Financing Mechanisms at the Post-COP16 Hong Kong Forum

On 16 January 2025, an exclusive, invitation-only event was held at the University of Hong Kong, School of Biological Sciences. Co-organised by Civic Exchange, The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, and Generation Climate Hong Kong, with Seneca Impact Advisors as a supporting organisation, this event built upon the discussions from COP16 in Cali, Colombia, with the goal of sharing key insights and advancing conversations on critical biodiversity issues.

The event featured panel sessions focused on four key themes:

  1. Monitoring Frameworks
  2. Mainstreaming Biodiversity
  3. Financing Mechanisms
  4. Climate and Biodiversity

Workshops brought together stakeholders to brainstorm next steps for Hong Kong, aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The emphasis was on contributing to the nature-positive global goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

(From L to R): Kitty Tam, Jean-Marc Champagne, Wijnand Broer, Mieke Siebers, Patrick Yeung

The panel discussion on financing mechanisms, chaired by Ms. Kitty Tam, Programme Lead at Civic Exchange, featured contributions from Seneca Impact Advisors. This panel included notable speakers in the finance and impact space:

  • Mr. Wijnand Broer, Program Manager, Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials (PBAF)
  • Ms. Mieke Siebers, Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD); Strategic Lead, Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) and Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP)
  • Dr. Patrick Yeung, Associate Director, Climate Action Platform, AVPN
  • Mr. Jean-Marc Champagne, Managing Director, Seneca Impact Advisors

The workshop on financing mechanisms was another key component, featuring learning sessions on tools for impact assessments used by financial institutions and companies. Topics included:

  • Impact and dependency assessment tools in the TNFD LEAP approach, focusing on the ‘locate’ and ‘evaluate’ steps.
  • The value and limitations of these tools and their use in the loan and investment process.
  • Navigating the tool landscape and international developments.

Additionally, the workshop covered blended-finance, discussing the monetary valuation of ecosystem services, understanding opportunities and risks, and assessing the economic effects of ecosystem service loss. A roundtable discussion addressed challenges, potential solutions, and policy support needed.

Our participation in this event underscored the critical role of innovative financial solutions in addressing biodiversity and climate challenges. Mobilising private-sector capital for nature-positive projects is essential for bridging the significant funding gap in conservation efforts. By integrating financial strategies with conservation goals, we demonstrate how impactful and scalable solutions can be developed to protect and restore our natural environment. Our contributions highlight the importance of collaborative efforts in achieving sustainable outcomes for biodiversity and climate resilience.

16 January 2025 | Civic Exchange, The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, and Generation Climate Hong Kong | Events – Supporting Organisation and Participant | Hong Kong SAR, China