The Nature-based Solutions for Climate Conference held on 14-15 January 2025, at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government agencies, urban planners, engineers, financiers, corporations, and ecology experts. Organized by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Civic Exchange, the conference focused on the transformative potential of habitat restoration as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for climate mitigation and adaptation, with a special emphasis on the sustainable development of the Northern Metropolis. As part of a broader initiative with TNC, Seneca Impact Advisors played a crucial role as a co-organizer of the event, contributing to the planning and execution of the conference.
One of the key highlights of the conference was the panel session on Investing in Nature: Innovative Solutions for Financing Conservation. This session featured presentations from leading experts in the field, who shared their insights and experiences on various financial mechanisms to support conservation efforts. The panelists discussed the importance of mobilizing private capital, the role of financial institutions in biodiversity accounting, and innovative solutions for financing climate adaptation and reforestation projects. The session provided a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in financing NbS, emphasizing the need for collaboration and innovative approaches.
Jean-Marc Champagne, Managing Director at Seneca Impact Advisors chaired the session and provided and insightful introduction, emphasizing the need to mobilize private capital to close the investment gap in sustainable development goals. He discussed innovative financial mechanisms to support conservation efforts and highlighted challenges such as the lack of high-quality projects and the need for standardized frameworks. Jean-Marc concluded by stressing the importance of leveraging capital through multi-stakeholder partnerships to boost private financing in nature-based solutions.
Wijnand Broer, Partner at CREM and Programme Manager at Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials (PBAF), introduced PBAF, a global partnership of over 70 financial institutions. He emphasized the importance of science-based, robust data for footprinting and dependency assessments. Wijnand discussed the practical applications of this data for target setting, policy development, and engagement, highlighting the need for financial institutions to assess their impact on nature and integrate ecosystem services into decision-making.
Crystal Geng, Asia ESG Research Lead at BNP Paribas Asset Management and Co-leader of TNFD and Biodiversity Workstream at HKGFA, outlined BNP Paribas Asset Management’s approach to sustainability, focusing on biodiversity. She highlighted the six pillars of their strategy, including responsible business conduct, stewardship, corporate social responsibility, and investment solutions. Crystal discussed financial products aimed at addressing biodiversity challenges, such as the BNP Paribas Ecosystem Restoration Fund, and emphasized the role of public-private partnerships in enhancing visibility and impact on nature.
Laura Whitford, Global Adaptation Finance and Partnership Lead at The Nature Conservancy (TNC), presented solutions for financing climate adaptation, focusing on reef insurance in Mexico. She described a parametric insurance policy to protect a 60km stretch of reef in Cancun, providing payouts for storm events used for reef restoration. Laura emphasized the importance of governance, response protocols, trained capacity, and financial tools in post-storm response strategies, highlighting the need for raising awareness among stakeholders.
Tom Holland, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Development Finance Asia, discussed the Asia Community Reforestation Enterprise (ACRE), a program developed by Vana to reforest degraded community forests in Cambodia. He highlighted ACRE’s mission to bring new life to forests and communities in Asia, supported by partnerships with organizations like RECOFTC and WWF. Tom emphasized the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the program, including job creation and carbon sequestration, and outlined the phased approach to scaling the program from pilot projects to large-scale efforts.
Additionally, Jean-Marc Champagne co-facilitated an interactive workshop with Merlin Lao of the Business Environment Council, titled Developing Bankable Nature-based Solutions, which was attended by around 25-30 finance, business, and CSO/NGO representatives. The objective of the workshop was to explore how companies can address the risks posed by climate change and biodiversity loss through the implementation of nature-based solutions. The workshop aimed to identify relevant stakeholders, address existing barriers, and outline practical steps to bring projects to fruition.
