Investing For Ocean Impact
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 8 ratingsThe Earth is in trouble. But the ocean can help.
When it comes to tackling climate change and the biodiversity crisis, the ocean and the world’s coastlines offer many solutions. Yet these solutions don’t receive anywhere near enough money to realize them. And while governments and philanthropists should provide more funding, they can’t meet the challenge alone. Investments from the private sector are equally key to success.
Entrepreneurs across the world need support to integrate restoration and conservation into sustainable businesses. Only then can we create profit, both for people and for planet.
Join Dorothée Herr – manager of the IUCN’s Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility – to discover the reasons to invest in the ocean. In Investing For Ocean Impact we’ll talk to leading experts, global policymakers, and investment movers and shakers. We’ll also dive into real life, working examples of Nature-based Solutions, from seaweed farms to marine protected areas, and show how these are projects that investors can indeed get behind.
The time to invest in our ocean is now. Subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts, so that you never miss an episode.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
10. Blue Finance on the International Agenda for Nature and Humanity
March 15, 2023 02:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBThis past year has been eventful for the ocean. Sustainable blue economy was a central theme for global conferences: the UN High Seas Treaty negotiation success, the UN Ocean Conference in Portugal leading to the CBD Biodiversity COP15 in Montreal, the One Ocean Summit in France, Canada hosting IMPAC5, the Our Ocean conference in Panama; all without forgetting the climate COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, as well as the Convention on Wetlands. Countries and companies alike have pledged en...
9. Environmental Economic Accounts: Bookkeeping for the Ocean
February 08, 2023 02:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBEnvironmental economic accounting is a new process that promises to transform the way we look at biodiversity and ecosystems. It’s based on traditional accounting - using data to track economic flows, record assets, and plan future investments. Might it be possible to account for something as broad and deep as the ocean? In this episode, Dorothee Herr asks how we might break down the natural world onto a balance sheet, based on results from the very first pilot projects in Australia. With ...
8. Women’s Empowerment as a Key to Unlocking Ocean Finance
January 25, 2023 02:00 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBHalf of the world’s population is female. But on the financing side, men still tend to dominate the boardrooms. But for conservation projects on the ground, local women are increasingly driving the most important work – and enriching their lives in the process. In this episode we unpack these power dynamics and discuss what it will take for financing systems to really empower and benefit women, plus – we discover how young female enterpreneurs are taking matters into their own hands. With ...
7. Green-Grey Infrastructure: Coastal Development That Benefits The Environment
January 11, 2023 02:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBGreen-grey infrastructure is a fascinating new concept. It describes Nature-based Solutions like mangroves or coral reefs that can work as or alongside grey infrastructure projects – like ports, seawalls, or water treatment plants. In a time of rising sea levels as well as increased coastal development, this kind of thinking is more important than ever. In this episode, Dorothée explores what green-grey infrastructure actually means, and what needs to change to drive the world’s heavy inf...
6. The High Seas: The Last Frontier for Ocean Finance
December 14, 2022 02:00 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBWelcome to the High Seas. More than two hundred nautical miles beyond any coastline, these wild waters make up two thirds of the entire ocean and perform crucial functions like protecting fish and regulating our climate. But when it comes to global conservation action, they get little attention. That might change very soon. A new treaty is in development – the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement, or BBNJ – that aims to manage the High Seas for the good of everyone. In this ...
5. Are blue bonds the silver bullet for ocean conservation? Part II
November 30, 2022 02:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBThis is part two of our double feature on blue bonds. Last time we were introduced to blue bonds through the pioneering example of the Seychelles a few years ago. But today there’s a whole new generation of debt-for-nature swaps that restructure the debt of entire countries. In this episode, we speak to two of the people responsible for designing these deals to find out how they work – including the complex insurance clauses tying them together – and how widely they could be replicated. F...
4. Are blue bonds the silver bullet for ocean conservation? Part I
November 16, 2022 02:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MBWhat are blue bonds? They're some of the biggest deals in ocean finance today - in some cases involving restructuring the debt of entire nations. But how do they actually work? This is part one of two episodes about blue bonds, where we’re travelling to the Seychelles to talk about the first blue bond ever created - and asking how they deliver money to Nature-based Solutions. Featuring Melissa Walsh, Sustainable Ocean Finance Lead at the Minderoo Foundation; and Marie-May Jeremie, CEO of t...
3. Insights from the Boardroom: Two Investors on Nature-Based Solutions and Tech Investments
November 02, 2022 02:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBOn this podcast we talk a lot about Nature-Based Solutions. But the devil is in the detail for actually implementing them in an investible way on the ground. So in this episode, Dorothée Herr is joined by two seasoned investors to help break down the challenges in investing into Nature-Based Solutions, and discuss what other investments - such as tech - can offer in support. Featuring Yabanex Batista, Deputy Head of the UN’s Global Fund for Coral Reefs; and Jonas Skattum Svegaarden, CEO ...
2. Blended finance and super typhoons: A reality check from the Philippines
October 19, 2022 01:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBWhen a deadly super typhoon hit the Philippines last year, it damaged thousands of local livelihoods and wiped out much of their seaweed production. Blended finance - and an investor able to adapt - provided a lifeline. In this episode we’re revisiting Coast4C for an update on the real-life challenges of Nature-based Solutions project development, as well as talking to a fund manager who helped close a vital deal with them at an incredibly challenging time. Featuring Nick Hill, co-founder ...
1. Why private finance for ocean conservation?
October 05, 2022 05:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MBWelcome to season 2! In the first episode, we’re going back to basics. Why should the private sector be involved in ocean finance in the first place? Private finance actors and their contributions are being increasingly recognised - but not everyone is on board with their new place in ocean conservation and restoration. Are we making a deal with the devil? Is this a waste of taxpayers’ money? Or is it crucial for the future of our ocean? Featuring Ivo Mulder, Head of the UN Environment Pro...
BONUS: SDG 14 : Are we swimming or drowning?
June 24, 2022 01:00 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBIn this bonus episode ahead of the 2022 UN Ocean Conference, we’re looking at Sustainable Development Goal 14: to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources. It’s been seven years since the Sustainable Development Goals were internationally adopted. Are we on the right track? And have new forms of private sector finance been involved? With special thanks to Nancy Karigithu, Kenya’s Special Envoy for Maritime and Blue Economy; Margaret Kuhlow, Global Finance Practic...
10. Towards a new blue finance world
March 23, 2022 02:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MBRight now, the global thinking around financing ocean conservation is massively changing. Are we on the right path? And what does the future look like? In the season finale, we’re speaking to leading environmental figures about the road ahead for coastal and marine Nature-based Solutions for climate, biodiversity and sustainable development. With special thanks to GCF Executive Director Yannick Glemarec, IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak, Luxembourg’s Minister for the Environment Carole Dies...
9. Centralised vs Decentralised? How to finance Nature-based Solutions
March 09, 2022 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBFrom global trust funds to brand new decentralised approaches, what are the pros and cons of these approaches for building an investible pipeline for Nature-based Solutions within developing countries? In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr explores initiatives and principles that guide insurers and impact funds. Plus find out how new forms of decentralised finance are using blockchain to create faster impact. With special thanks to Leah Bunce Karrer, Senior Environment Specialist fo...
8. How banks and insurance companies can help Nature-based Solutions
February 23, 2022 02:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBBanks and insurance companies command vast amounts of money. When it comes to financing marine and coastal conservation and restoration, how can they get involved? In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr questions a banker, an insurer, and a policy expert about aligning global efforts with ocean impact. Can proper disclosure mechanisms make sure companies’ resources are going to the right places? What kinds of insurance products exist for the blue economy? And what policy signals does ...
7. Local communities: what do they have to gain?
February 09, 2022 02:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBCreating lasting change for coastal communities and engaging across stakeholder groups - including local governments – are both top of everyone’s priorities. But they’re often easier said than done. In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr talks to three conservationists with decades of experience working on coastal and marine projects around the world. What’s the right way for projects to interact with local people, especially when they’re applying new business models and finance appro...
6. Monitoring, reporting, and verification
January 26, 2022 02:00 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBWhen developing a coastal or marine Nature-based Solution, it’s not enough to just assume you’re having a positive impact. You also need to measure it, and to prove it. In this episode BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr discusses the process of monitoring, reporting, and verification. What impacts can actually be measured, and what are the biggest challenges? We look through the lens of carbon credits by speaking to the whole chain of people involved: seller, certifier, and buyer. With special th...
5. Infrastructure projects and the right enabling conditions
January 12, 2022 02:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBBig problems require big solutions. We need to start integrating the conservation and restoration of nature into even the largest of development and infrastructure projects. Creating the right market conditions and policy incentives is key. In this episode BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr talks to three experts about the opportunities and limitations of green-grey investments – including a government representative from Chile, who explains how to make Nature-based Solutions work on the national ...
BONUS: A visit to a shrimp farm in Indonesia
December 29, 2021 02:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBIn rural Indonesia, a stunning Nature-based Solution is being tested: helping local shrimp farmers to replant mangroves around their ponds, increasing their yield while restoring the ecosystem. In this bonus edition of the podcast, we’ll transport you there. Today we’re diving into the project that was described in the previous episode by Thomas Egli. Thomas recorded the sounds of the landscape while out in Borneo, as well as his own reflections. Here we’re reproducing his audio logs in full...
4.5 BONUS: A visit to a shrimp farm in Indonesia
December 29, 2021 02:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBIn rural Indonesia, a stunning Nature-based Solution is being tested: helping local shrimp farmers to replant mangroves around their ponds, increasing their yield while restoring the ecosystem. In this bonus edition of the podcast, we’ll transport you there. Today we’re diving into the project that was described in the previous episode by Thomas Egli. Thomas recorded the sounds of the landscape while out in Borneo, as well as his own reflections. Here we’re reproducing his audio logs in ful...
Becoming bankable: what impact investors expect
December 15, 2021 02:00 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBWhat do investors look for when they buy into Nature-based Solutions? In our previous episode we discussed the process of becoming bankable from the project developers’ points of view; now, we’re switching to the impact investors’ side. BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr asks two fund managers what they think makes a Nature-based Solution attractive for them to invest in. Plus, an innovative mangrove project in Indonesia shows how blended finance can support the early years of a blue natural capita...
4. Becoming bankable: what impact investors expect
December 15, 2021 02:00 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBWhat do investors look for when they buy into Nature-based Solutions? In our previous episode we discussed the process of becoming bankable from the project developers’ points of view; now, we’re switching to the impact investors’ side. BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr asks two fund managers what they think makes a Nature-based Solution attractive for them to invest in. Plus, an innovative mangrove project in Indonesia shows how blended finance can support the early years of a blue natural capit...
3. Becoming bankable: project developers tell their stories
December 01, 2021 02:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBThe path from charity to company can seem daunting. But for ocean conservationists who want more than relying on sporadic grants and donations, there is a way forward. In fact – there are many. In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr meets three project developers who are each becoming bankable in fundamentally different ways: using seaweed supply chains, tourism in marine reserves, and even selling carbon credits. Each method is helping to maintain and restore extraordinary ecosystems...
Becoming bankable: project developers tell their stories
December 01, 2021 02:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBThe path from charity to company can seem daunting. But for ocean conservationists who want more than relying on sporadic grants and donations, there is a way forward. In fact – there are many. In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr meets three project developers who are each becoming bankable in fundamentally different ways: using seaweed supply chains, tourism in marine reserves, and even selling carbon credits. Each method is helping to maintain and restore extraordinary ecosystems ...
Nature-based Solutions: investments for the planet
November 17, 2021 02:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBNature-based Solutions are neither wind farms nor sustainable engineering. And they are more than your usual conservation efforts. Instead, they’re projects based on managing real ecosystems - with wide societal benefits, positive financial impacts, and a chance to create a more sustainable future. In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr explores the ideas behind Nature-based Solutions as long-term investments, discusses the case study of an extraordinary marine reserve in the Philippin...
2. Nature-based Solutions: investments for the planet
November 17, 2021 02:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBNature-based Solutions are neither wind farms nor sustainable engineering. And they are more than your usual conservation efforts. Instead, they’re projects based on managing real ecosystems - with wide societal benefits, positive financial impacts, and a chance to create a more sustainable future. In this episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr explores the ideas behind Nature-based Solutions as long-term investments, discusses the case study of an extraordinary marine reserve in the Philippi...
1. A new future for ocean financing
November 03, 2021 02:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBThe oceans today face extraordinary threats. But the funding to conserve and restore them is currently extremely limited. We need to make a fundamental shift in how we think about financing ocean conservation. In this first episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr will introduce the world of blended finance; how private sector money unites with public and philanthropy to bridge the funding gap. With special thanks to Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the O...
A new future for ocean financing
November 03, 2021 02:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBThe oceans today face extraordinary threats. But the funding to conserve and restore them is currently extremely limited. We need to make a fundamental shift in how we think about financing ocean conservation. In this first episode, BNCFF manager Dorothée Herr will introduce the world of blended finance; how private sector money unites with public and philanthropy to bridge the funding gap. With special thanks to Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Oc...
Investing For Ocean Impact Trailer
October 20, 2021 16:51 - 1 minute - 1.84 MBThe Earth is in trouble. But the ocean can help. When it comes to tackling climate change and the biodiversity crisis, the ocean and the world’s coastlines offer many solutions. Yet these solutions don’t receive anywhere near enough money to realize them. And while governments and philanthropists should provide more funding, they can’t meet the challenge alone. Investments from the private sector are equally key to success. Entrepreneurs across the world need support to integrate restorati...