MoMo4C presents local business cases and investments in climate and nature at COP16

How do we ensure that climate and biodiversity funding reach locally-led nature and climate initiatives? What challenges face local entrepreneurs in scaling and financing nature-based solutions? These were the central topics of the events that Mobilising More for Climate (MoMo4C) presented at the CBD COP16 in Colombia last month. ‘Five of our partners from landscapes in Ghana, Zambia, Uganda and Indonesia were able to enthuse and inspire a large audience of nature and finance practitioners,’ reflects Jan Willem den Besten, coordinator of MoMo4C.  

Header photo: Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, Executive Director of ECOTRUST © IUCN NL

Both COP16 side events below were organised by the MoMo4C consortium and landscape partners: A Rocha Ghana, IUCN NL, ECOTRUST Uganda, Tropenbos Ghana, Tropenbos Indonesia and Tropenbos International.

Locally driven business cases for nature and climate: lessons for biodiversity finance plans 

All funding streams should be aligned with climate and biodiversity goals. But how do we ensure that funding reaches local initiatives, where innovation and solutions for biodiversity and climate are most urgent?

The first session was a CBD event. On Thursday, 24 October, we explored how biodiversity finance plans (such as National Biodiversity Finance Plans – NBFP) can be best designed and aligned with local realities and initiatives. Building on the MoMo4C track record, successful examples  were discussed in the full meeting room, as well as the role of public-private partnerships and the design of integrated financing solutions. ‘The room was filled to the brim and time was too short to answer all questions. Several prominent actors in the global finance community of practice, were inspired to enrich their approaches on the basis of suggestions given by our partners,’ shared Den Besten.

Financing biodiversity locally: success and ambitions for resource mobilisation 

Also the second MoMo4C event, which took place at the Dutch Pavillion, was also heavily attended. On Monday, 28 October, we focused on the experiences of MoMo4C landscape partners in developing organic agroforestry value chains relevant to water, food security and renewable energy.

Conservation champions from five of our landscapes in Africa and Asia shared success stories, as well as the challenges they face, in scaling and financing climate and nature solutions. Subsequently, fresh ambitions and new horizons were  discussed with global nature conservation and finance leaders.

Central to the discussions were gender equality and youth, but also how resources, including private finance, can be mobilised to meet the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

About Mobilising More for Climate

MoMo4C, a programme of IUCN NL, WWF-NL and Tropenbos International, uses public funds to attract private investments into investable projects for nature-based solutions and climate-resilient landscapes. The programme, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, works in six biodiverse landscapes in Cameroon, Uganda, Zambia, Indonesia and Ghana.