Best practices in financing nature: Insights from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

At the heart of RFI is the need to develop a funding mechanism where projects may be implemented sustainably. The lessons learned from CEPF and other multi-donor granting initiatives provide guidance through which a grant mechanism that enables local CSOs and project owners can access funding that will complement the efforts of the governments. Grants to CSOs not only help advance the nature and climate agendas, but enables building long-lasting capacity.

Assessing regional capacity needs for wetland conservation and the way forward

Strengths and weakness in capacity for wetland/flyway conservation, and integrating this into conservation action to ensure the sustainability of initiatives on wetlands is important. Capacity building activities for partners are assessed using a framework called the Quality Assurance System, which measures partners’ performance against organisational and effectiveness indicators. The QAS also offers training tools on governance, strategic planning, project management and mainstreaming biodiversity, and how to work with governments effectively.

Lenke Balint

Lenke leads two global programmes of capacity development, research, advocacy and conservation action focused on strengthening grassroots conservation organisations and on the linkages between biodiversity, well-being and human rights. She has responsibility, among others, for building the capacity of the BirdLife Partnership to mobilize grassroots civil society through local conservation groups, developing individual skills of early and mid-career conservation leaders and strengthening the development and cohesion of the BirdLife network. 

Evidence-based conservation through the world’s largest partnership for birds, nature and people

BirdLife International, as the world’s largest partnership for birds, nature and people, recognizes that conservation work should always benefit both nature and people. Through its work in the world’s most important flyways, including the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, BLI helps push the the post-pandemic “Green Recovery” approach, which hopes to reignite the economy, restore purchasing power, create new jobs, and address social inequality.

Evidence-based action (Part 2): Taking stock of the threats faced by migratory waterbirds and coastal wetlands

Taking off from the presentation of Dr. Taej Mundkur, this highlights the crucial need in addressing the extent of threats and damage to wetlands in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. A critical take-off point is in addressing knowledge gaps—which hopefully leads to more evidence-based approach to management and restoration of coastal wetlands in the process supporting livelihoods and protecting migratory and water birds.

Ding Li Yong

Dr. Ding Li Yong is passionate about biodiversity (especially migratory species, wetlands and rainforests) and its protection, and how conservation practice can be reconciled with human development. He works with culturally diverse teams across Asia to create, drive, and scale-up projects that protect ecosystems and species, including some of the world’s most threatened wildlife.

Evidence-based action (Part 1): The Conservation Status of Migratory Waterbirds in the EAAF

The declining waterbird population is a clear indication of the extent of damage that nature is experiencing. Conservation and restoration of internationally important waterbird sites must be considered in a broader development and engineering context. By promoting evidence-based approach to management and restoration of coastal wetlands and monitoring of waterbirds and benthos at site level, governments and the private sector can ensure a more sustainable and resilient future.