In light of the agreement of the historic UN High Seas Treaty earlier last month to protect marine biodiversity in international waters, conservation and sustainable use of resources in oceans and coastal ecosystems is gaining attention. Nature-based solutions in this ecosystem have huge potential to contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, alongside having multiple co-benefits for biodiversity and coastal communities. However, relevant habitats are being lost at an alarming rate, mostly through economic activities. It is crucial for financial institutions to be able to assess and address their impact on these specific ecosystems and identify the risks arising from their degradation.

The first deep dive session of our new “Investing in Nature: Exploring Investment Opportunities Across Ecosystems” webinar series – funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH – will give you an introduction to the financial, economic and environmental benefits of marine and coastal ecosystems. You will discover why marine and coastal ecosystems are relevant to financial institutions, the ecosystem services they provide, and how financial institutions can invest in healthy coastal and marine systems. Furthermore, you will learn about key NbS-related resources, such as the blue finance guidance of the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles Initiative hosted by UNEP FI.

A lively panel discussion will then provide you with perspectives and tangible examples from the various sectors on their experiences investing or facilitating investments in this space, with some time left at the end of the session for relevant questions from the live audience.