Key action areas (biodiversity)

Biodiversity and ecosystem mainstreaming

Know your context, risks and impacts: Conduct a context analysis that identifies the current state of biodiversity and the most important drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Then conduct a risk and impact assessment to identify potential risks from biodiversity and ecosystem losses and potential negative impacts of the intervention on bio- diversity and ecosystems. Depending on the size or type of the intervention, conduct this work through desk research, a workshop or by engaging an expert to conduct the assessment. Finally, consider the various options.

Minimise risks: Take measures to reduce the risks that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose to the intervention. Planting trees along hillsides, for example, can reduce surface runoff and floods in displacement camps.

Avoid negative impacts: Avoid having a negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems by developing different scenarios for an intervention and identifying the one that affects the environment the least. When supporting SMEs, for example, encourage alternate solutions to single-use packaging. In livestock projects, if feasible, favour goats over sheep as the former browse on leaves without damaging tree trunks.

Create positive impacts: Add value to the intervention by having a positive impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.¹ This can be done by applying one of the following approaches:

Making use of co-benefits: Do not think about nature, climate, and development as separate issues, but recognise their interconnectedness.² Sustainably managed agroforestry systems, for example, protect biodiversity, renew the protective role of forests, and increase carbon sinks while simultaneously contributing to food and nutrition security, providing livelihoods for communities, and reducing the risks of illegal logging. Similarly, agroecology contributes to food security while promoting biodiver
sity-friendly farming by integrating ecological principles into agricultural practices, reducing reliance on chemical inputs, and maintaining diverse landscapes. And intensive agricultural projects can protect biodiversity through islands of near-natural habitats, such as wildlife corridors or hedgerows. A recent report by IPBES highlights that integrating biodiversity, water, food, health, and climate change leads to the most favourable outcomes for achieving the SDGs. In contrast, tackling challenges in isolation – whether in food, biodiversity, or climate change – significantly reduces the likelihood of success.³

Seeking nature-based solutions: Develop nature-based solutions to simultaneously address global societal goals related to food, water, health, energy, job creation, climate change and more.⁴ Nature-based solutions are highly cost-effective: every USD invested can yield returns of up to 27 USD.⁵ Nature-based solutions to wastewater treatment, for example, can consist of willow systems using wastewater for irrigation while producing biomass that can be used for local heating.⁶ The protection and restoration of grasslands protects the diversity of animals living in grasslands, strengthens the role of grasslands of protecting the groundwater, while protecting the pastoralist lifestyle of indigenous communities.⁷

Fostering community engagement: Take into account the specific local ecosystem services people and communities rely on. Make use of local knowledge, such as customary institutions or management systems.⁸ Educate local communities on biodiversity risks, and involve them in addressing these risks. Ensure accessibility and meaningful participation of groups at risk of exclusion, such as women and men with disabilities, older people, the poor and other groups facing gender, social and cultural discrimination. This will ensure that the principle of “leave no one behind” is respected.

• Tools and approaches to mainstreaming (CEDRIG)

  CEDRIG systematically integrates climate change, natural hazards and environmental issues at the project or programme level. Based on a comprehensive context analysis, the tool assesses whether or not a planned or ongoing intervention is at risk from climate change, natural hazards or environmental issues and whether the intervention may have an adverse im- pact on the climate or on the environment, or create new or exacerbate existing risks. The tool helps define measures to integrate Climate, DRR and Environment in project activities, programmes and strategies.

  The Sustainable Development Analysis Grid (AFD) is a simple framework for assessing a project’s contribution to biodiversity.

  The Green Toolbox (SIDA) contains methodological guidance and e-learning modules for assessing and integrating environmental and climate change issues into operations and financing, and focuses on targeted interventions, the integration of a climate and environment with other thematic areas, strategic dialogue, and the mobilisation of capital.

  The ValuES Methods Navigator (German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety) offers a searchable database of tools, methods and project examples for specific types of problems across policy areas, and provides a step-by-step manual to integrate ecosystem services into development plans.

• Global biodiversity maps, risk filters and good-practice projects

  The Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) is a one- stop shop for rapid visual screening for biodiversity risks.

  Restor is a geospatial tool that enables data sharing for individuals and organisations engaged in restoration projects.

  The WWF Risk Filter Suite identifies biodiversity and water risks and prioritises action with a focus on the private sector and financial institutions.

  WOCAT provides decision support systems for Land Degradation Neutrality.

  The SDC Biodiversity website provides a list of good practice projects.

Policy and institutional measures

Development cooperation and humanitarian aid have opportunities to promote the current range of policy and institutional measures through advocacy and other avenues of support.

Biodiversity and ecosystem mainstreaming

Global commitments include international treaties and frameworks on biodiversity, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Opportunities may include collabo- ration with national Focal Points for the CBD, the UNFCCC or the UNCCD, and support for the development and implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) at national levels.

The Sustainable Development Goals consider a range of measures, and biodiversity and ecosystems are relevant in the achievement of all the SDGs.⁹

Policy frameworks on biodiversity, the environment, cli- mate change and sustainable development offer opportunities for advocacy for integrated co-benefits and support for multiple objectives that avoid negative consequences on one area when addressing another.¹⁰

Stakeholder engagement and cross-sectoral collabo- ration provide development cooperation the opportunity to act as a catalyst to encourage stakeholders from policy, science, civil society and the private sector to address con- text-specific challenges jointly.

• Funding mechanisms

  Financial Mechanisms of the Rio Conventions include the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund for the implementation of the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and climate-specific funds such as the Adaptation Fund where nature-based solutions serve as an entry point for biodiversity.

  Multilateral Development Banks such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development provide the biggest share of funding for environmental projects.

  Specialised Multi-Bi¹¹ Trust Funds include the Blue Action Fund, which is funded by several European countries and aims at enhancing “the management and use of coastal and marine ecosystems to conserve marine biodiversity for future generations while improving the lives of local people today.”

  National and local funding mechanisms such as Conservation Trust Funds, National Climate Funds, and National Forest Funds can act as intermediaries between national and international levels if they are accredited by global funds (see overviews of funds at Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds and the Consortium of African Funds for the Environment)

Further reading

• IPBES, Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services (summary for policy makers), 2019.
• SDC, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development. Nexus Brief, Nr. 9, February 2022.
• WEF, The Global Risks Report, 16th Edition. Insight Report, 2021.
• WWF, Living Planet Report 2020 - Bending the curve of biodiversity loss. Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M. and Petersen, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland, 2020.

Sources

• See, e.g. Final WWF IISD Study-mainstreaming biodiversity into infrastructure sector.pdf on mainstreaming biodiversity into infrastruc-ture projects.; IIED, Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Development Cooperation. Lessons learned from donor agency experience, 2023.
• IIED, Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Development Cooperation. Lessons learned from donor agency experience, 2023.
• IPBES, The thematic assessment report on interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health. Summary for policymakers, 2024.
• See, e.g., the Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change guidelines.
• Thomas et al., Economics of drought - Investing in nature-based solutions for drought resilience – Proaction pays, 2024.
• UNEP, Becoming #GenerationRestoration: Ecosystem Restoration for People, Nature and Climate, 2021; Cross K et al., Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment, 2021.
• Earthly, Grasslands, 2024.
• IPBES, Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services, 2019.
• Sida 2022.
• IPBES-IPCC, IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored workshop report on biodiversity and climate change, 2021.
• Multi-bi aid contains of earmarked voluntary contributions to multilateral agencies.