Europe

Building partnerships and driving funding to protect nature

Conservation International protects nature for the well-being of humanity. Conservation International-Europe supports this mission through a combination of government partnerships, policy advocacy and industry engagement.

In partnership with committed national governments — including France, Germany, Norway and Sweden—and the European Union, Conservation International-Europe drives funding to protect and restore tropical forests around the world, increase protection and improve management of oceans, and produce and apply science-based evidence to promote nature-based development.

We work with European decision-makers to integrate nature-based solutions in national and international policies and support “green” economic stimulus packages. We help lawmakers design policies that address deforestation and ecosystem degradation, while connecting with international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

And we collaborate with industry leaders in key commodity sectors — such as coffee and palm oil production — to establish sustainable supply chains that do not contribute to deforestation.

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A 'package deal' for climate and nature

Recent U.N. climate talks in Dubai saw a new effort to promote investment in an often overlooked — and underfunded — climate solution: nature. The initiative, called “Country Packages for Forests, Nature and Climate,” aims to help countries protect forests, biodiversity and climate at the same time.

“In a nutshell, a ‘Country Package’ is pooled funding from governments, private donors and others to help developing countries with high levels of carbon and biodiversity meet their nature and climate commitments,” said Herbert Lust, senior vice president of Conservation International-Europe.

To jumpstart the initiative, Conservation International partnered with the government of France, the Rob Walton Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, to launch a “Seed Fund” to provide early support and galvanize larger public and private investment. For each Country Package, the Seed Fund intends to start by providing up to about $8 million to an initial four countries — including Ghana, the Republic of Congo and Papua New Guinea — that are home to a wealth of ecosystems and biodiversity.