Europe

Building partnerships and driving funding to protect nature

Conservation International protects nature for the well-being of humanity. Conservation International-Europe has staff in France, Germany, Belgium and the UK supporting this mission through a combination policy advocacy, corporate engagement, nature finance and science partnerships.

In partnership with committed national governments, philanthropists, businesses and financial institutions, we leverage Europe’s progressive public and private funding sector 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.

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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.