Fields
Due to their potential to realise system-level change, we focus on three fields, which present large potential for scale. These fields are Finance, Legal Recourse and Applying Research.
Finance
Current efforts at the intersection of biodiversity and finance mainly focus on increasing finance for biodiversity-friendly activity, and are not commensurate to the scale of the challenge presented by the biodiversity crisis. For instance, for every dollar provided to projects reducing emissions from deforestation, $150 is channeled to activity that drives deforestation – over 99% of our economic engagement with forests is destructive. We need a step change in these efforts, and more importantly, a paradigm shift across mainstream finance so that it acts to restore nature rather than destroy it. We aim to stimulate genuine success at the intersection of biodiversity and finance by making the case to keystone actors for disruptive action to transform the rules that perpetuate our political and economic norms.
Legal Recourse
Biodiversity conservation law, and its enforcement, covers a huge range of topics and extends to all corners of the world. However, despite a 38-fold increase in environmental law between 1972 and 2017, current legal mechanisms are not sufficient. What is missing are efforts to change the political-economic “rules of the game” which govern society and the economy. By focusing beyond the development and enforcement of biological diversity conservation law, we intend to support key actors in the field of law to develop new, and apply existing, legal mechanisms in support of transformative action at the scale and speed required to protect and restore the natural world.
Applying Research
Without rigorous, peer-reviewed, evidence-based foundations to build on, the fields of environmental and conservation campaigning would not be possible. However, research processes often lack the integration of communications, campaigning and other practical, tangible, real-world focused activity, which may be either ignored or completely overlooked. Working with key academic actors and influencers, such as funders and research institutions, we aim to integrate narrative change and campaign planning as specific outputs and targets of research processes, with the aim of realising political-economic rules change in support of biodiversity.