Recently, the International Institute for Green Finance (IIGF) and the London School of Economics and Political Science Grantham Research Institute jointly organized a seminar on Biodiversity Finance. This seminar explored recent advancements in biodiversity finance, spanning research, policy, and market implementation on a global scale, with a specific focus on the situation in China. Key themes included understanding financial risks associated with biodiversity, biodiversity finance plans, innovative market instruments, and the disclosure of biodiversity finance information. The seminar aimed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the progress in biodiversity finance from diverse stakeholder perspectives, address challenges, and highlight existing gaps in research, policy, and market aspects within the domain.
The seminar included comprehensive presentations from representatives of ministry departments, domestic financial institutions, multilateral development banks, and research institutes, offering thorough insights into the ongoing challenges and issues related to biodiversity finance.
Professor Wang Yao, the Director General of the International Institute of Green Finance, delivered the opening address. Emphasizing the importance of measures for biodiversity conservation, she highlighted that more than half of the global GDP is generated in industries heavily reliant on ecosystem services. Prof. Wang Yao underscored the necessity of assigning a financial value to the services provided by nature. She offered valuable perspectives on the advancement of biodiversity finance in China and discussed the contributions of IIGF through various research efforts and collaborative initiatives.
During the seminar, Dr. Simon DIKAU, Research Director of the International Network for Sustainable Financial Policy Insights, Research and Exchange (INSPIRE), LSE; Julia MAO, Senior Advisor, IIGF; Dr. Lidong MO, Researcher, Crowther Lab, ETH Zürich; and Jingyu GAO, Economic Associate, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, delivered keynote presentations. The speakers introduced novel biodiversity-related initiatives and innovative tools implemented by their respective institutions. They emphasized the significant dependence of economies and financial systems on nature, highlighting the importance of financial institutions recognizing biodiversity loss as a crucial factor and risk. The speakers also underscored the significance of integrating biodiversity into educational programs through collaborations between universities, financial institutions, think tanks, and other stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on engaging local communities.
During the seminar, a panel discussion on Biodiversity Finance, focusing on key progress and challenges in research, policy, and market application, took place. The discussion included participants such as Ms. Fei LENG, National Coordinator for Biodiversity Finance at UNDP; Qian WANG, Program Director (Shanghai) at WWF-Beijing Office; Yang ZHAO, Senior Engineer at the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China; Dr. Lidong MO, Researcher at Crowther Lab, ETH Zürich; Dr. Simon DIKAU, Research Director of INSPIRE at LSE; and  Xun WANG, Researcher at the Center for Climate Finance, IIGF. The panel was moderated by Daria GERASIMENKO, assistant Researcher at IIGF. During the discussion, the experts presented ongoing initiatives and projects within their organizations aimed at sustainability objectives and biodiversity finance development. They highlighted challenges such as the lack of awareness among financial institutions regarding biodiversity loss risks and emphasized biodiversity finance as a driving force for sustainable development and preventing biodiversity loss. The panelists stressed the importance of collaboration among different stakeholders at national and international levels through education programs, workshops, and joint research initiatives, combining traditional knowledge with innovative solutions.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Simon DIKAU, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the climate agenda and biodiversity conservation. He underscored the significance of raising awareness about biodiversity financial tools, highlighting the importance of openness in such crucial projects. Dr. Simon DIKAU expressed hope for organizing more similar seminars in the future, involving diverse stakeholders, providing capacity building, and fostering collaboration.
IIGF and LSE have established a strong partnership. Following this seminar on Biodiversity Finance, IIGF is committed to sustaining academic exchanges and collaboration with LSE in the future, aiming to facilitate ongoing academic exchanges and knowledge sharing through seminars and collaborative research modes, thereby contributing to the advancement of global green finance and the adoption of sustainable development practices.