Modeling, Goalsetting, and Frameworks
Conservation Finance: A FrameworkBackgroundThe authors define conservation finance as “mechanisms and strategies that generate, manage, and deploy financial resources and align incentives to achieve nature conservation outcomes.” Governments are the largest contributors to conservation finance resources, and common mechanisms include grants, subsidies, and fiscal transfers, among others. Open access copy available |
Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation Needs for Food Security in 2030BACKGROUNDAdaptation has shown to be one of the solutions to coping with the severe effects of climate change. Investments are being made to improve agricultural production in food insecure regions, in the face of climate change. Adaptation mechanisms to be used include the use of more costly measures and identifying climate risk hotspots. Available with subscription or purchase |
IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based SolutionsBACKGROUNDThis manual from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) contains a framework for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in terms of its verification, design and scaling up. It provides answers on key questions on NbS: why there is a need for the standard, what does the standard do, who can use the standard, and how can the standard be used. More importantly, it highlights the importance of working with nature and its immense potential of addressing a plethora of societal changes through initiatives that “protect, manage, and restore the environment.” Open access copy available |
An Operational Framework for Defining and Monitoring Forest DegradationBackgroundThe article discusses how the current definitions of forest degradation do not account for certain factors that should be included, and further presents that the monitoring of forests is a much more holistic means of determining the state and the process (as a continuum of space and/or time) of degradation, which in turn can allow for much better restoration treatment options. Open access copy available |
Business models for sustainable investments in the context of tropical forest restorationBackgroundThis paper outlines the context and approaches of effective business models for sustainable investments in Tropical Forests. Triple bottom line business opportunities are defined and identified through a review of literature and analysis of three case studies (InIkea, FCFR Project, and Sustain Project). The conceptual frameworks surrounding sustainable business models are examined. Challenges and opportunities into the future are also explored. Open access copy available |
Modelling Deforestation in Dzalanyama Forest Reserve, Lilongwe, Malawi: Using Multi-agent Simulation ApproachBackgroundThe Dzalanyama Forest Reserve is a 90,000 + hectare area in Lilongwe, Malwi. There has been an increase in charcoal production in the area leading to land cover transitions in the reserve, particularly that forest cover decreased by 22,000 ha over a twenty year span between 1990 and 2010. Open access copy available |
A Cost-Benefit Framework for Analyzing Forest Landscape Restoration DecisionsBackgroundThis report provides a cost-benefit analysis of forest land restoration (FLR) decisions with a focus on African countries. It seeks to help decision makers "set prices for payment for ecosystem services, identify sources of restoration finance, identify low-cost/high-benefit pathways towards carbon sequestration, and identify priority landscapes for restoration based on return-on-investment analysis." Open access copy available |
Mitigation Needs Adaptation: Tropical Forestry and Climate ChangebackgroundThis paper examines how tropical forestry practices can contribute to maintaining and enhancing the ability of forests to adapt to global climate change. It considers challenges and opportunities for the integration of tropical forest management in broader methods of adaptation to climate change. Open access copy available |
A sustainability framework for assessing trade-offs in ecosystem servicesBackgroundThis report presents an analytical framework for achieving sustainability through the lens of ecosystem services. Conclusions & takeawaysThe report integrates both ecological and economic thinking to understand the dynamics of ecosystem services and human needs. A set of contrasting scenarios is presented as a way of illustrating both the pathways and the hurdles towards progress in sustainability. This report is intended to blend the disciplines of economics and ecology as a method for reaching wider audiences. Open access copy available |
On the Need of Legal Frameworks for Assessing Restoration Projects Success: New Perspectives from Sao Paulo State (Brazil)BackgroundThis article describes a legal framework that Sao Paulo state of Brazil enacted to promote ecosystem restoration projects on private lands through it's “New Forest Code” in 2012. Available with subscription or purchase |
