Globally, funding available for conservation is reportedly one sixth of what’s needed to protect our natural environment. While we should continue to urge governments across the globe to increase public spending on conservation, closing the funding gap will also require us to look for innovative ways to bring in private investment and introduce appropriate market-based mechanisms.
In the Chinese context, the last four decades of strong growth has seen the accumulation of staggering ecological deficits. The worsening natural environment is compelling the Chinese leadership to advocate “ecological civilization”, balancing economic growth with environmental protection. To achieve this, the funding needs for investment in conservation and ecological restoration are immense.
Working in partnership with the Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Center under the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), this project will help address the funding gap for ecological restoration in China by exploring innovative financing mechanisms that can mobilize additional financial resources from the private sector and philanthropy, as well as deliver conservation results more cost-effectively.