En el Área de Conservación Ambiental (ACA) “Páramos y Bosques Nublados de Cachiaco y San Pablo -Pacaipampa”, el manejo del área es respaldado por las poblaciones locales, con el interés de asegurar la conservación y el buen uso de los recursos naturales de la zona, principalmente del recurso hídrico. Los acuerdos entre la comunidad se gestionan a través de asambleas con la finalidad de disminuir la presión sobre el bosque y páramo. A su vez, se promueven actividades productivas sostenibles para apoyar a las familias cercanas al ACA y mejorar su calidad, dinamizando la inversión pública, privada y de cooperación para lo cual se ha trabajado y validado de manera articulada con los diversos actores relacionados al ACA, un plan de gestión para un desarrollo ordenado en un corto, mediano y largo plazo.

El Manglar de San Pedro de Vice es un tipo único de bosque tropical que cuenta con especies de flora y fauna protegidas a nivel nacional e internacional y representa un espacio de refugio y alimentación para la migración de aves, reproducción y crecimiento de invertebrados y ecosistema de algarrobal.

En el año 2008, el Manglar de San Pedro fue designado el 13° Sitio RAMSAR del Perú. Con este antecedente, en el año 2013, se inicia el Proyecto Piloto sobre la Administración Local a través de la formación de un Comité de Gestión Participativa. Dicho Comité tiene el propósito de velar por la conservación del manglar con base en el diseño de herramientas de gestión, convirtiéndose en una de las pioneras en el manejo de humedales en el país.

The intersection of Web 3.0 technologies and conservation presents new opportunities to enhance transparency, accountability, funding mechanisms, and community engagement. As conservation challenges grow more complex, innovative tools like blockchain, DAOs, IoT, gamification, and tokenisation can provide scalable, verifiable, and impactful solutions. This document explores how these technologies align with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and actions, offering conservation practitioners, policymakers, and innovators a clear roadmap for implementation.

The Navigating Web 3.0 Guide is an interactive and user-friendly resource designed for conservationists to explore how Web 3.0 technologies can support their work. Web 3.0 is used here as an umbrella term for a set of emerging technologies that offer new ways to manage data, funding, and decision-making with greater transparency, accountability, and trust. The guide introduces blockchain, smart contracts, decentralised applications (DApps), decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs), Internet of Things (IoT), gamification, the metaverse, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Crucially, the guide was developed to address common barriers that limit engagement with these technologies. These include a lack of understanding of Web 3.0 concepts, the use of terminology that feels misaligned with conservation priorities, and limited access to tailored, sector-relevant guidance. These barriers often prevent conservation organisations from recognising the practical relevance and value of emerging technologies in their work.

The guide identifies 34 potential routes for strengthening data collection and management, resource allocation and financial sustainability, collaboration and communication, and monitoring and evaluation. These four areas reflect core operational functions for effective conservation action. It also presents eight key considerations for adopting new technologies, along with real-world case studies that showcase how these tools are already being applied. A glossary of terms and a reference list support further exploration and learning.

This tool is designed to help organisations ask the right questions, identify technologies that are most relevant to their specific context, and build confidence in navigating this emerging space. It provides a clear and structured entry point for learning and strategic direction. By focusing attention on the technologies most suited to an organisation’s needs, it enables conservation teams to explore further with purpose and clarity, whether independently or through technical support.

While developed for a wide range of conservation applications, the tool can also support species-focused efforts by helping organisations identify technologies that strengthen field monitoring, increase data transparency, and track conservation actions and results. These same approaches can enhance community engagement, real-time data collection, funding transparency, and education, and support conservation impact at local and landscape levels.

What is Web 3.0?

Web 3.0 is the next evolution of the internet. It shifts control away from centralised platforms and gives individuals, organisations, and communities more choice in how they manage information, funding, and decisions. Rather than relying on a single system or company, Web 3.0 technologies create shared spaces where data can be verified, resources can flow directly to results, and multiple partners can collaborate with greater transparency and trust.

These technologies work together as part of a wider shift. For example, blockchain creates records that cannot be changed, while smart contracts can automatically release funding when conservation targets are met. Tools known as decentralised platforms allow users to share and access data directly, without needing a central authority. Digital certificates, sometimes referred to as NFTs, can represent ownership of outcomes or trace the origin of a product. These systems reduce the need for intermediaries and increase the credibility of conservation work.

Web 3.0 also supports more participatory and inclusive ways of working. New digital governance models, such as DAOs, allow communities to have a say in how resources are used. Devices connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) can send real-time data from the field to a shared platform, improving decision-making across teams. Other tools are designed to bring people into conservation through gamified platforms, education tools, or immersive experiences. When combined, these technologies make it easier to engage partners, verify results, and fund conservation in ways that are trusted, inclusive, and scalable.

Why it matters for conservation

Web 3.0 technologies are creating new ways for conservation organisations to work more transparently, efficiently, and inclusively. These tools support real-time data collection, transparent payments, and automatic checks to confirm that conservation work has taken place. They make it easier to monitor progress across different systems, reduce duplication, and scale projects while still ensuring accountability.

A key benefit of these technologies is that they allow information to be stored and shared in ways that are open and trusted. Conservation actions can be tracked over time, with digital records showing who was involved, when actions took place, and what results were achieved. These records cannot be changed after the fact, which helps build trust between partners. They also reduce the need for intermediaries by linking funding directly to verified results through tools like smart contracts.

Web 3.0 also supports better coordination across organisations and platforms. Open systems make it easier to connect different tools, while shared data standards help everyone work from the same information. Organisations can choose the technologies that best fit their needs and adopt them gradually. At the same time, new forms of digital identity can help recognise the role of local communities and individuals, ensuring their contributions are visible and valued.

Together, these functions support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework by enabling measurable outcomes, strengthening inclusive governance, and unlocking new models of conservation finance. This includes milestone-based funding, biodiversity credits, and regenerative finance models that tie investment to lasting conservation results.

Supporting species conservation

These technologies are also helping conservationists and communities respond more quickly and effectively to threats facing species. Tools such as sensors and trackers can monitor wildlife in real time, giving teams the information they need to act fast. Blockchain systems and smart contracts can verify when key goals have been met, helping ensure that funding is released only when outcomes are delivered. This improves transparency and helps ensure resources are used effectively.

Web 3.0 also makes it easier for people to work together. Shared platforms allow different groups to access and contribute to the same information, while open-source tools reduce the costs of participation. Digital records and reputation systems can help highlight local leadership, showing clearly who is taking action and where. These tools can also support greater public engagement, through gamified systems, digital storytelling, or immersive learning environments that help people connect with conservation challenges in new ways.

These technologies have the potential to protect species more effectively, strengthen partnerships, and build long-term support for conservation because they can directly contribute to key goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework. This includes targets on data transparency (Target 21), sustainable funding (Target 19), inclusive governance (Target 22), species monitoring (Target 4), equitable benefit sharing (Target 13), and environmental education (Target 16).

Technologies and Case Studies

Blockchain and Smart Contracts

Blockchain acts as a secure, tamper-proof ledger that enables conservationists to track and verify data, funding, and ownership transparently. It helps prevent fraud, ensures funding reaches the right recipients, and secures land tenure records, preventing disputes that could threaten conservation projects. Smart contracts automate payments for conservation milestones, such as verified reforestation, ensuring efficient and accountable funding distribution. These technologies empower local communities by enabling direct, verifiable payments for conservation efforts, reducing reliance on intermediaries. Blockchain is also valuable in tracking supply chains, authenticating sustainably sourced products, and ensuring traceability from origin to consumer, preventing illegal trade and fraud. Additionally, blockchain can be integrated with monitoring and evaluation frameworks, enabling real-time financial tracking tied to measurable conservation outcomes. Tokenisation of real-world assets, such as carbon credits, biodiversity units, and land rights, provides a new funding model, allowing conservation organisations and communities to unlock financial value from natural assets. While blockchain increases transparency, concerns exist about its environmental impact and integration challenges. However, when used effectively, blockchain strengthens trust, ensures sustainable funding, and enhances accountability in conservation finance.

Discover how your organisation could apply blockchain to build trust, improve traceability, and drive positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Case Study: GainForest uses blockchain and AI to enable sustainable funding streams for Indigenous and local communities leading environmental projects worldwide. Through a marketplace called Ecocertain, communities create ecocerts to showcase their verifiable conservation work and receive funding directly and in real-time without middlemen. To ensure credibility, GainForest develops an AI impact evaluation system that reviews projects through field data, satellite imagery, and community reports. This system connects donors who want to see real results to local environmental efforts, which enables transparent funding while cutting out bureaucracy. GainForest is also co-creating the Nature Guild, a decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO) that transfers governance to local communities, ensuring nature stewards at the forefront of conservation have final decision-making authority over their own financial flows, knowledge sharing, and resource allocation.

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs)

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations or DAOs enable decentralised governance in conservation by allowing stakeholders to collectively manage funding and decision-making through blockchain-based voting. These organisations improve transparency and reduce administrative bottlenecks, ensuring resources are distributed fairly. By giving local communities a direct voice in conservation decisions, DAOs empower those closest to conservation challenges, ensuring local knowledge guides resource management. They also enhance financial sustainability by enabling self-sustaining funding pools that support long-term conservation efforts without reliance on external donors. DAOs also support collaboration and communication by creating transparent decision-making structures that include multiple stakeholders, ensuring collective accountability. Additionally, tokenised assets within DAOs allow local communities to hold direct stakes in conservation projects, ensuring that they benefit financially from biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management. However, challenges include ensuring broad participation, preventing governance manipulation, maintaining efficiency in decision-making, and addressing legal recognition of DAOs as formal entities within regulatory frameworks. When structured well, DAOs provide an equitable way to manage conservation resources while building trust and accountability.

Discover how your organisation could explore decentralised governance models such as DAOs to support inclusive decision-making and drive positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Case Study: The Regen Network is governed by a DAO that enables community-led decision-making on ecological asset issuance and land restoration initiatives. Token holders participate in governance, ensuring that conservation funding and carbon credit systems remain transparent, accountable, and science-driven. By using blockchain, Regen Network provides a decentralised marketplace where land stewards can validate and trade ecological credits, fostering financial sustainability for conservation. This governance model reduces reliance on centralised authorities, empowering local communities to take direct action in managing and benefiting from conservation efforts. Regen Network exemplifies how DAOs can create an equitable and verifiable system for environmental stewardship.

Decentralised Applications (DApps)

Decentralised Applications or DApps operate on blockchain networks without central control, providing secure, transparent platforms for conservation initiatives. They can facilitate peer-to-peer carbon credit trading, biodiversity data management, and direct donor-to-project transactions, helping measure and verify conservation impact. By eliminating intermediaries, DApps ensure funds and resources reach intended recipients efficiently and transparently. These applications also enhance decentralised conservation reporting, allowing local communities, scientists, and funders to collectively validate data on biodiversity changes and conservation outcomes. Additionally, DApps improve resource allocation and financial management by enabling conservation organisations to track grants, disbursements, and expenditures in real time, increasing accountability and reducing waste. However, their success depends on accessibility, blockchain literacy, and a user-friendly design. When tailored to conservation needs, DApps enhance trust, accountability, and effective funding distribution.

Discover how your organisation could explore decentralised applications to improve collaboration, data sharing, and positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Case Study: Open Forest Protocol (OFP) is a decentralised platform designed to increase the transparency, efficiency, and accessibility of reforestation efforts worldwide. Built on the NEAR blockchain, OFP enables local communities and project developers to collect standardised forest data using mobile applications, which is then independently verified through a broad and expanding peer review network of forest-technology companies and practitioners and permanently recorded on-chain. This model enhances trust in reforestation outcomes and promotes greater inclusion in carbon finance, supporting long-term stewardship and livelihood opportunities. While OFP’s current focus is on reforestation under its Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) methodology, the platform’s open architecture offers a blueprint for how decentralised applications can contribute to broader biodiversity goals. By lowering technical and financial barriers, embedding transparency into environmental monitoring, and centring community governance, OFP demonstrates how emerging technologies can support enabling conditions for species recovery and ecosystem restoration.

Gamification

Gamification integrates rewards, challenges, and progress tracking to encourage conservation participation. Gamification is enhanced by using blockchain-based tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralised finance models to verify and reward contributions, such as biodiversity monitoring or citizen science efforts. Tokenisation allows for real-world conservation incentives, such as impact-based rewards. Gamification leverages core principles of immersion, education, and engagement to build communities around conservation efforts. By incorporating interactive learning tools, fun challenges, and game-based storytelling, gamification can enhance environmental education and encourage sustained participation. Immersive experiences, such as conservation-themed digital games and virtual rewards, help connect users emotionally to conservation challenges. This approach ensures that conservation actions feel rewarding while fostering long-term behavioural change. However, gamification must be designed to encourage real-world impact rather than superficial participation. When structured effectively, it can increase engagement, strengthen conservation communities, and create measurable conservation impact.

Discover how your organisation could use gamified tools to engage new audiences, inspire action, and drive positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Case Study: FathomVerse is a mobile game designed to inspire a new wave of ocean explorers. It invites players to interact with real underwater imagery while contributing to science. The ocean is the largest habitable ecosystem on the planet, yet up to 60% of its species remain undocumented. FathomVerse helps address this gap by turning mobile gameplay into meaningful scientific data. With immersive visuals, research-based mini-games, and a growing global player community, the game draws users into the world of ocean science. It is especially focused on reaching learners from high school age and above, offering a simple and engaging way to learn about marine biodiversity and contribute to real-world research.

Since launching in 2024, FathomVerse has engaged more than 30,000 players across 173 countries and produced over 15 million annotations. The most recent version introduces new features that enhance participation, strengthen community connection, and expand scientific value. Players classify animals, draw bounding boxes, and tag behaviours, helping researchers train artificial intelligence models that improve biodiversity monitoring. With each interaction, users build skills, explore new knowledge, and contribute to a growing body of data that supports ocean conservation. FathomVerse shows how education, participation, and technology can come together to support species discovery and long-term stewardship of marine ecosystems.

Metaverse

The metaverse provides immersive environments for conservation awareness, education, and collaboration. Virtual experiences allow users to explore ecosystems, track migrations, and understand environmental issues in an engaging way. These tools can be used for training, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising, helping conservationists reach a wider audience. Conservationists can also develop virtual twins of protected areas to model ecosystem changes, test interventions, and simulate different conservation scenarios before applying them in the real world. Virtual collaborations create opportunities for cross-border conservation efforts, allowing diverse stakeholders to engage in shared initiatives despite geographical barriers. The metaverse also provides opportunities for financial sustainability through digital assets, sponsorships, and gamification, allowing conservation organisations to generate revenue while fostering engagement. Blockchain integration ensures traceability and accountability, creating new funding mechanisms that support long-term conservation efforts. However, barriers such as accessibility and the energy consumption of virtual platforms need consideration. When used strategically, the metaverse can inspire empathy and drive international support for conservation efforts.

Discover how your organisation could explore immersive platforms like the metaverse to support education, training, and positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Non-fungible tokens, NFTs function as digital certificates of ownership recorded on a blockchain. In conservation, they verify the authenticity of scientific records, conservation impact reports, and land ownership documents. Unlike traditional collectibles, NFTs can also be dynamic, updating with real-world conservation progress, such as forest regrowth. By integrating smart contracts, NFTs ensure transparent transactions and fund allocation, helping conservationists create sustainable income streams. NFTs also allow for the tokenisation of real-world conservation assets, such as protected land, carbon credits, or species adoptions, providing new financial mechanisms for long-term funding. Some conservation-focused NFTs incorporate royalty mechanisms, ensuring a percentage of resales continues to fund conservation initiatives. However, concerns exist about speculation and environmental impact, making it essential to use sustainable blockchain solutions and focus on NFTs as verification tools rather than speculative assets. By framing NFTs as digital certification tools, they can help build trust, support sustainable funding, and create transparent conservation impact measurement systems.

Discover how your organisation could apply NFTs and digital certificates to verify outcomes, trace contributions, and drive positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as GPS trackers and environmental sensors, provide real-time conservation data, helping monitor wildlife movements, habitat conditions, and poaching threats. These tools improve conservation monitoring and evaluation by ensuring accurate, tamper-proof data collection. When combined with blockchain, IoT ensures data integrity and traceability, reducing the risk of tampering and increasing accountability. IoT devices combined with AI can enhance predictive analytics, enabling conservationists to anticipate poaching risks, habitat degradation, and climate threats based on real-time sensor data. This strengthens conservation planning and enforcement while supporting impact measurement. Additionally, IoT devices can enhance data collection and management by integrating diverse environmental metrics into unified conservation databases, providing a more holistic view of ecosystem health. However, challenges include data security, connectivity in remote areas, and ethical considerations in data collection. Used effectively, IoT strengthens conservation monitoring, improves collaborations, and ensures transparent environmental data reporting.

Discover how your organisation could use connected devices and real-time data systems to strengthen monitoring and drive positive conservation impact through the Navigating Web 3.0 Guide for conservationists.

Case Study: Connected Conservation Foundation’s initiative has deployed Africa’s largest IoT-powered network to support wildlife protection and community-led conservation across 3 million hectares in Kenya’s Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT). The system utilises LoRaWAN gateways, high-bandwidth communications, and 600+ IoT sensors to enable real-time monitoring across NRT’s 22 community-led conservancies and four private reserves. These tools help rangers track endangered species, prevent poaching, and regulate tourism and grazing. By integrating technology with local stewardship, the network strengthens community collaboration, ecosystem resilience, and sustainable conservation management. This initiative is a collaboration between Northern Rangelands Trust, Cisco, Actility, Dimension Data, 51 Degrees, EarthRanger, INL, and the European Union.

Alignment of Web 3.0 Technologies with GBF Targets and GSAP Actions

GBF Target 1: Plan and Manage All Areas to Reduce Biodiversity Loss

• Action 1.1: Develop and implement participatory, integrated, and biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning processes.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures transparent and tamper-proof records of land use and spatial plans, allowing stakeholders to track conservation commitments and prevent land disputes.
  • Metaverse
    • Enables virtual simulations of biodiversity planning scenarios, helping stakeholders visualise and refine conservation strategies before implementation.
  • Action 1.2: Implement awareness-raising campaigns to promote biodiversity-inclusive spatial planning.Gamification
    • Engages the public in conservation planning through interactive storytelling, rewards, and community participation tools.
  • Metaverse
    • Provides immersive education experiences to demonstrate the impact of land-use decisions on biodiversity.

GBF Target 4: Halt Species Extinction, Protect Genetic Diversity, and Manage Human-Wildlife Conflicts

• Action 4.1: Implement monitoring systems to track species populations and health.
  • IoT
    • Uses sensor networks and real-time monitoring to track species movements, detect poaching threats, and assess population health.
    • LoRaWAN networks enable localised, low-power IoT connectivity, allowing conservationists to monitor remote habitats cost-effectively.
  • Blockchain
    • Provides a verifiable ledger of biodiversity data, ensuring data integrity and enabling open access for conservation research.
  • Blockchain & DApps
    • Facilitates payments for ecosystem services, such as human-wildlife conflict mitigation activities, through transparent smart contract mechanisms. A rewards-based system can incentivise conservation-friendly practices by compensating local communities for successful coexistence strategies.

GBF Target 5: Ensure Sustainable, Safe, and Legal Harvesting and Trade of Wild Species

• Action 5.1: Strengthen monitoring and compliance mechanisms to prevent illegal wildlife trade.
  • Blockchain, Smart Contracts & IoT
    • Combining blockchain, smart contracts, and IoT ensures sustainable harvesting practices by enabling real-time monitoring, compliance automation, and transparent trade records. Blockchain provides immutable records of wild species harvesting and trade, ensuring legality and sustainability. Smart contracts automate compliance checks and enforce sustainable quotas through transparent digital agreements. IoT devices capture real-time environmental and species data, enabling adaptive management and informed decision-making to maintain ecological balance.

GBF Target 6: Reduce the Introduction of Invasive Alien Species by 50% and Minimise Their Impact

• Action 6.1: Implement early detection and rapid response systems for invasive species.
  • IoT & Blockchain
    • Uses IoT devices for early detection of invasive species, with data recorded on a blockchain for real-time monitoring and coordinated response.

GBF Target 8: Minimise the Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity

• Action 8.1: Enhance voluntary carbon markets to support climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures transparency in carbon credit and biodiversity net gain credit trading (including water, biodiversity, and ecosystems) by verifying transactions and preventing double counting.
  • DApps
    • Facilitates decentralised carbon credit and biodiversity net gain credit trading, ensuring equitable participation and direct transactions between buyers and conservation projects.
  • Metaverse
    • Runs simulations and digital twins to better manage resources, understand global systems, and assess their impact. This technology engages a large, diverse audience through virtual and immersive experiences, building knowledge and fostering a stronger connection to climate-related issues.

GBF Target 9: Manage Wild Species Sustainably to Benefit People

• Action 9.1: Promote sustainable management practices for wild species to support local communities.
  • DAOs
    • Facilitates transparent governance, enabling local communities to have a direct voice in decision-making and ensuring equitable management of wild species.
  • Gamification & Metaverse
    • Builds interactive programs to engage local communities, fostering excitement and deeper connections with nature while promoting conservation awareness.
    • Encourages grassroots communities to take action through immersive experiences and interactive storytelling.
  • Tokenised Reward Systems
    • Integrates reward-based incentives through DAOs or credit-based systems, ensuring communities receive fair compensation for their conservation efforts and contributions.
  • Decentralised Platforms
    • Facilitates community-based management of wild species, ensuring equitable benefit-sharing and data transparency.

GBF Target 10: Enhance Biodiversity and Sustainability in Agriculture, Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Forestry

• Action 10.1: Strengthen sustainability practices in agricultural and fisheries supply chains.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures supply chain transparency, tracing products from farm to consumer to verify sustainable sourcing.

GBF Target 11: Restore, Maintain, and Enhance Nature’s Contributions to People

• Action 11.1: Develop incentive-based approaches to restore and maintain ecosystem services.
  • Gamification & Metaverse
    • Encourages people to engage with the natural world through immersive experiences, interactive education programs, and digital storytelling.
    • Fosters grassroots conservation communities, inspiring collective action and local environmental stewardship.
    • Enables reward-based systems through DAOs or credit-based mechanisms, ensuring individuals and communities are incentivised for positive conservation actions.
  • Tokenisation of Ecosystem Services
    • Develops tokenised systems to value and trade ecosystem services, promoting ecosystem restoration and conservation efforts.

GBF Target 12: Enhance Green Spaces and Urban Planning for Human Well-Being and Biodiversity

• Action 12.1: Manage green and blue spaces to maximise their value for species and connectivity.
  • Metaverse
    • Provides virtual models for urban planners to assess the impact of green infrastructure on biodiversity.
  • IoT
    • Monitors environmental conditions in urban ecosystems, tracking air quality, soil health, and species interactions. Integrates real-time monitoring with AI-driven data analysis and predictive models to assess urban biodiversity trends, identify risks, and optimise conservation efforts.

GBF Target 13: Increase the Sharing of Benefits from Genetic Resources, Digital Sequence Information, and Traditional Knowledge

• Action 13.1: Ensure fair and equitable benefit-sharing of genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
  • Metaverse
    • Traditional knowledge can be shared and brought to life through immersive experiences, education programs, and community-building initiatives that engage wide audiences.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures transparent and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

GBF Target 14: Integrate Biodiversity in Decision-Making at Every Level

• Action 14.1: Incorporate species values into whole-government policy and national accounting systems.
  • Blockchain
    • Records and tracks biodiversity metrics, ensuring transparent and immutable data integration into national biodiversity policies. Supports tokenisation of real-world assets, enabling biodiversity credit payments to be verified through blockchain for transparent financial transactions.
  • DApps
    • Facilitates decentralised biodiversity reporting, ensuring real-time accessibility of conservation data and integrating tokenised assets into national conservation finance mechanisms.
  • Action 14.2: Strengthen sustainability standards and corporate accountability for biodiversity impact.
    • Blockchain
      • Enables full supply chain traceability, ensuring products are sustainably sourced and preventing illegal exploitation of natural resources.
    • Smart Contracts
      • Automates fair payments to communities engaged in conservation efforts, ensuring transparency and preventing financial leakages.
    • Tokenisation
      • Creates digital proof of biodiversity-positive supply chains, allowing businesses to verify and showcase their sustainability commitments.

GBF Target 15: Businesses Assess, Disclose, and Reduce Biodiversity-Related Risks and Negative Impacts

• Action 15.1: Require businesses to disclose and mitigate their biodiversity impacts.
  • Blockchain for ESG Reporting
    • Provides immutable and transparent tracking of corporate biodiversity impacts, enabling businesses to verify their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.

GBF Target 16: Enable Sustainable Consumption Choices to Reduce Waste and Overconsumption

• Action 16.1: Promote consumer awareness and responsible consumption choices.
  • Gamification & Metaverse
    • Develops interactive education programs to engage consumers, making sustainable consumption choices more accessible and rewarding.
    • Encourages community-building through immersive storytelling, fostering collective action toward biodiversity-friendly consumption habits.
    • Uses gamified incentives and virtual experiences to create lasting behaviour change and promote conscious consumerism.
  • DApps for Consumer Awareness
    • Develops decentralised applications that inform consumers about the biodiversity impacts of products, promoting sustainable consumption behaviours. Integrates reward-based systems that incentivise individuals who undertake positive conservation activities, ensuring ongoing engagement and impact.

GBF Target 19: Mobilise $200 Billion per Year for Biodiversity from All Sources, Including $30 Billion Through International Finance

• Action 19.1: Develop and implement financial mechanisms to support biodiversity conservation.
  • NFTs
    • Generates funding through conservation-linked digital assets, with resale royalties providing sustained financial support for projects.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures transparent tracking of conservation funding, direct payments to local conservation initiatives, and tokenisation of real-world assets for biodiversity financing. Empowers unbanked communities by enabling direct digital payments for conservation work, verified through blockchain-based land tenure systems.
  • DAOs
    • Facilitates community-led funding pools and transparent financial governance, ensuring equitable and sustainable conservation financing through decentralised mechanisms.
  • DApps
    • Supports direct peer-to-peer conservation financing by enabling transparent, automated, and trustless transactions for biodiversity protection.
  • eDNA & Blockchain Verification
    • Enhances biodiversity credit verification by using environmental DNA (eDNA) to authenticate conservation impact on-chain, ensuring credibility for investors and regulatory bodies.
  • Action 19.2: Unlock corporate and investment funding through transparent sustainability mechanisms.
    • Blockchain & Smart Contracts
      • Provide immutable proof of conservation efforts, ensuring corporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) funds are directed to verified projects.
    • Tokenised Environmental Credits
      • Allow investors to engage in conservation finance through tradeable digital credits, including carbon credits, biodiversity net gain credits, and emerging credit systems for water and ecosystem services. These credits generate sustainable funding flows and enhance accountability in conservation finance.
    • DApps & DAOs
      • Enable decentralised governance models that hold corporate contributions accountable, ensuring transparent and impact-driven investment.

GBF Target 20: Strengthen Capacity Building for Biodiversity Conservation

• Action 20.1: Support innovation in technology and knowledge-sharing to improve conservation outcomes.
  • Metaverse
    • Provides virtual training environments for conservationists, enhancing accessibility to knowledge-sharing tools.
  • DAOs
    • Facilitates decentralised decision-making and funding mechanisms to support conservation innovation and collaborative research.

GBF Target 21: Ensure That Knowledge is Available and Accessible to Guide Biodiversity Action

• Action 21.1: Promote open access to biodiversity data and information.
  • DApps
    • Enables decentralised data sharing, ensuring open access to biodiversity information without reliance on central authorities.
  • Blockchain
    • Ensures data integrity and traceability, preventing misinformation and ensuring credibility in biodiversity data repositories.

GBF Target 22: Ensure Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice and Information Related to Biodiversity for All

• Action 22.1: Ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making related to biodiversity.
  • DAOs
    • Empowers communities by enabling decentralised governance, ensuring equitable decision-making processes for conservation initiatives.
  • Blockchain
    • Provides a secure record of indigenous land rights and conservation agreements, preventing disputes and ensuring transparency. Facilitates digital land verification, allowing unbanked communities to securely register land ownership and access conservation incentives.

Conclusion

Web 3.0 technologies have the potential to transform conservation efforts by improving financial transparency, data accessibility, governance, and community engagement. By leveraging blockchain for trust, IoT for real-time monitoring, DAOs for decentralised decision-making, and tokenisation for funding mechanisms, conservation organisations can create scalable, impact-driven solutions. However, successful integration requires collaboration between conservationists, technologists, and policymakers to ensure that these tools are applied effectively and ethically.

This document serves as a reference for those seeking to integrate Web 3.0 solutions into biodiversity strategies and build a more transparent, inclusive, and financially sustainable future for conservation.

Ecosystem services were mapped and valued in a participatory process that included designing spatially-explicit scenarios of future human uses throughout Belize’s coastal zone. To understand the implications of different development scenarios, the team used InVEST models to map future value of coastal protection, recreation, and fisheries services. The resulting Plan can help the people of Belize plot a wiser course for managing the incredibly valuable resources their ocean and coast provide.

The Grenadines MarSIS illustrates how a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) approach supported the development of demand-driven information on marine resources and spatial uses of the transboundary Grenada Bank. Stakeholder engagement not only increased understanding and provided useful and publicly accessible information, but also created ownership of information produced and validated the role of participation in research and governance.

The new integrated spatial plan of Bontang City has been adopted by the local parliament in 2012 and is being implemented in parts. It now includes both land and marine areas with its mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds located within four miles from the shoreline. It is the first example of the implementation of the Indonesian Law No 26/2007 on Spatial Planning and Law No 27/2007 on Coastal Area and Small Islands Management to be applied in coastal districts/cities in Indonesia.

Tanzania is a fast urbanising society. At the same time, urban residents are reliant on nature. Peri-urban agriculture, artisanal fishing and nature-based tourism support thousands of livelihoods. Dar Es Salaam is also located in a globally important biodiversity hotspot, the ‘East African Coastal Forest’.  Dar es Salaam has a long history of greening but the spatial allocation of greening funds have not been strategic. Based on this need, ‘A Thematic Atlas of Nature’s Benefits to Dar es Salaam’ was co-developed with a wide range of stakeholders. The Atlas was based on ecosystem services thinking and each of seven ‘themes’ in The Atlas represents an urban challenge, such as rising urban heat or flooding. Descriptive information about nature’s benefits in Dar es Salaam and the maps were packaged as an easy-to-read report and which is downloadable for free. The information and maps in the Atlas facilitate evidence-based decisions on where to invest in greening to achieve social outcomes.

In many developing countries, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and its effects on natural ecosystems have led societies to discuss the need for curbing the growth of production activities. This creates a paradox given that these countries, in turn, require more production to rebuild their national economy. In this respect, ProYungas Foundation has developed the concept of “Protected Productive Landscape”, which derives from the Category V of the IUCN (“Protected Landscape”). But the novel part of this idea is that it puts production activities as the central point in the generation of economic, technical and political resources necessary for the preservation of the natural environment where these production activities take place. This concept places the production sector as the focal point of action, shifting it from the “problem side” to the “solution side”.  Currently, more than 300,000 hectares are being managed under this concept in critical ecosystems (Yungas and Chaco) in northern Argentina and Paraguay.

Ecosystem services were mapped and valued in a participatory process that included designing spatially-explicit scenarios of future human uses throughout Belize’s coastal zone. To understand the implications of different development scenarios, the team used InVEST models to map future value of coastal protection, recreation, and fisheries services. The resulting Plan can help the people of Belize plot a wiser course for managing the incredibly valuable resources their ocean and coast provide.

The Grenadines MarSIS illustrates how a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) approach supported the development of demand-driven information on marine resources and spatial uses of the transboundary Grenada Bank. Stakeholder engagement not only increased understanding and provided useful and publicly accessible information, but also created ownership of information produced and validated the role of participation in research and governance.

Surexploitées pour le marché asiatique, les holothuries blanches à mamelles (Holothuria fuscogilva) sont désormais reconnues vulnérables (liste rouge de l’UICN) et sont inscrites à la CITES (Annexe II). Pour participer à la conservation de cette espèce, il est primordial de comprendre le comportement de l’animal dans son milieu sauvage, sa distribution et son stock. L’étude se déroule à Vairao (côte sud-ouest de Tahiti), où est basée l’écloserie d’holothurie. Les évaluations sous-marines ont permis de localiser 10 sites propices à l’agrégation de l’espèce. Ces sites représentent 15% de la surface totale du lagon et sont catégorisés en 3 types de zones géomorphologiques : les abords de passe, les chenaux profonds et la pente interne du lagon. Les résultats démontrent une densité de 53 ind./Ha aux abords de passe, 41 ind./Ha dans les chenaux et 125 ind./Ha aux pentes internes, soit une densité moyenne comprise entre de 65 ind./ Ha (estimation basse) et 73 ind./Ha (estimation haute).

The project addresses the dilemma of finding an economically viable grain crop that would not sacrifice food production for wildlife/biodiversity benefits. With the use of the non-GMO grain crop, spelt (Triticum aestivum subsp. Spelta), an alternative vegetation type on land can aid and maximize habitat value for rare grassland species and increase biodiversity on the landscape while also providing the producer with an economical food crop. The project results indicate that biodiversity increased and from an agricultural standpoint spelt was a more economical crop than hay.

Solution is undertaken using scientific fruit plant propagation and conducting innovative top-wedge grafting of (tree tomato) tamarillo (Solanum betaceum) terminal bud stick scion into its poisonous wild relative  bug weed rootstock tolerant to drought and resistant to soil borne diseases and pests as well as having longer roots  than tamarillo and stronger ones. Both plants belong to Solanaceae plant family, hence grafting the two plants is compatible and methodology transforms bug weed (Solanum mauritianum) as required. This innovation has therefore created food, agriculture and economic opportunities by using grafting methodology to transform the poisonous bug weed into agro biodiversity resources problem globally. Innovation is expected to contribute to feeding the ever growing world population that is expected to be nine billion by 2050.

The concept of food and nutritional security refers to the ability of all people at all times to have physical and income access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active healthy life. It requires food being available enough, stable and accessible; without which inevitably leads to malnourishment that hinders individual performance.  

Any enhancement of the food security calls for farmers’ sensitization and encouragement to adopt strategic methods that will not only cater to food and nutritional security but also income at a household level and sound management of the environment.

Climate change will affect availability, stability, utilization, and access to food security …(UN-ESCAP: Agriculture and Food Security, Asia)

When we farm in a way that maximizes the amount of carbon captured in our crops, and we return as much of that carbon as possible to the soil, we can effectively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the soil.

Groasis Ecological Water Saving Technology consists of 5 steps that can be taken together or each step individually. It works according to the ‘Triple 90 benefits‘: 90% less water use, 90% cheaper and +90% survival rate. The steps are 1) Stimulating rainwater infiltration in the soil through making 15 kms of mini-terraces per hour with the Terracedixx / 2) Digging planting holes with the Capillary drill that keeps the soil capillary system intact / 3) Using Growmaxx mycorrhizae to help improve the function of or replace fertilizers / 4) Using the intelligent bucket Growboxx® plant cocoon and 5) Using the Growsafe plant protector against goats/ sheep. The technology allows to plant productive trees (orchards, timber, medicines, fodder) in combination with vegetables. They produce food and create short term revenues that allow to finance the technology through microcredit. The technology can be used by literate and illiterate, is gender neutral and does not require cultural adaptation.

The world’s largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier reef, is an extremely biodiverse habitat. The corals that comprise the reef are the backbone of the ecosystem that many marine animals depend on. Ocean currents drive the population dynamics of corral and the entire reef system. Connection of fishing zones to no-take zones and connection between inshore and offshore habitats along with zones of high larvae dispersal would be the most effective way to conserve the delicate reef habitat. Without data on larvae dispersal, it was critical to determine the best spots for connectivity. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) was substantially rezoned and expanded in 2003, based on systematic planning principles. Eleven biophysical operating principles (BOPs) were devised to protect representative examples of each of the GBR’s 70 bioregions. The maintenance of connectivity was also an explicit goal of the marine park – both the total size of the no-take marine reserves and their individual locations were considered.

En 2013 el Sistema de Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (PNNC) estructuró 8 casos piloto para integrar las áreas protegidas al ordenamiento territorial, como insumo para la Política de Ordenamiento Territorial nacional. En 2014, suscribió un convenio con UICN para el proyecto “Planificación de Ordenamiento Territorial Integrado para la biodiversidad”, iniciativa que promueve la implementación del Plan Estratégico del CBD 2011-2020 con metodologías participativas sobre uso de suelo e integración del cambio climático en 4 países.

En Colombia, se apoyó dos casos piloto en San Juan Nepomuceno, Bolívar, y Santa Rosa, Cauca. La experiencia se basa en el trabajo interinstitucional y multinivel de entidades públicas nacionales, autoridades ambientales, entidades territoriales y comunidades locales; el fortalecimiento de capacidades e intercambio de conocimiento para la gestión del territorio; y la complementariedad entre instrumentos de planeación ambiental y ordenamiento territorial.

Las Áreas Marinas Protegidas juegan un papel clave en el mantenimiento de las pesquerías globales. En su interior, los individuos presentan mayores tallas, hay una mayor densidad y biomasa, así como una mayor riqueza de especies. Estos incrementos también van más allá de los límites del área protegida a través del efecto “desborde”. Con la creación del DMI Yuruparí – Malpelo, se fortalecerá el manejo de las pesquerías de atún y medianos pelágicos, garantizando el mantenimiento del recurso pesquero y los bienes y servicios asociados, contribuyendo a garantizar la seguridad alimentaria del país y la conservación de los recursos pesqueros mediante acciones de planificación y ordenamiento, así como a conservar el patrimonio natural marino del Pacífico Este Tropical aportando a su conectividad ecosistémica. Es una estrategia con enfoque de paisaje de conservación de la biodiversidad local como el SFF Malpelo, y regional como el Área de Recursos Manejados Cordillera de Coiba en Panamá.

The solution aims at sustainable development in coastal areas of the East Asian Seas region by reducing and preventing impacts of natural disasters, climate change and sea level rise. It provides references and capacity building for national and local authorities in coastal and marine spatial planning. National adaptation activities and best practices for capacity building and field application tailored to needs and priorities of each country are provided.

Ecosystem services were mapped and valued in a participatory process that included designing spatially-explicit scenarios of future human uses throughout Belize’s coastal zone. To understand the implications of different development scenarios, the team used InVEST models to map future value of coastal protection, recreation, and fisheries services. The resulting Plan can help the people of Belize plot a wiser course for managing the incredibly valuable resources their ocean and coast provide.

The Grenadines MarSIS illustrates how a participatory geographic information system (PGIS) approach supported the development of demand-driven information on marine resources and spatial uses of the transboundary Grenada Bank. Stakeholder engagement not only increased understanding and provided useful and publicly accessible information, but also created ownership of information produced and validated the role of participation in research and governance.

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is an amazing natural treasure and one of the most precious ecosystems on Earth. In light of increasing pressures, and concerns raised by the World Heritage Committee on the impacts of development, the GBRMPA and other government agencies undertook a comprehensive strategic assessment, taking a look at the Reef’s values, the threats to those values and what is needed to manage and protect them.

Due to increasing pressure on vulnerable natural resources from tourism, local development, and climate change, state government planners in Melekeok (Palau) have identified a need to prioritize land use planning. A 3D model of the state was created using a participatory process, utlizing the knowledge of all demographic sectors of the community. The end result is a 12’ x 10.5’ x 6” model of that serves as a tool to help guide decision makers and community members how to plan for climate change adaptation, manage natural resource, and address land zoning issues. 

This solution addresses the complexities of having multiple jurisdictions and interests involved in co-managing a very large and diverse area. Today complementary management and planning provisions apply in virtually all marine waters within the GBR, irrespective of the jurisdictional responsibility.

The solution addresses stakeholder participation for planning and management of Israel’s marine space. An interactive web GIS platform has been developed to visualize the spatial distribution of different resource use in Israel’s marine waters to promote awareness of the marine environment. It also addresses the issues of transparency and knowledge dissemination. Stakeholders are actively involved in the planning process and accompanied by local and international scientific advisory committees.

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) recognises the need for landscape level approaches to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service preservation. The Landscape Level Assessment (LLA) approach uses and analyses evidence and spatial data to transparently assess the relative importance of different areas in their contribution towards conservation objectives. It is also used to estimate the socio-economic values of natural assets and to assess the vulnerability of biodiversity, ecological processes and land uses to current and future pressures.  

The Namibia LLA forms a live decision support tool comprising a series of maps, technical reports, communications pieces and database of information. These can be used to guide land use planning and to help decision makers understand the relative importance of biodiversity and ecological processes across a landscape.

The solution targets protection of iconic surf breaks in Peru. In absence of national, spatial coastal-marine planning strategies in a country rich in marine resources and beautiful coastal sceneries, SPDA´s initiative to protect surf breaks has stimulated positive responses from users: surfers, visitors, local fishing communities, tourist operators and sporting and local authorities.  SPDA´s  Act for Your Wave Initiave, is always received positively and receives media attention and citizen support and is the enabling platform for the solution. 

An ecosystem valuation analysis of St Maarten’s coral reefs quantifies the value of these ecosystems. The results were used to support the establishment of St Maarten’s first Marine Protected Area and to implement further management actions connected to the MPA. Moreover, the results were incorporated in climate change response strategies. The communication of the valuation’s outcome supports awareness rising among coastal communities and a growing understanding of the importance of coral reefs.

The new integrated spatial plan of Bontang City has been adopted by the local parliament in 2012 and is being implemented in parts. It now includes both land and marine areas with its mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds located within four miles from the shoreline. It is the first example of the implementation of the Indonesian Law No 26/2007 on Spatial Planning and Law No 27/2007 on Coastal Area and Small Islands Management to be applied in coastal districts/cities in Indonesia.

In Stuttgart, important green belts and green divides stretch between the built-up settlement areas, mitigating the climate heat stress. Greenery now covers more than 60% of the area. Furthermore, over 39% of Stuttgart’s surface area has been put under the protection of nature conservation orders. Incorporating these as important features in a Land Use Plan along with green belt policy are the most promising areas of municipal influence in respect of their impact on urban climatology and climate protection.

The Monitoring Manual for Summer and Winter Pastures (Etzold & Neudert 2013; Etzold et al. 2015) in the Greater Caucasus introduces a simple practical pasture assessment and monitoring tool for resource managers. Combined with basic socio-economic information (number of livestock, herding organization, grazing management) comprehensive recommendations for sustainable pasture management can be derived to maintain and enhance the condition of pastures in the future. The approach can be adapted to various ecological and socio-economic settings and was applied in all three South Caucasian countries, e.g. AM (Sisian, Gorayk), AZ (Ismayilli, Saatli, Gakh), GE (PA of Borjomi-Kharagauli, Lagodekhi, Tusheti and Vashlovani). Initially developed as a simple physical assessment approach a combination with remote sensing and GIS technology improves the overall assessment, in particular through more accurate data and assessment opportunities.

El Bosque de San Antonio, aporta a la conectividad ecológica con el Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de Cali. A pesar de su enorme importancia, la zona se encuentra bajo grandes amenazas como la pérdida de coberturas naturales por la creciente construcción de viviendas y la expansión de la frontera agrícola.

A efectos de revertir esta situación, se han desarrollado acuerdos de conservación para el manejo y uso sostenible de sus predios.

En este sentido, se han implementado más de 50 acuerdos de conservación y restauración de franjas de protección hídrica como así también la inclusión del área en los planes de ordenamiento territorial municipales en el marco de un sistema de gobernanza compartida, desarrollando  acciones de planificación integrada y participativa para el manejo sostenible del territorio y para el resguardo de los recursos hídricos que abastecen tanto a la población local como a las zonas aledañas.

El Área Ecológica de Conservación Municipal Tinajillas Río Gualaceño fue creada en el año 2014 bajo Ordenanza Municipal para conservar 31.959,35 ha de bosque húmedo tropical en la entrada a la Amazonía Ecuatoriana. El área está gestionada por el Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado (GAD) Municipal del Cantón Limón Indanza y es parte del modelo de desarrollo cantonal enfocado en articular la gestión local con la sustentabilidad ambiental. Este área representa un proceso con alta gerencia institucional y con iniciativas diversificadas para la sostenibilidad financiera. La misma pretende conservar la integridad ecológica de los ecosistemas, la biodiversidad y la belleza escénica del paisaje para su uso sostenible gracias a iniciativas económicas amigables con el ambiente. El lugar es estratégico también a nivel regional, porque forma parte del corredor biológico Sangay Podocarpus, que a su vez forma parte del Corredor de Conservación Abiseo-Cóndor-Kutucú.

El área de protección “Manguezal de Barra Grande” ha sufrido procesos devastadores con deforestación del ecosistema, causado por la ocupación humana, construcciones irregulares, instalaciones para extracción de sal, cultivo de camarones (cría de camarones en cautiverio), actividades contaminante como vertido de efluentes y residuos sólidos. Gracias a la implementación de una estrategia basada en una gestión compartida, participativa y alineada entre la comunidad, el poder público local y las empresas instaladas como así también una administración pública local altamente comprometida con la responsabilidad socio-ambiental, se ha logrado revertir esa nefasta situación convirtiendo este caso en un modelo altamente replicable en otras áreas con circunstancias similares.

De esta manera se ha logrado proteger los manglares, caatinga, mata atlántica como así tambien la protección de varias especies animales.

Ecosystem services were mapped and valued in a participatory process that included designing spatially-explicit scenarios of future human uses throughout Belize’s coastal zone. To understand the implications of different development scenarios, the team used InVEST models to map future value of coastal protection, recreation, and fisheries services. The resulting Plan can help the people of Belize plot a wiser course for managing the incredibly valuable resources their ocean and coast provide.

The study assessed the potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed Lancang-Mekong Development Plan (LMDP) and Pak Beng Hydropower Project and provided recommendations for improving the planning and management of these developments to effectively mitigate negative impacts. The study was undertaken in four phases (scoping, baseline assessment, impact assessment, and recommendations and management planning) and covered seven thematic areas:

1. Hydrology and sediments;
2. Aquatic biodiversity and wetlands;
3. Fish;
4. Amphibians and reptiles;
5. Birds;
6. Waterways; and
7. Socio-economics and livelihoods.

By identifying the potential impacts of the proposed developments and setting out mitigation strategies, the study served to inform the deliberations of decision-makers. It may have played a role in bringing about an informal agreement between Thailand and China to halt the plan.

In many developing countries, the expansion of the agricultural frontier and its effects on natural ecosystems have led societies to discuss the need for curbing the growth of production activities. This creates a paradox given that these countries, in turn, require more production to rebuild their national economy. In this respect, ProYungas Foundation has developed the concept of “Protected Productive Landscape”, which derives from the Category V of the IUCN (“Protected Landscape”). But the novel part of this idea is that it puts production activities as the central point in the generation of economic, technical and political resources necessary for the preservation of the natural environment where these production activities take place. This concept places the production sector as the focal point of action, shifting it from the “problem side” to the “solution side”.  Currently, more than 300,000 hectares are being managed under this concept in critical ecosystems (Yungas and Chaco) in northern Argentina and Paraguay.

The study assessed the potential environmental and social impacts of the proposed Lancang-Mekong Development Plan (LMDP) and Pak Beng Hydropower Project and provided recommendations for improving the planning and management of these developments to effectively mitigate negative impacts. The study was undertaken in four phases (scoping, baseline assessment, impact assessment, and recommendations and management planning) and covered seven thematic areas:

1. Hydrology and sediments;
2. Aquatic biodiversity and wetlands;
3. Fish;
4. Amphibians and reptiles;
5. Birds;
6. Waterways; and
7. Socio-economics and livelihoods.

By identifying the potential impacts of the proposed developments and setting out mitigation strategies, the study served to inform the deliberations of decision-makers. It may have played a role in bringing about an informal agreement between Thailand and China to halt the plan.