Reforestamos México developed a solution that allows Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) located near big cities to become a center point that brings alliances, hands and financial resources together in order to plant trees in degraded forests, improve the livelihood of local communities and increase forest awareness among urban people, which derives in better private and public political will to develop initiatives for the benefit of protected and unprotected forests.

IUCN in Jordan and the global power company AES Levant are working together to engage stakeholders in seeking solutions to environmental issues affecting the area to the east of the capital Amman, such as to biodiversity degradation and environmental pollution in an area that are witnessing rapid land use changes towards a more industrialized uses . The project brings together private sector, governmental institutions, environmental experts and local communities in a unique initiative, creating a model that can encourage other private companies to help communities with environmental planning on a local level.

The TEEBAgriFood Initiative developed a unique comprehensive evaluation framework which allows assessing of impacts and externalities of agriculture and food systems – the environmental, health, social and cultural externalities, both positive and negative, and across value chains. It builds and illustrates the case for “systems” instead of “silo” thinking. This holistic approach of ‘true cost accounting’ allows decision makers to better compare different policies and the market to value agriculture and food more accurately. Thereby TEEBAgriFood will help to overcome barriers and effectively upscale agroecology and lead to more equitable agriculture and food systems. For its comprehensive approach providing opportunities to contribute to the majority of the SDGs and offering an effective system of ‘true cost accounting’, TEEBAgriFood was recognized with the Future Policy Vision Award 2018, awarded by the World Future Council in partnership with FAO and IFOAM – Organics International.

 Industries such as mining, forestry, and oil and gas have been trying for years to minimise their environmental and social impacts, but there is a growing expectation from civil society, regulators and investors that companies not only ‘do no harm’, but also make a positive contribution to the environment and society.

In many companies, projects follow procedures to avoid or minimise biodiversity impacts and restore biodiversity or offset impacts when these are unavoidable. This framework, known as the mitigation hierarchy, is increasingly used by companies and governments to improve environmental management and contribute to a net positive impact (NPI) or biodiversity net gain (BNG).

Following a NPI commitment by the mining company Rio Tinto, IUCN worked with the company to develop and trial a review protocol that could track its progress towards reaching NPI at an operational level. This protocol was tested at Rio Tinto operations in Australia, Mongolia and Madagascar.

Green Islands Foundation, with support from the Government of Seychelles – UNDP-GEF Protected Area Finance project, has developed and implemented sustainable financing solutions for proposed protected areas on two private islands, Denis and North Islands, in Seychelles.

These will be the first private island reserves in Seychelles and, through the project, the islands will trial and implement novel long term sustainable financing mechanisms to fund setting up, management, policing and research at these reserves.

Steps are underway to proclaim the surrounding waters around North Island and Denis Island as marine reserves, ensuring their inclusion within the national protected area network. Island owners are dedicated to take the lead in monitoring and enforcing these new protected areas in collaboration with selected NGOs and with assistance of Seychelles government.

Eco-Benin believes that business is a key determinant of the usage of natural resources; in 2018, it created a multi-stakeholder platform to motivate business to address its impacts on nature and people. The CSR Café initiative, a periodic event, offers a space for dialogue with NGOs, businesses, and State actors. NGOs help businesses realise their impacts and dependencies on nature, and stress their responsibilities and need for action. Businesses exchange with NGOs on how the latter can support them, present their successful CSR activities, and make commitments to sustainability. For instance, Eco-Benin discussed marine pollution with the Beninese brewery company, SOBEBRA. CSR Café seeks to become a hub where involved actors can find opportunities, inspiration, and expertise for CSR activities. All stakeholders, including State representatives and the public at times, jointly determine the vision, solutions, and actions for this initiative. Ultimately, this led to the Beninese government adopting the CSR Charter.

The Public Use and Recreation Program (PURP) addresses the problem of destructive recreational activities in Cabo Pulmo National Park. The Program provides guidelines to local tour operators to reduce negative impacts of tourism activities on the Parks’ habitats and ensures their economic sustainability. As a result limits on water sports practiced in the Park are set, which dramatically reduces the impacts on the reefs resulting from these activities.

South Africa identified protected area expansion as a key tool to ensuring the persistence of its biodiversity and ecosystems essential for its people and economy. Approximately 75% of South Africa is held in private ownership. Landowners bear the responsibility of managing protected areas and face financial commitments as a result. The Fiscal Benefits Project was launched to test biodiversity tax incentives as a financial benefit for landowners declaring protected areas. This began with the introduction of a new tax incentive into legislation. The impact of the incentive was tested at pilot sites across the country, resulting in the successful inclusion of the tax break in a tax return. This has paved the way for other privately owned protected areas to receive financial recognition and ensure the continued governance and management of South Africa’s protected areas, utilising building blocks of policy and grassroots engagement, niche expertise and a supportive community of practice.

The Kayas and the sacred forests of the Mijikenda community are a unique place for the conservation of botanical species endemic of the East African coastal forests and they considered as the carriers of group identity due to their status as sacred places and home to the Mijikenda.

The solution focuses on preserving the natural environment surrounding the Kayas through the continuation of a management approach based on the traditional knowledge of the Mijikenda and the principles of self-restrain supervised by spiritual leaders and the Council of Elders (Kambi). The protection of these outstanding sites is further supported by the National Museums of Kenya which protects the sites at the institutional and legal levels.

This unique connection of nature, culture and sacredness has led to the inscription of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests in the World Heritage List and the Mijikenda traditions and practices on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

“Coastal Capital: Belize” addresses threats to Belize’s coastal ecosystems such as unchecked coastal and tourism development and overfishing – by assessing the contribution of reef- and mangrove-associated tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection services to Belize’s economy. Our results were used to justify new fishing regulations, a successful damage claim against a ship that ran aground on the Belize Barrier Reef, and a ban on offshore oil drilling.