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Developing a Sustainable Biochar Value Chain: A Business Model to Combat Soil Degradation and Enhance Agricultural Productivity

India’s growing population has placed immense pressure on agricultural lands, resulting in nearly 40 percent of India’s land being degraded, with 3.7 million hectares suffering from the depletion of soil organic matter and nutrients. Also, the access to subsidised but still expensive synthetic fertiliser is challenging for many smallholder farmers. Therefore, the use of agro-chemical alternatives has gained traction to support sustainable agriculture.  Biochar (in combination with biological fertiliser) improves soil fertility, water retention, neutralises acidity in soils and acts as a long-term carbon sink. However, the very limited number of businesses currently engaged in market-oriented biochar production is partly a consequence of technological and infrastructural limitations. To support market expansion, community bioresource enterprises have been established in six districts of Maharashtra/India. The goal is to promote the use of biochar among small-scale and female farmers through a sustainable business model.  

Beyond Bang for the Buck: the Business Case for Financial Inclusion to Scale EbA Solutions in Philippine Coastal Communities

In the small-scale fisheries (SSF) communities of Siargao, Philippines, a two-pronged financial strategy is helping bridge the gap between household resilience and local government budgeting for coastal conservation.  

The international conservation organization Rare, with support from the Global EbA Fund,  tested a combination of financial inclusion research—focused on tools like savings, insurance, and responsible credit—and a practical Excel-based budgeting model to help Local Government Units (LGUs) cost and plan for the Managed Access with Reserves (MA+R) environmental management system. The MA+R model is a proven rights-based approach to fisheries management that combines sustainable use of coastal natural resources with strict protection and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures.  

Together, these tools support long-term sustainability, empower communities, and enable LGUs to better integrate EbA into formal planning and budgeting cycles. 

From Natural banana Fibre to Paper: A Practical Solution Centred on Equipment Design for Small Scale Production

This solution is part of the Sparsa Solution, which is a Nepali non-profit company that locally produces and distributes compostable menstrual pads. These pads feature an absorbent core made from banana fibre, also processed by Sparsa.

The focus of this solution is the transformation of cellulosic fibres (in our case banana fibre) into paper, using low-tech machinery suitable for small-scale production (up to 20 kg per day). The process is entirely thermo-mechanical, requiring no chemical additives, and can be adapted for other types of cellulosic fibres as well.

As part of this open-source approach, we will share:

  • 3D models of all equipment and machines
  • Explanations of how they work, and the safety measures involved
  • Guidelines for factory organization and daily operations
  • Details of our self-designed fresh and wastewater systems
  • A complete layout of the factory

This solution is designed to be practical, replicable, and accessible for communities aiming to create sustainable, fibre-based products using locally available resources. 

Community-led sustainable tourism in Hon Yen Island, Viet Nam: conserving reefs, supporting livelihoods, and empowering women

In Hon Yen Island, Viet Nam, 12.7 ha of biodiverse coral reefs and 6.5 ha of seagrass-algal beds provide habitat for numerous marine species, sustaining the livelihoods of fishing and tourism communities. The island is known for its vibrant socio-cultural landscape, with rituals, crafts, and other traditional practices. However, aquaculture waste, unregulated tourism, and other challenges have threatened local biodiversity, while women and youth face barriers to work in tourism and marine management.  

Amid this situation, the Women’s Unions of Dak Lak province and An Hoa Hai commune, UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), the GEF Small Grants Program (SGP), and other partners supported the establishment of the Hon Yen Service and Ecology Cooperative (Eco-Coop).  

Eco-Coop empowers local women and youth in tourism, organizes community-led ecotours, and promotes biodiversity conservation initiatives. By 2025, these tours attracted thousands of visitors, supporting the livelihoods of 80 individuals.

Results-based budgeting in the Pak Kret City Municipality, Thailand: Integrating biodiversity targets into local government budgets

Pak Kret City Municipality is located on the Chao Phraya River plain in Thailand, an area with fertile soil for agriculture. The subdistrict is home to 63 native durian varieties, a flavorful tropical fruit. However, unplanned urban expansion, pollution, and climate change have threatened urban biodiversity and agricultural activities in Pak Kret. Its proximity to Bangkok, only 20 kilometers away, intensifies these pressures.

Amid this situation, Pak Kret City Municipality, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), adopted results-based budgeting: an approach that integrates biodiversity targets into government budgets, thereby increasing nature-positive investments.

As a result, Pak Kret invested USD 11 million (THB 372 million) — 17% of its total budget — in biodiversity in 2025, reflecting priority concerns to protect its distinctive durian variety, expand green spaces, and enhance air quality, water, and waste management systems.

Sri Lanka’s National Sustainable Tourism Certification scheme: Promoting sustainable experiences, supporting conservation, and catalyzing biodiversity finance

Habitat degradation, pollution, and over-exploitation have threatened Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity, which contains high levels of endemism. Moreover, an economic crisis that began in 2019 made it challenging to increase public funding for biodiversity. The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated this situation and added pressure to the livelihoods of those dependent on tourism.

While unplanned tourism expansion can be detrimental to biodiversity, the sector is also a source of opportunities for long-term conservation and local income generation. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), and other partners developed a National Sustainable Tourism Certification scheme to promote biodiversity conservation and support economic recovery.

As of June 2025, 37 hotels, one destination, and 204 small and medium enterprises were certified. BIOFIN estimates that this initiative has catalyzed USD 4.026 million in investments for biodiversity.

From World Hertiage to Conservation

Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, also a key national scenic area, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1992. Named after the nine Tibetan villages within its boundaries, Jiuzhaigou boasts not only abundant flora and fauna but also its “Six Wonders”: alpine lake clusters, waterfalls, colorful forests, snow-capped peaks, blue ice formations, and Tibetan cultural charm, attracting countless visitors worldwide.

Remarkably, Jiuzhaigou has avoided ecological crises despite tourism development, achieving a win-win balance between economic benefits and environmental conservation. It stands as a successful model of implementing the principle “protection comes first, while tourism serves as the optimal development approach.”

Ceasing Harmful Coastal Construction Subsidies to Protect Biodiversity in the Surroundings of the Mrigadayavan Palace, Thailand

The Mrigadayavan Palace, built in 1924 between the beach towns of Cha-Am and Hua Hin, was the summer house of King Vajiravudh, who ruled until 1925. To prevent coastal erosion and protect this cultural landmark, The Marine Department of Thailand (Ministry of Transport) constructed groins, seawalls, and jetties along the beach near the palace. These rigid structures cost USD 8.4 million in subsidies.

National experts, partners, and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) measured the impact of subsidies on ecosystems in Thailand. After the team found that rigid coastal structures had accelerated erosion instead of preventing it, they presented these results to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).

As a result, the Thai cabinet ceased subsidies for coastal rigid structures near the palace. Existing structures were replaced with nature-based solutions, restoring the ecosystem and protecting cultural heritage.

Ecological Fiscal Transfers (EFT) in Malaysia: Incentivizing and Encouraging Subnational Governments to Conserve Biodiversity in Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems

With the mainstreaming of biodiversity into plans and policies, Malaysia increasingly recognised nature’s role in economic development and social wellbeing. The domain of biodiversity management today is more than conservation and protection. It encompasses sustainable use, threat reduction, access and sharing the benefits from biological resources, among others. 

The ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) mechanism was in part supported by UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) and took several years of preparatory work, being announced by the Ministry of Finance for the first time in the 2019 National Budget. EFT allocates national funds to local governments based on conservation needs and past performance. This encourages states to prioritize conservation and effective management of protected areas (PAs), while compensating for lost economic opportunities. 

USD 177.73 million has been transferred to state governments for the protection and expansion of forest reserves and PAs, enabling the creation of 350,000 hectares.

Sustainable Banana Fiber Extraction and Composting with Replicable Machine Designs

This solution is part of Sparśa, a Nepali non-profit initiative producing compostable menstrual pads made from locally processed banana fiber.

It describes the first phase of the production chain, detailing how banana pseudostems are sourced from farmers and processed at a factory near the plantations. The solution includes replicable CAD-supported designs for semi-automatic fiber extraction and pseudostem-cutting machines, enabling local manufacturing and adaptation. It also outlines sustainable fiber-drying methods and a circular system that converts the remaining biomass into organic compost fertilizer, which is returned to farmers. The extracted fiber is then turned into absorbent paper sheets used as the core of Sparśa menstrual pads. Overall, the solution strengthens circular economy practices, creates rural employment, empowers women, supports environmentally responsible menstrual hygiene options in Nepal, and offers a model that can be replicated in other banana-growing regions worldwide.

People at the Heart of Nature: Community Stewardship Protecting Viet Nam’s Biosphere Reserves and its Biodiversity

Viet Nam, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, is losing nature at an alarming pace due to deforestation, unchecked tourism, land-use change, and pollution. Although 176 protected areas exist, many were long treated as “prohibited zones,” limiting community participation, weakening stewardship and restricting access to resources. Rapid growth in tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, and fisheries, combined with gaps in legal frameworks, institutional capacity, and awareness, has increased pressure on both protected and non-protected landscapes.

From 2020 to 2025, the GEF-funded Biosphere Reserve Project, led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (now Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) with support from UNDP, worked to reshape this relationship. At its heart was a simple but powerful idea: biodiversity thrives when communities, authorities, and planners share responsibility for the landscapes they depend on.

Using Green Sukuk Funds to Construct the Maluku Conservation Center in Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, with exceptionally rich fauna and flora. However, illegal wildlife trade has risen in the Maluku province, threatening endemic species. While this situation demonstrates the need to strengthen species conservation efforts, mobilizing funds for such activities is a challenge.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia, with support from the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), accessed USD 2.7 million in green sukuk funds for the construction of the Maluku Conservation Center, dedicated to wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release into natural habitats. Green sukuks are sovereign bond-like Islamic finance instruments, and their application to biodiversity-related projects was previously limited.

In 2023-2024, 955 birds, 323 reptiles, and 319 other animals were treated and rehabilitated in the Maluku Conservation Center, contributing to the conservation of species and ecosystems.