, an expert on climate change and agriculture, is one of in Paris for COP21. She reports on new innovations in green finance and entrepreneurship that seek to reduce agricultural GHG emissions.
Early highlight
, a COP21 side event focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation related to land use, was truly inspiring. About 3,000 people attended, including such speakers as California Governor ; of the Brazilian Development Bank’s Amazon Fund, and of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN).
Green finance
My favorite panel was on new green finance organizations that are organizing investment in low emissions and sustainable agriculture and forestry in the developing world. The session showcased dynamic organizations and innovative models to attract private investors by reducing the risk of the funds by using public money for technical assistance and as a buffer.
These investment vehicles are important for several reasons. First, they support serious sustainability standards, such as Brazil’s best management practices for cattle or the certification. Second, even with all the pledges being made by government right now, we know current public investment will be insufficient to achieve the changes we need. Yet organizing private investment, especially in the developing world, has been challenging.
Climate entrepreneurs
Some powerful examples of green finance and entrepreneurship that I saw included , , European Investment Bank’s and which works with cattle ranchers in the Novo Campo project in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
The goal is to leverage private funds, so even if progress is slow on the proposed , this kind of innovation is very much needed. People have been talking about it for some time, so it is exciting to see these programs coming into their own.
Lini Wollenberg is a research associate professor in ¶¶Òõ̽̽'s , a fellow at the , and leader of Low Emissions Agriculture research for the CGIAR Research Program on (CCAFS).
Read Wollenberg’s recent and her analysis of .