Financing Ponds and Pondscapes as Nature-based Solutions
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At the International Pond Conference 2024, which took place online from 12 to 13 November 2024, Hugh McDonald from the Ecologic Institute in Berlin presented the results of a comprehensive study on the financing of ponds and pond landscapes as nature-based solutions (NbS). The work analyzed public and private financing models and assessed their suitability for the implementation of pondscapes. In the presentation, Hugh McDonald also introduced the PONDERFUL Sustainable Finance Inventory.
Case studies and approaches to financing
The team analyzed financial data from 14 case studies in Europe, Turkey and Uruguay. These case studies provided insights into the costs and benefits of pondscapes and enabled an assessment of the financing approaches required. A key finding was that pondscapes, like other NbS pose many challenges for private financing. Private options such as creating markets for environmental assets or incorporating pondscapes into for-profit landscape projects may offer some potential in some contexts. However, these models are not without challenges, including securing long-term profitability and taking environmental objectives into account.
Public funding remains essential
Hugh McDonald emphasized that public funding and public policy more generally play a crucial role in realizing the many societal benefits of ponds, such as biodiversity promotion and climate adaptation.
About the conference
The International Pond Conference 2024 was organized by the European Pond Conservation Network and the EU project PONDERFUL. The aim was to bring together scientists, practitioners and policy makers to discuss the latest findings on the role of ponds in biodiversity conservation and as nature-based solutions to climate change.
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The European Pond Conservation Network (EPCN), International - Speech
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English
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Financing of ponds, pond landscapes, nature-based solutions, NbS, biodiversity, climate adaptation, public financing, private financing, environmental goods market, landscape projects, cost-benefit analysis, sustainable financing, European pond landscapesEurope, Turkey, UruguayCost-benefit analysis, market analysis for environmental goods, evaluation of financing instruments, data collection from case studies, analysis of financing models, integration into profit-oriented projects, cooperation between public and private actors
Biggs, J., Hoyle, S., Matos, I., McDonald, H., Nicolet, P., Oertli, B., Teixeira, J. (2024). Ponds and pondscapes: a technical guide to the use of ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, EU Horizon 2020 Ponderful project, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13844497
Biggs, J., Hoyle, Matos, I., Oertli, B., Teixeira, J. (2024). Using ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions. Guidance for policy makers on the use of ponds and pondscapes as nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, EU Horizon 2020 Ponderful project, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13847395
McDonald, H., Seeger, I., Lago, M., & Scholl, L. (2023) Synthesis report on sustainable financing of the establishment of ponds and pondscapes. PONDERFUL Project (EU Horizon 2020 GA no. ID869296), Deliverable 1.4.