Introduction to Biodiversity Credits

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PRIVATE SECTOR FINANCE FOR NATURE

INTRODUCTION TO BIODIVERSITY CREDITS

Level: Introductory | Estimated completion time: 2 hours | Certificate upon completion

Skills: Understanding biodiversity credits, assessing credit integrity, distinguishing credit types, spotting market risks, supporting fair and inclusive nature finance

With the urgent need for innovative mechanisms to unlock new sources of funding and investment in natural capital, biodiversity credits are emerging as a vital tool in nature finance. This journey unpacks them, from definition and integrity principles to how they're generated. Understand the nuances of this evolving market and how to ensure credits genuinely contribute to a nature-positive future.

Task 1: Why are biodiversity credits emerging now?

Task 2: Why has it taken us so long to invest in nature?

Task 3: How are biodiversity credits designed to support positive outcomes for nature?

Task 4: What is a biodiversity credit?

Task 5: Key differences between biodiversity credits and carbon credits

Task 6: An introduction to the High-level Principles

Task 7: Biodiversity credit myths: true or false?

Task 8: Three ways to generate biodiversity credits

Stop and check 1

Task 9: What could go wrong?

Task 10: What makes a credit high-integrity?

Task 11: Behind the scenes of a strong credit

Stop and check 2

Task 12: The risks you can’t afford to ignore

Task 13: Connections between social and business risks

Task 14: Case studies: where justice meets impact

Task 15: Going beyond safeguards

Final test

Certificate of completion

REFERENCES

Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA). (2024). Definition of a Biodiversity Credit. Issue Paper. Available here.
Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA). (2023). Communities and Nature Markets: Building Just Partnerships in Biodiversity Credits. Discussion Paper. Available here.
Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA), International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB), World Economic Forum (WEF). (2025). High-level Principles to Guide the Biodiversity Credit Market. White Paper. Available here.
Convention on Biological Diversity. (2022). Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Available here.
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Indigenous and local knowledge. Available here.
Science Based Targets Network. (2020). Initial Guidance for Business. Step 4: Act. Available here.
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. (2024). Nature Transition Plans. Discussion Paper. Available here.

Additional Resources

Publication

Nature Positive: Conservation International’s Position on Nature Credits

Statement on the role of nature credits in addressing biodiversity loss, climate change and human development inequities.

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Publication

State of Voluntary Biodiversity Credit Markets

Comprehensive estimate of the value of biodiversity credit markets in 2024 and insights into demand drivers.

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Publication

Framework for high integrity biodiversity credit markets

Guidance for market actors providing clarity on the critical policy issues at the heart of biodiversity credit markets.

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Publication

Harnessing Biodiversity Credits for People and Planet

Outlines the major design challenges for ensuring high-integrity biodiversity markets and proposes a global roadmap to tackle them

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Publication

Definition of a Biodiversity Credit

Clarification on key concepts and language that are instrumental in the process of developing an inclusive, equitable and high-integrity market.

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Publication

High-level Principles to guide the biodiversity credit market

A unified set of principles underpinned by strict integrity criteria to help the market produce and identify high-quality credits.

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Publication

Communities and Nature Markets: Building just partnerships in biodiversity credits

Outlining the business case for investors to support Indigenous and locally led approaches in biodiversity credit markets on fair terms.

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Communique

EU Roadmap towards Nature Credits

A structured path to high-integrity biodiversity credit markets, crucial for aligning finance with nature-positive goals, backed by the European Commission.

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What
people say

Testimonials

"I enjoyed learning about the difference between carbon credits and biodiversity credits. The lessons I learned will support my passion for communicating biodiversity and climate issues. I also thoroughly enjoyed the assessments and the use of real-life cases to explain the concepts."

Lisa Chitura

Independent Researcher

"This learning journey has enhanced my understanding of biodiversity credits and how they differ from carbon credits. I have also gained practical knowledge on designing credible biodiversity credit systems that combine ecological data with local knowledge. This experience will directly support my conservation efforts at the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site in Ghana."

William Konlan

MPhil Geography Student, University of Education, Winneba

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Step Title

Certificate of Completion

Additional Resources

What people say

What
people say