This document discusses funding gaps and principles for successful financing of nature-based solutions (NBS) such as land restoration projects in Africa. It notes that while the Bonn Challenge and New York declaration on Forests call for $350 billion and $830 billion respectively for restoration, actual funding leaves large gaps. It advocates for bridging these gaps through public-private partnerships and prioritizing long-term sustainability over short-term profits. Six principles are outlined for financing NBS, including ensuring social and environmental safeguards, monitoring impacts, and directing funds toward low-carbon development in developing countries. The Regreening Africa program addresses livelihoods, biodiversity and climate change through land restoration projects across eight African nations.

1. www.regreeningafrica.com
How can we overcome obstacles
and mobilize investments for
successful, sustainable NBS?
Susan Chomba (PhD)
Scientist, Regreening Africa
Programme Manager
CIFOR-ICRAF, NAIROBI
Nature-Based Solutions Conference
Oxford University
7-9th July 2010

2. www.regreeningafrica.com
Recession in global economy as a result of COVID 19
0
20
40
60
80
100
1871 1901 1931 1961 1991 2021
Percent
COVID 19
Great
depression
Source: World Bank
June 2020:
Pandemic,
Recession: The
Global Economy in
Crisis

3. www.regreeningafrica.com
Which path for recovery post-COVID 19?
ü Option 1: BAU scenario: Governments are likely
to reduce public funding for NBS, while economic
recovery will increase GHG & exacerbate natural
resource exploitation
ü Option 2: COVID 19 also presents the GREATEST
OPPORTUNITY for the world to focus on the root
causes of the pandemic and invest in NBS and
other strategies for addressing land degradation,
wildlife exploitation, resource extraction & the
climate crisis
ü Option 2 requires a paradigm shift from short
term obsession with profits and efficiency, to long
term investment in resilience of ecological
ecosystems, livelihoods and green growth that
bridges the inequality gap.
Humanity is at crossroads!

4. www.regreeningafrica.com
Funding gaps for NBS: Example from land restoration
USD 350 billion for Bonn challenge & USD 830 billion for New York
declaration on Forests
Funding gap can imply two things:
1. The difference between the
available and the needed funds
for restoration

5. www.regreeningafrica.com
Funding gap
2. The difference between funding for positive impacts
versus destructive activities
Illegal mining & deforestation: Source: Global
forest watch
Forest conservation: Source 20x20 initiative

6. www.regreeningafrica.com
6 principles for successful & sustainable finance for
NBS
ü Bridge the funding gap through
public, private and blended finance
models
ü NBS should be driven by long-
term, resilience and sustainability
and not short-term profits.
Restoration is a long-term process
and Cecile Girardin showed, time
sensitive
ü For developing countries—
treatment is better than cure—
invest in low-carbon development
pathways
ü Monitoring & reporting by funding
agencies: mandate ecological and
social indicators and not just number
of trees planted or return on
investment
ü Policy: enact policies that make
externalities a cost and reward
sustainability (e.g. ag subsidies)
ü Social safeguards, Fairness and
equity: Countries and communities
that bear the biggest brunt of climate
change, socio-economic
marginalisation, should be protected
from further exploitation and
prioritised in investments

7. www.regreeningafrica.com
Regreening Africa: addressing livelihood needs, biodiversity goals &
climate change through land restoration in Africa

8. www.regreeningafrica.com
Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Rwanda, Niger, Mali, Ghana, Senegal
Funded by the European Union
For more infor.....
Visit our website: www.regreeningafrica.org
Drop us an email: regreeningafrica@cgiar.org
Like our Facebook page: Regreening Africa
Follow us on Twitter: @RegreenAfrica