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article-headline"> <h1>Let’s rethink debt-for-nature swaps toward greater sustainability & integrity (commentary)</h1> <div class="container in-column full-width single-article-meta"> <div class="about-author gap--16"> <div class="author-avatar"> <img src="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/11/22142457/1024px-Great_blue_heron_in_GWC_16550.jpg" alt="cover image" style="max-width:48px;"> </div> <div class="extra-info"> <span class="bylines"><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/by/daniel-ortega-pacheco-and-jonathan-glennie/" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal">Daniel Ortega-Pacheco and Jonathan Glennie</a></span> <div class="post-meta"> <span class="date">22 Nov 2024</span> <span class="taxonomy"><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/location/ecuador" data-wpel-link="internal">Ecuador</a></span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container social gap--4"> <a href="#spotim-specific" class="theme--button simple secondary">Comments</a> <a id="share-article" 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background-position: center; width: 100%;"></div> </div> <div class="inner"> <article id="post-290524" class="post-290524 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorized location-ecuador location-global topic-biodiversity topic-biodiversity-crisis topic-climate topic-climate-change topic-climate-finance topic-commentary topic-conservation topic-conservation-finance topic-debt-for-nature topic-ecosystem-finance topic-environment topic-finance topic-governance topic-marine-conservation byline-daniel-ortega-pacheco-and-jonathan-glennie"> <div class="bulletpoints-wrapper"><div class="bulletpoints"><ul><li><em>Debt-for-nature swaps are financial mechanisms that allow countries to reduce their debt burdens in exchange for committing to environmental conservation: Ecuador’s marine conservation program benefited greatly from this kind of agreement recently.</em></li><li><em>These are powerful tools, but to fully unlock their potential, we must rethink their structure and governance, a new op-ed argues. A more inclusive, transparent, and robust framework is needed—one built on the principles of Global Public Investment, which places equity and shared responsibility at the heart of climate and biodiversity finance.</em></li><li><em>“Let’s turn the potential of debt-for-nature swaps into a powerful force for change, unleashing the transformative power of finance to build a sustainable and just future for all,” the authors write.</em></li><li><em>This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.</em></li></ul></div><div id="expander-container" class="bullets container full-width"><button class="content-expander"><span>See All Key Ideas</span></button></div></div> <script> (function($) { $(document).ready(function() { const bulletPoints = $('.bulletpoints'); const toggle = $('.bulletpoints-wrapper .content-expander'); if (bulletPoints.length > 0) { const bulletPointsHeight = bulletPoints[0].scrollHeight; if (bulletPointsHeight && bulletPointsHeight <= 170) { toggle.remove(); } toggle.click(function() { bulletPoints.toggleClass('visible'); $('#expander-container.bullets').toggleClass('visible'); $(this).toggleClass('visible'); }); } }); })(jQuery); </script> <p>As we’ve watched the biodiversity COP in Colombia and then the climate COP negotiations in recent weeks, the urgency of addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss has never been clearer. The need for bold action is undeniable, and the solutions we implement must be just as transformative.</p> <p>One area that holds incredible potential is <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/list/debt-for-nature/" data-wpel-link="internal">debt-for-nature swaps</a> — financial mechanisms that allow countries to reduce their debt burdens in exchange for commitments to environmental conservation. However, to fully unlock the transformative power of these swaps, we must rethink their structure and governance. A more inclusive, transparent, and robust framework is needed — one built on the principles of <a href="https://globalpublicinvestment.net/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">Global Public Investment (GPI),</a> which places equity and shared responsibility at the heart of climate and biodiversity finance.</p> <p><strong>Untapped potential of debt-for-nature swaps</strong></p> <p>Debt-for-nature swaps have long been celebrated for their innovative approach to addressing two major global challenges: crippling national debt and the urgent need for environmental conservation. The premise is simple: countries facing unsustainable debt levels agree to preserve their natural ecosystems in exchange for debt reductions. On the surface, this seems like a win-win.</p> <figure id="attachment_203396" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-203396" src="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/01/31174534/reefscape_DSC5175-768x512.jpg" alt="Reef off Darwin and Wolf Islands, northwest Galápagos. Photo by Greg Asner / DivePhoto.org" width="768" height="512" srcset="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/01/31174534/reefscape_DSC5175-768x512.jpg 768w, https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/01/31174534/reefscape_DSC5175-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Reef off Darwin and Wolf Islands, northwest Galápagos. Photo by Greg Asner / DivePhoto.org</figcaption></figure> <p>However, there are important lessons to be learned from the practical application of debt-for-nature swaps. Ecuador’s restructuring of $1.628 billion of external debt – the so-called <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/ecuador-to-boost-protection-of-galapagos-in-biggest-debt-for-nature-deal-ever/" data-wpel-link="internal">Galapagos debt swap</a> – was designed to support marine conservation, but problems in its governance arrangements have harmed its effectiveness.</p> <p>The Galapagos Life Fund, established to manage conservation efforts, placed significant decision-making power in the hands of international actors, which limited the active involvement of local communities and national stakeholders. Future debt swaps should better align with national priorities and ensure more inclusive governance and local ownership of conservation projects – this will strengthen their long-term impact. The Inter American Development Bank (IDB)’s on-going MICI <a href="https://mici.iadb.org/en/cases/MICI-BID-EC-2024-0229" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">consultation</a> exploring perceived governance flaws of the Galapagos swap underscores these challenges.</p> <p>Recurring challenges around the transparency and accountability of these financial instruments are not unique to Ecuador. The <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/internationaldevelopment/2023/02/28/do-debt-for-nature-swaps-work-learning-from-belize/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">Belize case</a> also illustrates that these swaps require careful design and a commitment to ensuring local and national stakeholders are at the table. By focusing on inclusive, transparent governance, we can ensure that these mechanisms not only address debt but also contribute to sustainable, long-term conservation and development goals.</p> <p><strong>Global Public Investment: Path to reform</strong></p> <p>The solution lies in embedding GPI principles into debt-for-nature swaps. GPI calls for a shift from the traditional donor-recipient model to a framework where all nations — regardless of their economic status — contribute to shared goals. It prioritizes inclusive decision-making, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that financial resources are distributed equitably and used effectively.</p> <figure id="attachment_207221" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-207221" src="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/06/04142302/20180328_belize-768x512.jpg" alt="Planet satellite image of coral off Belize's Lighthouse Reef. Taken March 28, 2018." width="768" height="512" srcset="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/06/04142302/20180328_belize-768x512.jpg 768w, https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2018/06/04142302/20180328_belize-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Satellite image of a coral reef system off Belize’s Lighthouse Reef. Marine ecosystems like this were part of the Belize debt for nature swap proposal. Image via Planet, March 2018.</figcaption></figure> <p>At the core of GPI are three guiding principles:</p> <ul> <li><strong>All Benefit</strong>: The solutions we implement must yield tangible benefits for all countries and communities involved. Debt-for-nature swaps should create shared value, where every participant—whether developed or developing—reaps rewards.</li> <li><strong>All Contribute</strong>: Every nation should contribute based on its capacity, ensuring that countries with the most resources play an active role in addressing global challenges, while those most impacted by climate change receive the necessary support.</li> <li><strong>All Decide</strong>: Inclusive decision-making is key to the success of any financial mechanism. Local communities, governments, and civil society must have a voice in shaping the projects funded by debt-for-nature swaps to ensure they align with national priorities.</li> </ul> <p>By integrating GPI into the debt-for-nature model, we can build a more sustainable and impactful financial tool. This approach offers not only a way out of fiscal crises but also a pathway for strengthening national environmental governance and advancing climate resilience.</p> <p><strong>Leading the way: Action and collaboration</strong></p> <p>Moving in this direction will require bold leadership and active collaboration from governments, financial institutions, civil society, and local communities. This is not a challenge that can be solved in isolation; it requires a collective effort to co-design financial systems that are not only effective but also equitable and sustainable.</p> <p>Co-design processes should establish guiding principles that prioritize governance, transparency, and community involvement. Civil society must be a critical voice in any conversation seeking to ensure that debt swaps are not only financially viable but also socially and environmentally just.</p> <figure id="attachment_274373" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-274373" src="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/10/18103034/peru_macaws_d2560-crop-768x512.jpg" alt="Macaws flying over the rainforest." width="768" height="512" srcset="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/10/18103034/peru_macaws_d2560-crop-768x512.jpg 768w, https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2023/10/18103034/peru_macaws_d2560-crop-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Macaws in Peru. Image by Rhett A. Butler for Mongabay.</figcaption></figure> <p>Drawing on an analysis of debt-for-nature swaps in Seychelles, Belize, Barbados, and the Galapagos, we propose the following six recommendations for future debt swaps in all sectors:</p> <ol> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Governance.</strong> Ensure local governments and communities have a majority voice in debt-for- nature swap governance structures, with equitable representation for national and international stakeholders.</p></blockquote> </li> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Transparency</strong>. Mandate full public disclosure of deal structures, including SPVs and financial flows, from the pre-buyback phase through to the post-buyback management of conservation or climate funds.</p></blockquote> </li> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Accountability</strong>. Incorporate third-party audits and evaluations to ensure that all actors, including private creditors, are held accountable for delivering on both fiscal and conservation or climate goals.</p></blockquote> </li> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Finance</strong>. Minimize transaction costs by using grant-based mechanisms or concessional loans rather than relying solely on market-driven solutions, and ensure that chosen instruments involve fair and equitable access and distribution of risks and benefits.</p></blockquote> </li> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Social justice</strong>. Engage local communities early in the planning process and ensure that their livelihoods are protected through compensation or alternative income-generating opportunities.</p></blockquote> </li> <li> <blockquote><p><strong>Environmental impact</strong>. Link financial disbursements to measurable environmental outcomes, with adequate enforcement mechanisms and long-term sustainability plans for protected areas.</p></blockquote> </li> </ol> <p>In conclusion, we invite others to join ongoing efforts to create high-integrity debt swaps that can drive meaningful change, such as the <a href="https://latindadd.org/arquitectura-financiera/newsletter-construction-of-integrity-principles-for-debt-swaps/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">initiative</a> by LATINDADD (Latin American Network for Economic and Social Justice) and CDES (Center for Economic and Social Rights) to develop principles for debt swaps that uphold transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. These collaborative efforts represent a significant opportunity to continue strengthening the foundation for high-integrity debt swaps, i.e. ensuring they not only alleviate debt burdens but also contribute meaningfully to environmental conservation and climate resilience.</p> <p>Just as the Apollo mission united all sectors of society in pursuit of a common goal, today’s global crises require a similar spirit of collaboration and ambition – <a href="https://marianamazzucato.com/books/mission-economy/" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">a mission mentality</a> as our colleague Mariana Mazzucato puts it. By rethinking how we structure debt-for-nature swaps and integrating the principles of Global Public Investment, we can help create a financial ecosystem that works for everyone, not just a select few, while ensuring that biodiversity is preserved for future generations.</p> <p>The time to act is now. Let’s turn the potential of debt-for-nature swaps into a powerful force for change, unleashing the transformative power of finance to build a sustainable and just future for all.</p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>Jonathan Glennie</strong> is the director of Global Cooperation Institute, co-founder of Global Nation and author of “The Future of Aid: Global Public Investment.” <strong>Daniel Ortega-Pacheco</strong> is the director of Biocarbon (dortega@biocarbon.com.ec) and a former minister of environment of Ecuador.</em></p> <p><em>This commentary is inspired by the pair’s recent publication, “Unblocking Climate & Biodiversity Finance: Global Public Investment” <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/public-purpose/publications/2024/oct/unblocking-climate-biodiversity-finance-global-public-investment-global" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external">found here</a>. In that piece, they argue that the world needs a more inclusive and comprehensive financial model to address fiscal crises and climate risks. They recognize the contributions of Mariana Mazzucato and Patricia Alemañy, whose work has been instrumental in shaping this proposal.</em></p> <p><em>See related coverage:</em></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="kjvpERQZNL"><p><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2024/08/35m-debt-for-nature-deal-aims-to-protect-indonesias-coral-reefs/" data-wpel-link="internal">$35m debt-for-nature deal aims to protect Indonesia’s coral reefs</a></p></blockquote> <iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="“$35m debt-for-nature deal aims to protect Indonesia’s coral reefs” — Conservation news" src="https://news.mongabay.com/2024/08/35m-debt-for-nature-deal-aims-to-protect-indonesias-coral-reefs/embed/#?secret=2FtHeosm1x#?secret=kjvpERQZNL" data-secret="kjvpERQZNL" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="0nCtBmlHCI"><p><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/ecuador-to-boost-protection-of-galapagos-in-biggest-debt-for-nature-deal-ever/" data-wpel-link="internal">Ecuador to boost protection of Galápagos in biggest debt-for-nature deal ever</a></p></blockquote> <iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="“Ecuador to boost protection of Galápagos in biggest debt-for-nature deal ever” — Conservation news" src="https://news.mongabay.com/2023/05/ecuador-to-boost-protection-of-galapagos-in-biggest-debt-for-nature-deal-ever/embed/#?secret=d5rQfLnFGz#?secret=0nCtBmlHCI" data-secret="0nCtBmlHCI" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <p><em>Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso’s commentary at Mongabay about his 2022 Hermandad Marine Reserve announcement:</em></p> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="phY3G8GegJ"><p><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/ecuador-to-announce-creation-of-hermandad-marine-reserve-off-galapagos-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Ecuador to announce creation of Hermandad Marine Reserve off Galapagos (commentary)</a></p></blockquote> <iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="“Ecuador to announce creation of Hermandad Marine Reserve off Galapagos (commentary)” — Conservation news" src="https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/ecuador-to-announce-creation-of-hermandad-marine-reserve-off-galapagos-commentary/embed/#?secret=PGI0bfD27E#?secret=phY3G8GegJ" data-secret="phY3G8GegJ" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <p> </p> <p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"></a></p> <div id="single-article-footer"> <div class="container in-column 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slider slider-series"> <div class="article--slide expanded"> <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/video/2024/11/drc-mines-might-be-poisoning-pregnant-women/" data-wpel-link="internal"> <div class="featured-image"> <div class="post-icon"><span class="icon icon-play"></span></div> <div class="img-overlay"></div> <img src="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/11/15112009/Featured_EffetsNefastesPollutionMiniereSanteReproductiveFemmesKolwezi-1200x720.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="DRC mines might be poisoning pregnant women" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /> <div class="article--container-headline"> <div class="title headline gap--8 text-center"> <h1>DRC mines might be poisoning pregnant women</h1> <div class="meta"> <span class="byline">Denise Maheho, Dider Makal</span> <span class="date">18 Nov 2024</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="article--slide collapsed"> <a 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In the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s cobalt capital, southeastern Katanga Province, mining pollution is increasing and polluters often fail to respond properly, in accordance with Congolese law. 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