Investing in nature: CGIAR's Call for Action on multifunctional landscapes to deliver on the Rio Conventions

As the world confronts environmental challenges, CGIAR's recent panel session in Cali brought a fresh sense of urgency to the conversation, highlighting powerful and critical role of multifunctional landscapes in meeting the ambitions of the three Rio Conventions - the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations convention to combat Desertification, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. With a call to unite sectors, strengthen financing, and harness natural ecosystems, the event showcased how collaborative, data-driven approaches can protect biodiversity, combat climate change, and build resilient communities across the globe.

The session Leveraging investments in multifunctional landscapes to address the three Rio Conventions, convened by CGIAR's Impact Area Platform on Environmental Health and Biodiversity (EHBIAP) on 25 October 2024, at Museo Tertulia in Cali, Colombia explored innovative strategies to mobilize investments and support sustainable practices within landscapes that encompass diverse environments.

Cargele Masso, EHBIAP Director opened the discussions by underscoring how land-based solutions can unify efforts under the conventions. 'Land serves as an integrative force in our pursuit of the three Rio Conventions,' Masso emphasized, underscoring the efficiency of combining climate action, biodiversity conservation, and land degradation neutrality.

Janelle Silvestro, a senior scientist with the Alliance of

James Stapleton (centre), CGIAR's Senior Strategic Advisor for Advocacy for Impact, moderating the high-level panel discussion on Leveraging investments in multifunctional landscapes to address the three Rio Conventions, convened by CGIAR's Impact Area Platform on Environmental Health and Biodiversity on 25 October 2024, at Museo Tertulia in Cali, Colombia

Biodiversity International and CIAT, highlighted the role of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) as a game-changer for financing sustainable multifunctional landscapes. 'By incentivizing biodiversity-friendly practices, PES can draw investments from both public and private sectors. 'PES can attract co-investment by providing revenue based on ecosystem service outcomes, and private capital finds it attractive as it de-risks investments,' Silvestro noted.

She emphasised the critical role of policy support, especially in providing tax incentives, citing Colombia's tax incentive program 'Obras por Impuestos', that allows companies to invest directly in local development projects in return for tax deductions. This mechanism can also be used strategically to contribute to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development outcomes in multifunctional landscapes.'

Peter Goodman, a Senior Agricultural Economist at the World Bank, emphasized the importance of integrated landscapes, citing agriculture's reliance on forest ecosystems for water and pollution regulation. Goodman revealed the Bank's strategy to repurpose agricultural subsidies, which could unlock significant funding for multifunctional landscapes. The Bank's focus extends to de-risking private green finance through its Global Programme on Sustainability.

He explained that the World Bank takes a three-pronged approach to financing sustainable practices, acknowledging the challenge posed by multiple land users and agencies. First, it encourages countries to redirect a portion of agricultural subsidies toward sustainable landscape investments, with the potential to restore 105 million hectares, cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40%, and boost agricultural output by $2.4 trillion globally. Working with 40 countries, this initiative aims to create significant environmental and economic returns.

Second, the Bank invests through dedicated trust funds-like ProGreen, which emphasizes landscape approaches; and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Invest, focused on nature-based solutions. These funds support landscape-based planning at national and regional levels.

Finally, the Bank seeks to attract private sector finance through its Global Programme on Sustainability and Sustainable Finance Programme, reducing investment risks in green financing. The success of these efforts, however, hinges on collaborative partnerships across governments, civil society, and private sectors, all underpinned by supportive policy frameworks and innovative financing models for sustainable land use.

Wei Zhang, Senior Research Fellow and Research Lead on Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity in the Natural Resources and Resilience Unit, International Food Policy Research Institute highlighted the critical role of research in shaping effective policy and actionable investments. Zhang emphasized that well-researched, gender-sensitive frameworks are essential for empowering all stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, women, and youth, to participate in sustainable landscape efforts.

Mxolisi Sibanda, Climate Change Adviser with the Commonwealth Secretariat and lead on the Living Lands Charter, emphasized the need for CGIAR and its partners to ensure that their research and data swiftly inform policy processes. 'We must scale our efforts to maximize benefits for diverse stakeholders,' Sibanda stated. He stressed the importance of establishing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms across multifunctional landscapes, whether for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), community benefits, biodiversity, or land restoration. 'Sound policies must be rooted in reliable data and science to ensure that these landscapes are sustainably managed and continue delivering their intended benefits,' he concluded.

The speakers at the high-level panel discussion on Leveraging investments in multifunctional landscapes to address the three Rio Conventions, convened by CGIAR's Impact Area Platform on Environmental Health and Biodiversity on 25 October 2024, at Museo Tertulia in Cali, Colombia

A core objectiveof CGIAR's RHBIAPis to mobilize all societal sectors toward achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework goals. To do so, CGIAR envisions a vibrant, holistic management model supporting resilient food systems and healthy ecosystems. CGIAR's session highlighted essential questions on scaling, funding, and lessons from the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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