This week’s CHANGEMAKER is JESSICA SMITH, Nature Lead at the UN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME FINANCE INITIATIVE (UNEP FI), based in Geneva.  

As Nature Lead, Jessica is involved in pioneering work to develop collaborative partnerships between the global financial sector and indigenous and local communities.  We only have until 2030 to bring our societies back into harmony with nature, and indigenous groups are vital stewards of the world's biodiversity and carbon storage.  Jessica is helping design innovative financial mechanisms such as biodiversity credits, insurance products and debt for nature swaps to recognise and reward indigenous conservation efforts.  

JESSICA SMITH: "We are not only in a climate emergency, we're in a nature emergency which is accelerating the climate emergency."

MUSIC | Power of Nature by Jonathan Slatter (PRS), Sounds Visual Music Ltd (www.soundsvisual.com/)

PRODUCTION | In association with the Monthly Barometer | Producer/Presenter - Catriona Oliphant for ChromeRadio | Post-production - Catriona Oliphant & Chris Sharp.

COVER IMAGE | Man from the Mashi Conservancy, a community-based natural resource management area in north-east Namibia, holding a local variety of truffle.  With kind permission of Jessica Smith.  For information on the Conservancy: https://www.nacso.org.na/conservancies/mashi.

FURTHER INFORMATION

United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative | https://www.unepfi.org/
Principles for Responsible Banking | https://www.unepfi.org/banking/bankingprinciples/
Principles for Sustainable Insurance | https://www.unepfi.org/psi/
Biodiversity Credit Alliance | https://www.biodiversitycreditalliance.org/
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues | https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/unpfii-sessions-2.html

ChromeRadio | https://chromemedia.co.uk/
Monthly Barometer | https://monthlybarometer.com/

Power of Nature PRS Tunecode: 286114HQ

CHANGEMAKERS 02 | J Smith, UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative

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