Summary of the Webinar on Resource Mobilization for the implementationof the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in the Asia-Pacific Region
held on 25 October 2022

I.
1.

INTRODUCTION
Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ), in cooperation with the Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity, organized "Webinar on Resource Mobilization for theimplementation of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (the post-2020 GBF) in theAsia-Pacific Region" on October 25, 2022. The objectives of the Webinar are 1) to provide
information on international public and private finance mechanisms that can be used toimplement the GBF; and 2) to share good practices of activities supported by such mechanisms;
in the Asia-Pacific Region, for contributing the global discussions on the resource mobilization
for the implementation of the post-2020 GBF toward the COP15.2.

2.

To achieve the objectives, the Webinar provides Presentation Session Part-I with panelist
presentations from representatives of six financial mechanisms – Global Environment Facility(GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Japan Biodiversity Fund (JBF) under the Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation (KCNC) as well
as Part-II with panelist presentations form three Parties to the Convention – India, Jordan, andBhutan. After the presentation sessions, discussions were made among the panelists and acommentator from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Webinar Programme
is in Attachment.

3.

This Summary was prepared by the organizer to provide key points of the presentations andhighlights of the discussions.

II.

KEY POINTS OF PRESENTATIONS

Opening Session
4.

Mr. Naohisa OKUDA, Director General, Nature Conservation Bureau, MOEJ, representing theorganizer, stressed that we need to make the post-2020 GBF ambitious toward the realization of
the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, and that one of the most important things to be done is forParties to implement a new framework, review its progress, and make the ratchet-up mechanism
appropriately work to add up ambition level, when needed. He also stressed that Japan recognizes
several critical points including mobilizing financial resources from all sources such as private
and climate finance, more efficient use of accessible resources, disseminate the concepts ofEcosystem based Approach and Nature Based Solution (NbS) for the implementation of a newframework. He concluded by wishing the Webinar contributes to the successful negotiation of1

the new framework at COP15 through providing information of six fundings for harmonization
between the ambition and resource mobilisation.
5.

Mr. Carlos Manuel RODRIGUEZ, CEO and Chairperson, GEF emphasized the need to agree on
mobilize more resources from all sources with high ambition at COP15 for the post-2020 GBF,
stressing domestic public expenditure as most important resources and efficient usage. He
explained that resource mobilization for biodiversity has been firstly identified as the top
investment priority of in GEF, and around 60 % of $5.3 billion GEF-8 replenishment is forbiodiversity. GEF can continue successful leveraging other resources, such as domestic resourcesin line with National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), as like GEF-7. He
stressed his views that following are keys for creating consensus and trust:
1)

Improving information-based analysis in each country on the mobilized resources, gap,priorities, needs and alignment to its NBSAPs;

2)

Strengthening national capacity to mobilize domestic resources to respond three objectivesof the Convention;

3)

Strengthening existing financial institutions, promotion of replication and scaling up of
successful mechanisms and instruments; and4)

Utilization of innovative finance, multi-objective finance and NbS.

Presentation Session – Part-1
6.

The facilitator of the Webinar, Professor. Kazuhiko TAKEMOTO, introduced the overall
objectives of the Seminar, then set three guiding questions for Part-1 and asked the panelists todiscuss in their presentations, which are 1) Achievements to date; 2) Potential for use in theimplementation of the post-2020 GBF; and 3) Messages to developing countries referring
accessibility to the finance.

7.

After the setting guiding questions, each panelist briefly introduced each financial mechanisms
for the biodiversity conservations and provided key points related the questions. Key points
emphasized by each panelist is summarised below.

8.

Ms. Hannah T. FAIRBANK, Asia Regional Coordinator and Senior Biodiversity Specialist, GEF,
emphasized that biodiversity is the largest focal area in the GEF-8, of which replenishment is$5.33 billion, with allocation of $1.92 billion for biodiversity; leveraging resource from partners
will continue, as GEF-7 supported with $1.63 billion while the co-finance was $15.66 billion; the‘early action grants’ with $43 million have introduced to support early and immediate actions,such as updating existing NBSAPs; and $545million are for Asia. She also emphasized that GEF8 Bio-diversity Strategy includes the direct support for domestic resources mobilization withclear objectives.

9.

Ms. Ayaka FUJIWARA, Climate Investment Specialist at Project Finance, GCF, as the world’s2

largest climate fund set up by the UNFCCC, emphasized that it is beginning to be oriented
towards Nature based Solutions. The GCF focuses on biodiversity and ecosystems as one of theareas to enhance resilience and highlighted that the GCF supported $1.16 billion (32 Africa
countries, 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries, 24 Asia-Pacific countries: Total 78
projects). GCF has approved programs and approaches in 3 sectors; ‘Oceans, Coastalenvironments’, ‘Conservation and reformation of natural ecosystem’ and ‘Agri-landscapes, Agriand Forestry productive system’ by 4 types of instruments: full grant, concessional debt, equityand guarantees.
10. Mr. Wataru SUZUKI, Global Coordinator, Japan Biodiversity Fund (JBF), Secretariat of theConvention on Biological Diversity (CBD), introduced the major activities of the JBF that havesupported implementation of the outcomes of COP 10, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets andthe Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS). He raised that the JBF is the first
fund dedicated to capacity-building hosted by the CBD Secretariat. The Japanese Minister of theEnvironment announced a total of US$17 million for the second phase of the JBF, which will
enable, the continuation of support to the implementation of the Convention and Protocols indeveloping countries under COP decisions, including necessary support for NBSAPs, in close
collaboration with partner organizations, other donors, and financial mechanisms such as the GEFand GCF.
11. Ms. Suzanne ROBERTSON, Principal Operations Coordination Specialist, ADB expressed its
commitment to continue its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty through the post-2020 GBF in
its Strategy 2030 and the MDB Joint Nature Statement, as well as to expand its vision of aprosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia-Pacific. ADB also highlighted the efforts
being made with NbS in mind, including the development of an information platform called theNatural Capital Lab and work on innovative funding mechanisms such as Green and Blue BondFramework.
12. Dr. Hiroaki ASAOKA, Director of Natural Environment Team 1, JICA, emphasized that JICA asa development agency, decided its new Mid-term Plan for 2022-2026 with focus on thebiodiversity where JICA would support partner countries in the areas of biodiversity, climatechange, and sustainable use of natural resources in order to achieve the post-2020 GBF. He
reported 36 technical cooperation projects have been implemented so far: forest and coastal
ecosystem conservation, conservation of reserved are and OECM, strengthening resilience in arid
and semi-arid regions and Eco-DRR (ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction). One of therepresentative examples is Community-Based Natural Resource Management project being
implemented in Timor-Leste with the support of the GCF and expressed the possibility of a NbS.
13. Mr. Masami HASEGAWA, CEO & Secretary General introduced that KCNC was established in1992 as a sister organization of more than 1,500 member companies of Keidanren (JapanBusiness Federation) and has supported nearly 1,700 projects over the past 30 years. The main3

supported areas by KCNC are natural resource management, environmental education,forestation, rare species, research, meeting support and others. Further, He highlighted a new
grant program called the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (KNCF), which will contribute to
the realization of the post-2020 GBF.
14. Upon the requests of the facilitator, Ms. Yoko WATANABE, Global Manager, GEF Small Grants
Programme from UNDP, as the commentator emphasized following six important points for theresource mobilization for the implementation of the post-2020 GBF, which were commonlyreferred by the most of panelists.
1)

Strengthening existing financial mechanisms, such as GEF and GCF, that are on-going toenhance resource mobilization for biodiversity;

2)

Leveraging private sector finance;

3)

Redirecting funds, including subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity and nature, andleveraging domestic resources;

4)

Co-benefits, represented by NbS, linking to climate change, land degradation, andbiodiversity, incorporating poverty and other social components;

5)

Innovative financing and schemes such as green and blue bonds as well as blended finance.
These schemes can further enhance financing possibilities and create more sustainablemechanisms at the country level; and6)

By referring to the successful cases such as the International Partnership for the Satoyama
Initiative and the COMDEKS project, she stressed the importance of the innovative
partnerships to involve not only intergovernmental, multilateral, and bilateral mechanisms,
but also civil society, indigenous peoples, women’s groups, and marginalized communities,
to make the initiative locally relevant and sustainable.

Presentation Session – Part-2
15. The facilitator introduced the guiding questions for the Part-2 and asked the panelists to makepresentations and express their views. The questions are 1) Experiences and/or achievements in
use of the financial mechanisms; and 2) Expectation to the financial mechanisms to implement
the post-2020 GBF. Key points of the presentations and views of each panelist are summarized
below:
16. Dr. Vinod MATHUR, Former Chairperson of National Biodiversity Authority of India, shared its
experience of preparing the Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) with the UNDP-led Biodiversity
Finance Initiative (BIOFIN). He emphasized that the Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER),
an assessment of financial needs over the next five years based on past expenditure assessments,
conducts and measures to fill the funding gap. He expected that the process of decision makingof relevant public and private sector schemes acknowledging the funding gap in achievement ofNBSAPs and National Biodiversity Targets. The schemes work towards reducing the funding gap
through implementation of innovative financial solutions.

417. Mr. Bilal QTISHAT, Director of Nature Protection, Ministry of Environment, Jordan emphasizedthat one of important issues facing developing countries is financial resources, so the challenge
is answering ‘How’ and ‘Who’. He stressed that target 19.1 of post-2020 frameworks need tofocus on it and has smart target reflect needs and convention articles. He expressed the need ofestimating smart national targets and national needs with financial strategy and review thenational budget lines to be one of active co-finance which have fund from donors. Furthermore,he highlighted the cooperation with private sector and support green economy.
18. Mr. Choki Gyeltshen, Dy. Chief Biodiversity Officer, National Biodiversity Centre (NBC),
Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan expressed the need to have an effective biodiversity
finance plans and to explore new, innovative and additional mechanisms for the successful
implementation of the revised NBSAPs which are aligned with the post-2020 GBF. He
highlighted the needs of enhancement of the technical capacities including the resource
mobilization and funds from the donor agencies for the implementing agencies. Furthermore, heexpressed the further enhancement of the partnership with the private sector, NGO and basicallyinvolved whoever are relevant to the biodiversity and nature.
III.

HIGHLIGHTS OF DISCUSSIONS

19. Discussions after the presentations were conducted highlighting following key messages forresource mobilization for the post-2020 GBF.
20. MULTI-OBJECTIVE FINANCE across global agenda, such as biodiversity, climate change,
land degradation, is vital to mobilize resources and use them effectively and efficiently. In thiscontext, application of NbS approach is a good entry point to realize muti -objective finance. Key
supplemental comments made for this topic were: Ms. FAIRBANK, GEF has been working
across its focal areas and is going to give more attention to the biodiversity area, aiming to
generate multiple objectives. She stressed the need to pay attention to social and economic
structures and mechanisms in NbS applications. Ms. FUJIWARA explained GCF pays a lot ofattention to outcomes around multiple objectives in investing in its concession financing. Ms.
ROBERTSON explained that ADB understands factors what drive degradation of biodiversity,and how the factors fit within each sector so that it can start to address them and reverse them.
Ms. WATANABE, UNDP pointed out that the developing countries could engage in a more
integrated approach to biodiversity conservation with climate change and land degradation, bymainstreaming biodiversity resources in other productive sectors and cooperating with othertypes of sectors that affect biodiversity resources.
21. DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION OF NBSAPs is crucial for realizing targeted financial
mobilization based on the circumstances and priorities of each country. It was emphasized thatNBSAPs are vital tools to ensure financiers in governments and industries within each country
to understand the importance of biodiversity conservation and relevant actions. To do so, financial
and technical supports for development of NBSAPs were also stressed. Supplementary comments
5made in the discussions are: Ms. FAIRBANK, GEF noted that funding for creating an enabling
environment for early implementation of the NBSAPs will continue to be secured in GEF-8 andwill be available to countries. Mr. SUZUKI, mentioned that JBF would like to explore how they
could further support the implementation of NBSAPs through collaboration with relevant
stakeholders and partners, including research institutions. Ms. ROBERTSON, ADB, stressed that
it is also necessary to discuss with the Minister of Finance and others to make them understandthe importance of biodiversity, including the NBSAPs. Ms. WATANABE, UNDP pointed out
importance of continuous support from countries for capacity development, South-South
cooperation, lessons learning and an inclusive process to implement the ambitious framework
moving forward, in addition to the resource availability.
22. INNOVATIVE FINANCE is necessary for accelerating resource mobilization, in various levels
and sectors. Several panelists explained their innovative financial mechanisms introduced alreadyor relevant plans/initiatives for them in GEF, GCF, ADB, JICA and KCNC. They stressed thelarge potential roles of the private finance flow and importance of measures to engage private
sector finance. Mr. HASEGAWA, KCNC, as one of private finance mechanisms, emphasized thatthe economy is trying to move in the nature positives, and mentioned the new disclosure
framework called TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure) as an good example,
and explained its initiative in Japan. Mr. ASAOKA, JICA, also noted that private companies,
especially in Europe, have been paying much more attention on biodiversity issues, and heexpects more private sectors coming into this field. Ms. WATANABE, UNDP pointed out theschemes will further strengthen the financial sort of availability, resulting more sustainablemechanisms at the country level.
23. In Closing, Prof. TAKEMOTO, the facilitator, concluded the Webinar, by expressing his highapplications for all panelists and the commentator, and his expectations that the Summary of theWebinar would be used for the global discussion on the agenda.
(end of the summary)6Attachment: Webinar Program
Webinar on Resource Mobilization for the implementation ofthe post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in the Asia-Pacific Region
11:00-13:30 25 Oct. 2022
Programme (Time indicated in JST (UTC+9))
11:00 – Opening Session (10 min.)Opening Remarks
Mr. Naohisa OKUDA, Director General, Nature Conservation Bureau,
Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan
Mr. Carlos Manuel RODRIGUEZ, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility(GEF)
11:15 Panel Discussion Session
Facilitator: Prof. Kazuhiko TAKEMOTO,President, Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan(Former Vice Minister of Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of theEnvironment, Japan)
Commentator: Ms. Yoko WATANABE, Global Manager, GEF Small Grants Programme from
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Panelists:
Part-1 (11:15-12:20)
1. GEF-8 Support to Implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework
Ms. Hannah T. FAIRBANK, Asia Regional Coordinator and Senior Biodiversity
Specialist, Global Environment Facility (GEF)
2. Green Climate Fund and biodiversity
Ms. Ayaka FUJIWARA, Climate Investment Specialist at Project Finance, Green
Climate Fund (GCF)
3. Japan Biodiversity Fund: Contributions and the way forward
Mr. Wataru SUZUKI, Global Coordinator, Japan Biodiversity Fund team, theSecretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
4. Nature Positive Investments
Ms. Suzanne ROBERTSON, Principal Operations Coordination Specialist,
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
5. JICA’s cooperation for nature conservation
Dr. Hiroaki ASAOKA, Director of Natural Environment Team 1, Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
6. Japanese private sector’s initiative to make financial contribution to achieve thePost 2020-GBF
Mr. Masami HASEGAWA, CEO & Secretary General, Keidanren Committee onNature Conservation
Part-2 (12:20-13:30)
1. Biodiversity Finance Planning: The Indian Experience
Dr. Vinod MATHUR, Former Chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority ofIndia
2. Experiences from Jordan
Mr. Bilal QTISHAT, Director of Nature Protection, Ministry of Environment,Jordan
3. Experiences from Bhutan
Mr. Choki Gyeltshen, Dy. Chief Biodiversity Officer, National Biodiversity Centre(NBC), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, Bhutan
13:30 Closing

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