Webinars

Monday, January 26, 9 am US EST/6 am US PST/2 pm UTC/3 pm CET/4 pm CAT/4 pm SAST. Presented by: Bhalin Singh of Prajna Ventures and Onkemetse Nteta of IUCN. Description: The Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA) Incubator Program fosters innovative solutions to conservation challenges. These solutions use finance or economic tools to create clear conservation outcomes or sustained conservation financing. This webinar, the third in a series of five, will showcase two solutions for raising capital from tourism and blending finance for infrastructure investments. In the first half of the webinar, Bhalin Singh of Prajna Ventures will present the Global Green Visa®. The Global Green Visa® (GGV) transforms global tourism into a dedicated and consistent revenue stream for lasting environmental and social impact. Seamlessly embedded within a nation’s existing e-visa system, it adds a modest, transparent contribution directly into priority biodiversity conservation outcomes. The management and use of the funds are independently verified and transparent. Designed for global scaling, GGV is a credible, repeatable model for financing nature. Each green visa becomes an invitation to invest in the planet. In the second half of the webinar Onkemetse Nteta of IUCN will present the Transfrontier Conservation Area (TCFA) Infrastructure Finance Mechanism. Unmet funding needs for the development and management of TFCAs, particularly for infrastructure development and maintenance, are a critical challenge for many countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The TCFA Financing Facility is a regional funding mechanism designed to provide sustainable funding for conservation and management actions in SADC TCFAs. The Facility will capture growing interest from donors and the private sector to develop a EUR 100 million blended finance structure to deliver infrastructure at scale in four selected TFCAs. Infrastructure will improve protected areas management effectiveness, unlock the economic potential of TFCAs, and promote social uplift for TFCA communities.

Tuesday, February 10, 10 am US EST/7 am US PST/3 pm UTC/4 pm CET/5 pm EET/5 pm SAST. Presented by: Judy Mann-Lang, Founder of MPA Day, and Katja Laingui, European Coordinator for MPA Day. Description: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential for conserving biodiversity, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and building climate resilience. MPA Day celebrated on August 1 annually is a coordinated global celebration to amplify collective efforts to protect the ocean. This webinar will highlight the evolution of MPA Day and its growing reach as more regions join in celebrating and promoting the value of MPAs. Judy Mann-Lang will discuss the origin of and motivation for MPA Day and its early growth, based on an understanding of the communication principles that underpin effective MPA management and public engagement. Katja Laingui will outline the steps taken to broaden MPA Day outreach into Europe and foster connections with emerging partners worldwide. Together, the speakers will share practical ways organizations and individuals can participate and help the initiative to grow in reach and impact.

Wednesday, March 18, 10 am US EDT/7 am US PDT/2 pm UTC/3 pm CET. Presented by:Vanessa Stelzenmüller of Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries. Description: Achieving both conservation and green energy goals demands new approaches that more effectively align marine spatial planning (MSP) with systematic conservation planning. As a forward-looking, integrative process, MSP is uniquely positioned to help deliver sustainable marine futures, especially when grounded in strong ecosystem considerations. Implementing an ecosystem-based approach to MSP (EB-MSP) is therefore essential. This webinar will present a stakeholder-informed Decision Support System (DSS) for EB-MSP developed through the Horizon Europe project MarinePlan (www.marineplan.eu). The DSS offers practical guidance for aligning MSP processes with spatial conservation and restoration priorities. This webinar will introduce core components, including the use of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) as a central driver of conservation planning, as well as standardized guidance for defining planning scenarios aimed at meeting global conservation targets protecting 30% of marine areas, with 10% under strict protection by 2030. Finally, the webinar will compare developed planning scenarios with current MSP practices and discuss key insights. Challenges, opportunities, and areas for improvement within existing governance processes to support more effective implementation of EB-MSP will all be highlighted.