The oceanic island state of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) features a remarkable wealth of biodiversity. Stretching over a quarter of it 1,001 square kilometers, the country’s native forests include some of the largest concentrations of unique species in the world. However, habitat loss, overexploitation and the introduction of non-native species threaten the biodiversity of STP.

 

In response to this, BirdLife International hired Natural Strategies to develop a country-wide sustainable finance plan to strengthen STP’s protected areas and biodiversity. To do so, Natural Strategies will identify financing gaps for protected area management; develop sustainable finance options to address these gaps, based on a cost-benefit assessment; and model costs and revenues of prioritized scenarios. This will include conventional and innovative financing instruments such as private sector impact investments in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, carbon finance, payments for ecosystem services and debt-restructuring for nature conservation.

 

For the highest priority financing options we will develop feasibility studies, a monitoring & evaluation plan and investment promotion plan. All of these elements we will then turn into a country-wide sustainable finance plan - seeking to generate returns on investments into the country’s protected areas to preserve its rich biodiversity while maintaining healthy ecosystems for its local communities.