Biodiversity financing: why investing in nature matters for Pakistan’s economy
Pakistan is accustomed to debating the cost of climate change. Floods destroy infrastructure, droughts reduce agricultural output and heatwaves threaten lives and productivity. Yet there is another economic crisis unfolding more quietly: the erosion of the natural systems that make economic activity possible in the first place. Fertile soils, rivers, forests, wetlands, pollinators and mangroves…
The erosion of Pakistan's natural systems, including fertile soils, rivers, forests, wetlands, pollinators, and mangroves, is often overlooked until their economic value becomes apparent. This realization underscores the importance of biodiversity financing, which mobilises public, private, and blended capital towards the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems.
By shifting the perspective from viewing nature as an environmental expense to recognising it as productive infrastructure and a financial asset, biodiversity financing aligns with global frameworks such as the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). For Pakistan, this approach is particularly relevant as the country's economic future is closely tied to the health of its ecosystems.
Agriculture, urban areas, rural communities, and coastal populations all depend on various natural resources and services, making biodiversity conservation a crucial economic concern. Despite the global economic case for investing in biodiversity, Pakistan's environmental challenges highlight the need for a more integrated approach to allocating capital that accounts for the value of ecosystems and the risks associated with their degradation.
Brief written by urgent.news from Business Recorder's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
