Finance and nature come together in Peru to drive investments with positive environmental, social and economic impact
Can economic development go hand in hand with nature conservation? This was one of the key questions at the “Finance, Agriculture and Nature Summit,” organized by WWF Peru on August 4 and 5. The event brought together representatives from the financial and microfinance sectors, insurance companies, public institutions and organizations working on sustainable development to explore new financing opportunities that can help address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
The summit marked the first presentation in Peru of the Landscape Finance Approach (LFA), developed by WWF as a methodology for designing financial mechanisms that integrate nature-based solutions, local communities and sustainable productive activities within the same landscape.
© WWF-Peru
“This approach proposes a new way of financing development and enables the structuring of investment portfolios that diversify risks, attract capital at greater scale, and generate environmental, social and economic benefits”, said Kurt Holle, Country Director of WWF Peru. “In Peru, WWF is implementing this approach in the Madre de Dios landscape, where it has identified three priority value chains with the potential to drive economies compatible with forest conservation: regenerative livestock, Brazil nuts and sustainably managed timber”, he added.
© WWF-Peru
As part of this work, WWF Peru and the Peruvian Federation of Municipal Savings and Credit Banks (FEPCMAC) are developing microfinance products under the Landscape Finance Approach, including a pilot initiative for regenerative livestock producers.
The summit provided an opportunity to learn from national and international experiences in applying this approach to innovative financial solutions and to identify, together with public- and private-sector stakeholders, mechanisms that can help mobilize greater investment toward climate and nature goals.
“There is growing interest within the financial sector in developing instruments that incorporate environmental criteria without compromising their financial viability. The Landscape Finance Approach (LFA) facilitates this process by reducing risks through an integrated vision of the landscape and creating opportunities to channel investment toward sustainable productive activities”, explained Martin Sanabria, Development and Promotion Manager.
The event brought together representatives from public institutions such as the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI), the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Fund Administrators (SBS), the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP), and PROINVERSIÓN; financial-sector institutions including FEPCMAC, ASOMIF, BBVA Peru, Credicorp, CAF, IDB, AIV and NESsT; development cooperation agencies; civil society organizations; and companies interested in sustainable finance. Participants shared experiences on how to incorporate nature into financial decision-making and strengthen public-private partnerships.
The summit also featured international experts from the WWF network, who presented experiences in implementing the Landscape Finance Approach in different countries, providing an opportunity to exchange knowledge and lessons learned across contexts.
The summit was made possible with funding from German Development Cooperation, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
© WWF-Peru
