Sustainable Finance

Sustainable finance is essential to support and scale ecosystem restoration. ERIP supports innovative financial mechanisms—like Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), blended finance, and community-driven businesses that channel long-term investment into nature-positive outcomes. These approaches ensure restoration efforts are economically and socially viable across the 20 participating countries.

Photo credit: © Conservation International/photo by Erickson Tabayag

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Why Sustainable Finance Matters

Restoring ecosystems requires long-term financial commitment. Without sustainable finance, restoration efforts often stall after initial implementation. By mobilizing diverse funding sources and making restoration investable, we can ensure long-lasting impact for people and nature - aligning financial flows with climate, biodiversity and development targets.  

Photo credit: © Joshua Trujillo, Starbucks

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ERIP’s role & strategy

ERIP helps countries address sustainable financing through technical support, capacity building and innovation. This includes providing guidance to design and pilot financial mechanisms such as Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and developing a Restoration Calculator to estimate the costs and benefits of different restoration approaches across ecosystems. Through knowledge sharing and technical assistance, ERIP strengthens countries’ ability to fund restoration beyond the life of the program. 

Photo credit: © Conservation International/photo by Russell A. Mittermeier

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Our Vision for Success

  • Development and piloting of diverse financial mechanisms for restoration across the 20 countries
  • Building financial and innovation capacities with decision-support tools like the Restoration Calculator.
  • Aligning restoration finance plans with national development and climate goals
  • Long-term funding secured to support and scale restoration  

Photo credit: © Cristina Mittermeier

Looking Ahead

The program promotes sustainable finance and the development of financial mechanisms to attract diverse funding sources, de-risk investments, and incentivize private sector engagement. Financial mechanisms are designed to be inclusive, ensuring that restoration investments benefit those most affected by ecosystem degradation. 

Decision-support tools like the Restoration Calculator aim to help countries assess the viability and impact of different restoration strategies. These innovations aim to strengthen national capacities, align restoration finance with policy frameworks, and scale up nature-positive investments globally.  By doing so, ERIP supports a shift from short-term project cycles to enduring financial resilience. 

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Resources

Resources

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  • Farmers tend regenerating trees in African Drylands
    Case Studies

    The hidden forest: farmers tend regenerating trees in African Drylands

    Case study investigating Farm-Managed Natural Regeneration of degraded farmland in Niger. Highlights the importance of flexibility, peer learning, and social cohesion. Key lessons include adapting to local contexts, leveraging farmer-to-farmer exchange, and recognizing that widespread adoption depends on community support and the willingness to change in challenging times.

  • Bringing the Atlantic Forest back to life
    Case Studies

    Bringing the Atlantic Forest back to life in the Rio Doce Watershed, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Case study underscoring the need for careful problem diagnosis, transparent collaboration, and tailored approaches in restoration. Key lessons include accepting that restoration is slow, avoiding one-size-fits-all solutions, and practicing patience throughout the process.

  • Restoring native forest with Ban Mae Sa Mai Village
    Case Studies

    Restoring native forest with Ban Mae Sa Mai Village, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Case study demonstrating that restoration can be made more sustainable by ensuring it is economically viable for the local community, treating it as a livelihood, and embracing uncertainty. Key lessons include aligning incentives with forest protection, using projects to test new ideas, and recognizing the diverse needs within communities