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Discover how community-led conservation finance empowers local stewards. Rony Brodsky reveals how village savings and land tenure unlock green economies.
Episode Resources:
Commentary on Reforming Multilateral Funding for Local CommunitiesCase Study on the Terra do Meio Network in the AmazonOfficial Website of the Global Alliance of Territorial CommunitiesReport on Recognizing Indigenous and Community Land RightsWhile billions are pledged to global climate funds, true conservation success relies on getting capital directly into the hands of local stewards. In this episode of the 4Nature Podcast, we sit down with Rony Brodsky of The Nature Conservancy to explore how empowering indigenous and local communities through grassroots finance is the key to both economic justice and environmental protection. Listeners will discover how leveraging domestic financial systems and community-led structures can transform global conservation efforts from the bottom up.
Rony breaks down the mechanics of integrating large-scale blended finance with deeply localized institutions like Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). We examine the critical intersection of MSME lending, land tenure rights, and local governance, revealing why top-down impact investing often fails without this essential grassroots infrastructure. By "greenifying" existing community banks and credit unions, she offers a framework to ensure wealth remains local rather than being extracted by outside forces. Tune in to find out how a small, informal herder savings circle in Mongolia successfully evolved into a scalable, nature-positive financial engine that protects millions of hectares of vulnerable land.
If you found value in this conversation on decolonizing conservation finance, be sure to subscribe to the 4Nature Podcast and leave us a review!
About Rony Brodsky:
Rony Brodsky serves as Senior Advisor for inclusive and innovative finance at The Nature Conservancy, where she leads strategies to mobilize blended finance for climate and conservation by greening domestic financial architectures. Rony joined The Nature Conservancy as their inaugural Director for Indigenous- and Local Community-Led Finance, through which she founded and led the organizationâs global strategy. In that role, Rony established and managed a global accelerator that pairs locally-led innovative community finance pilots in emerging markets with systems-level market and policy interventions to create and scale inclusive and nature-positive financial markets. Rony is a banker and development economist by training. She began her career supporting Indigenous-led, grassroots humanitarian and development non-profit organizations in Guatemala. Rony has an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an MPA in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelorâs Degree in Economics from the University of Maryland. -
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Discover how Blue Alliance transforms marine protected areas by blending coral conservation with social enterprise to build a thriving blue economy.
Episode Resources:
Official Website for Blue AllianceBlue Alliance Case Study on Marine Protected AreasTurneffe Atoll Marine Reserve Official SiteWhat if the secret to saving the world's dying coral reefs isn't just better science, but better business? In this episode of the 4Nature Podcast, marine ecologist and former investment banker Nicolas Pascal breaks down how his organization, Blue Alliance, is actively regenerating millions of hectares of ocean ecosystems. Tune in to discover how blending long-term government partnerships with sustainable social enterprises can transform failing conservation zones into thriving marine sanctuaries that also lift local fishing communities out of poverty.
Nicolas shares the harsh reality that over 70% of global marine protected areas (MPAs) are simply "paper parks" lacking the real enforcement and funding needed to survive. To combat this, he reveals Blue Allianceâs pioneering marine co-management model: a system where non-profit conservation efforts are directly funded by profitable, community-integrated businesses in ecotourism and sustainable aquaculture. He explores the fascinating tension of building a blue economy and explains why itâs often easier to teach corporate professionals about coral reef conservation than it is to teach NGOs how to run a profitable business. But can this innovative "IKEA model" of conservation truly scale to protect 70 million hectares of ocean, or will the tragedy of the commons ultimately prevail?
If youâre inspired by actionable, entrepreneurial solutions to our planet's biggest environmental challenges, hit subscribe and leave us a five-star review. -
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Season 3, Episode 4: Unlocking Capital for a Regenerative Blue Economy with Melissa Walsh
How do we fix a broken system â and unlock the investment needed to save our oceans?
Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, ocean conservation remains dramatically underfunded. In this episode, we explore how to change that by building a true capital market for the ocean.
Our guest, Dr. Melissa Walsh â a global leader in blue finance and Director of Blue Finance & Scaling at ORRAA â explains why blue finance has lagged behind green finance, whatâs holding investors back, and how we can redesign the system so money flows to ocean solutions at scale.
We break down:
đ Why oceans are still âinvisibleâ in global financeâ The risks and barriers that stop investment â and how to remove themđĄ How ORRAA is acting as the connective tissue between finance, insurance, governments & communitiesđ Tools that de-risk ocean projects, like SCIFF and the Nautilus Blue Guaranteeđ Why the world needs shared âocean-positiveâ metrics to prevent bluewashingđ€ The future of blue equity â ensuring coastal communities benefit from a thriving ocean economyThis episode offers a clear, hopeful roadmap for shifting from extraction to regeneration, and finally giving the ocean the investment it deserves.
About Our Guest:
Dr. Melissa Walsh is the Director of Blue Finance and Scaling at the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA). A leading global expert in ocean finance and the blue economy, she transitioned from a 24-year career in coral reef biogeochemistry and science management to tackle the primary roadblock she saw in conservation: a lack of capital. Today, she works to build the systems, partnerships, and financial products needed to drive investment toward a sustainable and resilient ocean.
Learn More From Our Guest / Episode Resources:
Learn more about the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA): https://oceanriskalliance.org/
Explore ORRAA's SeaChange Impact Finance Facility (SCIFF): https://oceanriskalliance.org/blue-finance/
Discover the BackBlue Initiative: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/back-blue-ocean-finance-commitment/
Read about the Nautilus Blue Guarantee Company: https://www.guarantee.blue/
What are your thoughts on building a blue economy? Do you believe these financial tools can create the systemic change we need? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to like this video and subscribe for more conversations with the people on the front lines of protecting our planet.
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How do we move beyond small, isolated conservation projects to protect nature at scale?
This special episode of 4Nature, made for the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, explores what transformational leadership looks like in practice. Host David Meyers speaks with two trailblazing leadersâKathleen Fitzgerald, Project Director for Enduring Earth, and Vatosoa Rakotondrazafy, Regional Ocean Governance Manager for IUCNâwho are reimagining how conservation can empower communities and achieve durable, system-wide impact.
Kathleen shares how the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model brings together governments, funders, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities around long-term conservation goals. She highlights how Indigenous-led PFPs in Canada are setting a new global standard for inclusive, lasting protection.
From the oceanâs edge, Vatosoa recounts her journey leading Madagascarâs Mihari Network and building a Western Indian Ocean alliance for Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs). She emphasizes that the traditional knowledge of small-scale fishersââa PhD in the oceanââmust guide conservation, supported by tools like LMMA trust funds that channel resources directly to communities.
Together, their stories reveal how humility, persistence, and local leadership can transform conservation from short-term projects into resilient systems that work for both people and nature.
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Every breath you take is free - but in an economic system that only values what's priced, could this be nature's greatest vulnerability? In this rare podcast-meets-podcast exchange, David Meyers and Juan Pablo Romero RodrĂguez (host of Poder Ambiental) flip between interviewer and interviewee to dissect this dangerous paradox. Their conversation transcends typical environmental gloom, revealing how innovative financial mechanisms are already transforming our relationship with nature - from biodiversity credits empowering Global South economies to debt-for-nature swaps creating billion-dollar conservation opportunities. As the two environmental specialists analyze not just what we say about nature but how we say it, they unveil why reframing our relationship with the natural world might be less about saving the planet and more about saving ourselves.
Links:
uan Pablo Romero RodrĂguez 's Podcast website
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What if we've built conservation markets backward? Mike Korchinsky, founder of Wildlife Works, reveals how we've created elaborate systems to pay for reducing destruction while assigning zero value to what remains intact. After pioneering REDD+ carbon credits that moved millions to indigenous communities, Korchinsky is now challenging both corporate leaders and environmental activists with a provocative framework: "The market is the worst form of conservation finance - except for all the others." His work with Amazonian indigenous peoples has produced a revolutionary financial instrument that values functioning ecosystems rather than just measuring avoided harm. Join this philosophical journey through the carbon market's turbulent history to discover why the future of biodiversity finance might depend on abandoning guilt-based "footprint" approaches for something radically simpler: recognizing and rewarding what communities have protected for millennia.
Links:
Wildlife Works website
The Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project
Biodiversity Stewardship Unit/methodology information
Verra
CFA's Nature Credit Task Force
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What if money flowed through landscapes like water - nurturing life and creating abundance - instead of extracting value and leaving depletion behind? Samantha Power, regenerative economist and co-founder of the BioFi Project, reveals how "bioregional financing facilities" keep capital rooted in places like nutrients in healthy soil. From community-governed trusts to venture studios supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, her four innovative models challenge the assumption that finance must operate in opposition to nature. Already transforming economic relationships from California to the Amazon, these approaches build local capital aligned with living systems rather than extracting wealth from them. Join this paradigm-shifting conversation to discover not just how to increase investment in nature, but how to fundamentally reimagine our relationship with capital to serve life itself.
Links:
Samantha Power's book: "Bioregional Financing Facilities: Reimagining Finance to Regenerate Our Planet"
The BioFi Project
Finance for Gaia
Commonland
Planet Drum Foundation
Capital Institute
Fritjof Capra's work on living systems principles -
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Today we dive into the remarkable story of Mozambique's BIOFUND, a trailblazing conservation trust fund that has revolutionized biodiversity protection in the country. Join our conversation with BIOFUND's visionary leaders, Dr. Narciso Matos and Sean Nazerali, as they share insights on the fund's innovative approach to engaging local communities, fostering public-private partnerships, and achieving impressive financial growth.
BIOFUND's unique membership model for engaging conservation stakeholdersStrategies for efficiently disbursing funds to support protected areasThe critical role of conservation trust funds during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic Approaches for aligning community development with conservation goalsInnovative finance mechanisms being explored, such as biodiversity offsets and a conservation credit cardVision for BIOFUND's future growth and impact in Mozambique and beyond
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Sinclair Vincent currently serves as the Senior Director of Sustainable Development, Program Development, and Innovation at Verra, a leading organization driving global investment in biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. In her role, Sinclair oversees the strategy, direction, and evolution of Verra's suite of programs, including the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard, the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards, and the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard. She is also spearheading the development of Verra's SD VISta Nature Framework, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at scaling investment in biodiversity conservation on a global scale. With a strong focus on market development, Sinclair engages with corporate, commercial, and government stakeholders to ensure Verra's programs empower users to set and achieve increasingly ambitious environmental and social goals.
The crucial role of standardized measurement in scaling biodiversity credit marketsStrategies for engaging Indigenous peoples and local communities in nature conservationThe future of biodiversity credits and their potential to drive investment in natureNavigating the complex landscape of emerging biodiversity credit methodologiesInsights on building trust, transparency, and capacity in nascent nature markets
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In this episode, we explore the cutting-edge of conservation finance with Kevin Webb and Tom Quigley, co-founders of Superorganism - a trailblazing venture capital firm on a mission to catalyze the nature tech revolution. We dive into their unique approach to funding startups that are harnessing the power of technology to tackle the biodiversity crisis head-on. From harnessing mycorrhizal fungi networks to boost timber growth to turning invasive species into sustainable leather, the innovations in Superorganism's portfolio will give you a glimpse into the future of nature-positive business. Tune in for an inspiring and eye-opening discussion on the role of venture capital in saving Earth's precious biodiversity. For more insights on the growing nature tech ecosystem, be sure to sign up for Superorganism's monthly substack newsletter.
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Today we explore the groundbreaking intersection of finance and conservation with Douglas Eger, Chairman and CEO of the Intrinsic Exchange Group. Learn how the innovative concept of Natural Asset Companies (NACs) proposes a new way to value nature, transforming it into a recognized economic asset that benefits both the environment and communities. Through Eger's journey from conserving acres to conceptualizing financial mechanisms for nature, we examine how integrating natureâs value into capital markets can drive ecological and economic prosperity. We also discuss the challenges and future visions for NACs, including pilot projects that aim to redefine our approach to conservation. Join us as we navigate the evolving landscape of conservation finance, where the preservation of nature meets economic innovation.
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This week, we're joined by Torsten Thiele, the trailblazer in blue infrastructure financing. From the depths of the ocean to the frontlines of urban development, we dive deep into how investing in the sea could be a game-changer. Learn how nature-positive projects, from preserving mangroves to enlarging wetlands, promise resilience and financial rewards.
Our discussion takes us to who's catching this waveâfrom city mayors to development banks. We also tackle the obstacles, like the shortage of ecologists in engineering projects and municipal resistance to novel solutions. All this while shedding light on opportunities for scaling up awareness and action. Intrigued? Cast your net and reel in this episode for a deep dive into a future where finance, ecology, and urban planning coalesce. -
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Today we talk with Slav Gatchev from The Nature Conservancy to unravel the complexities and triumphs of sustainable debt and conservation finance. Gatchev, leading the sustainable debt team, brings a unique perspective shaped by his background in investment banking and emerging market development. He shares his transition from renewable energy and infrastructure financing to his pivotal role at The Nature Conservancy, highlighting the innovative ways in which financial instruments are employed to tackle conservation and biodiversity challenges. Delving into the evolution of debt-for-nature swaps, he explains their journey from small-scale initiatives to groundbreaking transactions like the Belize Blue Bonds, illustrating their significant impact in reducing national debt and bolstering conservation efforts.
We also examine the future potential of blue bonds and sovereign debt issuances in mitigating the triple crisis of debt sustainability, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Gatchev emphasizes the importance of these financial tools in the conservation community and their role in forging sustainable solutions for both governments and the environment. The conversation shifts to explore the innovative work of Gatchev's team, the broader implications of debt in environmental conservation, and the necessity of recognizing the economic and financial returns from investing in nature. This episode is a deep dive into the world of conservation finance, where debt transforms into a powerful agent for ecological preservation and economic resilience. -
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In our first episode of the year, David speaks with Sue Stolton and Nigel Dudley, proponents of the protected area movement for more than 20 years and the partners behind Equilibrium Research, a conservation consultancy offering practical solutions to conservation challenges, from concept, to implementation, to evaluation of impact. Sue and Nigel discuss the social origins of protected areas, the evolution of protected areas conservation as a force for climate change mitigation, their Protected Areas Benefit Assessment Tool and discuss their hopes for the future of protected areas in light of the Global Biodiversity Framework's "30x30" Target.
Sue and Nigel speak about the importance of empowering local and indigenous communities in OECM and PA management and integrating input from local communities in the policies surrounding these areas. They share with David their hope that more work can go into discovering what the wider social values and benefits of PAâs are for local communities, beyond the economic impact of protecting and restoring nature.
Learn more about Sue Stolton and Nigel Dudleyâs work and the critical role of area-based conservation in their new book, âLeaving Space for Natureâ.
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In this episode, Kim and David sit down with Andrew Bovarnick, the United Nations Development Programme Global Head, Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems (FACS). In this engaging discussion, Andrew shares highlights of his professional journey from researching in the Ecuadorian tropics, to his environmental economics and policy training and now his current priority to bring economic instruments and market-based incentives into the conservation work supported by UNDP. With his focus on collaboration, Andrew is leading UNDPâs commodities platforms approach to establish long-term stakeholder engagement around the world. As successfully piloted in the cattle ranching community of Paraguay, these platforms bring relevant parties together to debate, discuss, disagree, and ultimately formulate collective actions to positively transform their sectors to the benefit of all; nature included.
âWe sometimes assumeâŠthat there are a lot of opposing agendas. But⊠it may just be about bringing the stakeholders to the table and facilitating conversations to find those common areas of interestâ- Andrew Bovarnick
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Episode 10 of 4Nature Podcast, features Edwin Wayonyi, Director of Partnership and Enterprise at the Kenya Wildlife Service.
In this episode, Edwin Wayonyi connects with David Meyers about his work engaging with many different stakeholders to find solutions for financing conservation in Kenya. Edwin speaks to the often overlooked importance of domestic tourism as a sustainable source of income to support the parks system and his work to engage the private sector in building up tourism surrounding the parks. David and Ediwn discuss some of the challenges to conservation that are arising with the climate crisis, and Edwin shares success stories of protecting livestock and lions across Kenya, from education campaigns to reduce human-wildlife conflicts to private sector partnerships such as Lion Lights, to protect livestock and lions across Kenya.
âWildlife doesnât wait for you to get money. Wildlife and our habitats need our protection now and today. Because the challenges are many.â - Edwin Wayonyi -
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In this episode, 4Nature travels to Kuruwitu, Kenya for a conversation with Des Bowden of Oceans Alive about their work to preserve the coastal and marine ecosystems in Kenya.
After a morning watching a migrating pod of humpback whales and snorkeling in one of the protected and restored coastal areas, David and Des discuss what began as a conversation with the community elders about native and sustainable fishing traditions and turned into Karutu - a collective which established the first locally-managed marine area in the Western Indian Ocean (LMMA, or Tengefu in Swahili). Des shares details about the conservation efforts of Oceans Alive to empower and enable local communities to protect their marine resources and how establishing the first LMMA has proven that a locally-led approach is a successful conservation strategy, inspiring the establishment of 30 other LMMAs along the coast of Kenya.
_________The Kuruwitu Community - Our story
The Kenyan coast where we live looked like paradise. Green palms, silver sand, coral reef and blue, blue sea.
But in truth not all was well.
Our people were hungry, the reef was dying. The picture postcard scene was falling apart. The pressures of the outside world - international fishing pirates, the lure of the big markets, the greedy aquarium trade - had led to fatal over-fishing. The fish got smaller and smaller. The shoals got smaller and smaller too. The coral began to die. The reef, the nursery of the deep sea fish, was bare and grey. Our families started to get hungry. The harder we fished, the worse it got.
Thatâs how it used to be. 20 years ago we started trying to change. Our idea was to work together as a community to heal the reef, to bring back the fish and to begin to control the size, weight, quality and price of what we could take to market. We also looked forward to feeding our families with fish that we could afford to eat ourselves. It hasnât been easy but we have come a long way. Our success has caught the attention of the other communities along our coast who have suffered like we have. They want to learn how they too can protect their blue-water fishing and bring their dying reefs back to health.
Of course we still need help. We have years of mistakes to put right. We need protection from the large and powerful commercial predators who are attacking our stocks. We need investment and training to set up our own marketing channels. We need help to build a life that doesnât need help.
But we have already shown that working together can change our lives.
Itâs only a very small start in a very small corner of Africa but we believe that the lessons we have learned could make a really big difference to coastal communities all over the world. We would like them too, to find, once again, pride and confidence in being able to feed their families and to see their reefs and seas, safe and unthreatened, full of colour and life.
Itâs only a small ripple now, but it could turn out to be a really big wave.
Learn more at https://www.oceansalivekenya.org/ -
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A new episode of 4Nature featuring Laure Katz, Vice President of Blue Nature & Co-Lead Implementation Blue Nature Alliance at Conservation International, is now available on all streaming platforms. In discussion with 4Nature Co-host David Meyers, Laure describes how her early love of marine life has powered her career of protecting the ocean. They discuss her work with Indigenous Papuan communities to protect the global epicenter of marine diversity, the Bird's Head Peninsula (BHP), and how integral it was in the first phase of the project to listen to the needs of the communities with strong ancestral and practical relationships with the Marine Protected Areas. Laure expands on the visionary Blue Nature Alliance and their mission to protect 5% of the global ocean by 2025; practically doubling the marine conservation efforts around the world.
Listen for insights into Laureâs crucial work to help design and fund community-driven, community-led marine protected areas at the scale of a seascape.
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In this episode of 4Nature, Kim speaks with Mariana Bellot, Technical Advisor at The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) providing support to Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Cuba, Chile, Peru and Mexico. Mariana and Kim discuss the importance of joining private and public sectors together under the goal of investing in conservation and restoration efforts, and Mariana shares a few financing strategies gaining traction, such as impact investing, blended finance and thematic bonds (rhino bonds, green bonds etc.) Mariana explains how âconservation without resources is only conversationâ and how her work with BIOFIN helps secure those resources to build a sustainable future for people and the planet.
âWe can turn the economy into a nature-positive economy⊠Not only conserving what we have but restoring what weâve lost.â - Mariana Bellot -
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In this episode, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), connects with 4Nature Co-host David Meyers, on the importance of including agriculture and conservation in conversations together, the power of public and private divesting from industries and activities that are harmful to the environment, his legacy of transformational environmental leadership in Costa Rica, and his mission to promote policy coherence in GEFâs work around the world.
âAll development policies from the central government or from the different sectors should be aligned and aimed to the same goals. We need to create the right incentives so all public and private investments are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreementâ- Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO of the Global Environment Facility on policy coherence
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