This indicator quantifies the amount of project area that is identified as a natural ecosystem and is protected by actions taken within the financed project. Note that this area does not need to be formally recognized as a protected area at the national level \u2013 indeed, it most likely will not be. Protecting natural ecosystems so that the biodiversity contained within in them can recover is a crucial step towards generating positive impact.<\/p>\n
Users can disaggregate areas of based on their global biodiversity significance by using significance qualifiers (see below). For example, protecting a very rare ecosystem would generate more impact for biodiversity than protecting a more common ecosystem.<\/p>\n","methodology":"
1. Define what is a natural ecosystem within the project area, in line with the following definition from the Accountability Framework Initiative<\/a>:<\/p>\n An ecosystem that substantially resembles \u2014 in terms of species composition, structure, and ecological function \u2014 one that is or would be found in a given area in the absence of major human impacts. This includes human-managed ecosystems where much of the natural species composition, structure, and ecological function are present.<\/em><\/p>\n Natural ecosystems include:<\/em><\/p>\n 2. Define what actions within the project or portfolio constitute protection of ecosystems. For example, this could be fencing off an area to prevent overgrazing by livestock or working with local communities to reduce firewood extraction in a particular area, by providing sustainable alternatives. These actions should be applied to a clearly delineated area, which ideally is tracked and recorded in a geospatial information system system.<\/p>\n 3. Generate a baseline before the project or investment begins. How much of the project area is covered in natural ecosystems under protection, and where do the boundaries of the area\/s that are currently protected lie?<\/p>\n 4. Monitor the area of natural ecosystem that is protected within the project area on a yearly basis, through surveys to project developers, and where relevant, spot checks on site. Ideally, use GIS to track which areas within the project site are being protected over time.<\/p>\n 5. The area recorded as being under protection should also be tracked for deforestation or conversion events. Tools such as Mapbiomas can be useful for this and can be set up to send alerts.<\/p>\n Adding a significance qualifier:<\/em><\/strong> To add an indication of the global biodiversity significance of the area of natural ecosystem under protection, users could consider disaggregating data at the portfolio or project level with one of the following options:<\/p>\n Using the concept of Natural Habitat as an alternative to natural ecosystems<\/em><\/strong>:<\/em><\/strong> Users could consider tracking the \u201carea of Natural Habitat under protection\u201d using the definition of Natural Habitat from IFC Performance Standard 6, if this standard is already being applied to the project or portfolio.<\/p>\n","communication":" The indicator is appropriate for providing an estimate of the area of natural ecosystem (or, if preferred, Natural Habitat area) that is effectively protected through time across a project. It is also possible to aggregate this area across a portfolio. The proportion<\/em> of the total natural ecosystem (or Natural Habitat) protected, within financed areas, could also be displayed to provide insight into the scale of on-site actions (for example, \u201cX per cent of natural ecosystem protected, within financed area\u201d).<\/p>\n Disaggregating by the type of the ecosystem protected could be considered. For example, \u201cArea of natural forests protected\u201d, for investments focused on forest protection. Additionally, disaggregation by significance qualifier could also be considered, for example, \u201cProportion of Key Biodiversity Area which is protected, within financed site\u201d.<\/p>\n Some countries lay out legal requirements to protect a certain proportion of natural ecosystems (for example, in Brazil\u2019s Forest Code). For investments where this is the case, it would be necessary to disaggregate the area protected by what is voluntary and what is required by statutes or regulations. This allows positive impact beyond legal requirements to be clearly displayed.<\/p>\n\n
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