What could you do with a billion dollars to save nature? The answer could be a billion dollar landscape bond – a form of green bond that could protect nature while existing in the world of big finance. This podcast will take you on an expedition from bat-infested caves to palm oil plantations and how the idea for the first billion dollar bond was created.
It’s a staggering statistic that 50% of the world’s palm oil comes from small families with a couple of hectares, who are trying to feed and educate their children. But palm trees only live for about 25 years, and many of these families can’t afford the ‘valley of death’ between planting new trees and being able to harvest. So how can we help reform the palm oil industry in a way which is more sustainable and doesn’t destroy forests?
By aggregating a lot of small financial opportunities and packaging them together, you can make a much bigger one. And that’s what you offer to the market. The benefits? Better palm oil plantations, which are not just monocultures, but provide for much more biodiversity. Wouldn’t you prefer to have projects like that in your pension plan?