In mid-February, Bezos Earth Fund prepared a meeting in Colombia with its outstanding grantees to exchange experiences and identify synergies. Our Initiative, Conserva Aves, was invited to share best practices, achievements, lessons learned and challenges.
Photo credit: Alfonso Hernández.
From left to right: Padu Franco of Bezos Earth Fund, Annie Hawkinson of American Bird Conservancy, Alfonso Hernández of BirdLife International, Claudia Londoño of Asociación Calidris, and Sebastian Orjuela of Fondo Acción.
The first meeting of Bezos Earth Fund partners in Colombia, organized from February 21 to 22, allowed sharing experiences and best practices in project implementation, as well as promoting synergies and opportunities for collaboration among beneficiaries of the conservation funds granted by the foundation in 2022.
During this event, BirdLife International presented the Conserva Aves Initiative on behalf of the consortium. Conserva Aves is an initiative led by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), National Audubon Society, BirdLife International and the Network of Environmental Funds in Latin America and the Caribbean (RedLAC), which promotes climate resilience and sustainable development through the creation of subnational protected areas throughout the Americas, from Chile to Mexico.
This initiative has received significant financial backing from the Bezos Earth Fund in 2022, with a total investment of US$12 million. To date, Conserva Aves is supporting 39 projects; equivalent to 64.33% of the 2 million hectare protection goal. Currently, Conserva Aves’ conservation legacy covers: Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Open calls for projects will soon be launched in Ecuador.
During this meeting, other partners of the Conserva Aves Initiative also participated, where ABC participated in the exercise of identifying potential areas of collaboration; Asociación Calidris, BirdLife partner in Colombia, presented the technical-scientific support provided by the initiative to its local partners to ensure the success of their projects (e.g. declaration of protected areas, management, bird monitoring). Fondo Acción, a RedLAC partner in Colombia, moderated a panel discussion on financial sustainability in conservation projects. A key topic for Conserva Aves and where experiences were gathered that will enrich the initiative in the different countries where it is implemented.
The Bezos Earth Fund, created with the most significant philanthropic commitment to date to combat climate change and protect nature, is set to disburse a $10 billion grant by 2030. This commitment is aligned with the goal of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Target 3 (30 x 30 Agenda) of the most recent Convention on Biological Diversity. Its mission lies in harnessing the best of human ingenuity, adaptability and collective action to create a future in which all can thrive. We are grateful and proud to be part of your outstanding partnership to address the crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change.
