Patricia Espinosa, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, John Kerry, Gerd Müller and other international participants introduce this innovative fund to a larger public.
Berlin, Germany – A diverse group of international stakeholders has initiated a new fund called “Legacy Landscapes Fund” (LLF) to stop the loss of biodiversity. The fund is unique because it brings together public and private donors for a common goal: better protection of nature in order to safeguard some of the most important areas on Earth. The LLF is officially introduced on May 19th during a special online event with supporters from around the globe.
The lack of solid and sustainable financing has widely been identified as the bottleneck for effectively managing protected areas. The Fund intends to fill exactly this gap by providing a minimum of 30 protected areas with long-term and stable resources. In total, they will cover an area of at least 60.000 square kilometres which is double the size of Belgium.
Germany has kick-started the fund with a contribution of 82.5 million Euros. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation contributed 5 million US-Dollars. Additionally, around 30 million dollars have been pledged and earmarked from private sources so far, including from Rob and Melani Walton Foundation, the Wyss Foundation and the Arcadia Fund. The goal is to reach a stock of 1 billion dollars as soon as possible. Other key features of the fund are: The LLF puts the respect of needs and rights of local communities as one priority of its work and it collaborates with experienced non-governmental organizations on the ground.
“By ensuring that the costs of nature protection are covered, the Legacy Landscapes Fund addresses a key threat for the survival of species and of humankind” explains Executive Director Stefanie Lang.