Here is a fund for early-stage nature carbon projects

November 01, 2026

Dear subscriber,

Last year, I wrote about African Parks receiving $7.35 million from carbon credits to support conservation in the Central African Republic. It shows what carbon markets can contribute in conservation finance. But getting a project ready to sell credits can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. I want to look more closely at that expense this week: the money developers need before they can earn any carbon income. 

Treezer Michelle Atieno - Editor

Carbon credits are attracting money into restoring nature, but African developers still struggle to turn investor interest into funding. Nature restoration drew about $10 billion in credit-purchase deals globally in 2025. Yet only 10% of 149 African projects assessed by the Carbon Accelerator Programme for the Environment had signed financing agreements.

  • Developers must first pay to prove their projects can deliver credible credits. A feasibility study alone can exceed $70,000. The 149 projects identified at least $48 million needed before implementation. 

  • To tackle this challenge, Finance Earth and FSD Africa have launched Africa Nature Fund, which targets $100 million to finance project preparation and implementation, with an initial $20 million close planned for 2027.

  • Our take: Requiring projects to arrive fully investment-ready limits the chances of smaller organisations to access nature carbon credit funds…Read more (2 min)

The Nature Conservancy is helping African governments secure longer funding commitments by negotiating funding alongside the actions needed to protect nature. Kenya’s $160 million Thamani Asili programme, launched on 21 October, extends this approach following TNC’s work on Gabon Infini, formally launched in August.

  • Known as Project Finance for Permanence, the model brings donors and government into one conservation agreement. Funding is released against agreed conditions, giving commitments a mechanism for oversight rather than relying on promises alone.

  • Kenya’s programme combines $80 million in philanthropic support with an equivalent government contribution over ten years. An independent trust fund will administer donor money and track progress.

  • Our take: Donor funding has more lasting value when it helps secure public spending that continues after the donation ends…Read more (2 min)

We're hiring an early-career conservation analyst / writer

Conservation Rising is looking for an early-career analyst and writer with an interest in conservation finance, technology and community-based conservation. The role involves researching and reporting on how conservation is funded, managed and implemented across Africa. We welcome applications from candidates based in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and other major African countries.

Interested? Apply here

Protecting important habitats obviously becomes harder once land has been committed to development. Conservation planners need alternatives on where projects could go instead. The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Landscape Planning Tool helps identify those options, comparing land allocations for conservation and other priorities.

  • Users can set land-use targets and compare possible allocations. For conservation organisations, this offers a way to propose alternative locations for development while identifying land needed for biodiversity protection.

  • Developers and environmental consultants are among the intended users. Examining competing land needs together could help them assess alternatives earlier, before detailed project planning. Evidence of decisions changed by the tool remains to be established.

  • Our take: Conservation organisations can make a stronger case for protecting a site when they can also demonstrate a workable alternative for development…Read more (2 min)

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Nairobi Convention adopts 15 decisions to strengthen ocean protection

 

Events

🗓️ Attend BlueInvest Africa in South Africa (November 2) 

🗓️ Join the Conservation Units Seminar in Mozambique (November 3) 

🗓️ Attend the Blue Economy Conference in Kenya (November 23)

Jobs

👷 Join Conservation International as Nature Markets Senior Manager (Kenya)

👷 Become a Nature Finance Manager at Conservation International (Kenya) 

👷 Join The Nature Conservancy as Conservation Finance Director (Gabon) 

Various 

🌳 African Development Bank backs conservation bonds in West Africa.

🌳 Strong Roots Congo secures Itombwe reserve co-management role.

🌳 Cameroon’s Faro park records its highest hippo count in a decade.

 

Seen on LinkedIn 

NatureFinance says, “Nature finance innovation is growing across Africa. Transparency will be critical to turning that innovation into investment at scale.”_________________