The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), together with IDB Invest and IDB Lab, announced the launch of the “Action Plan for the Mainstreaming of Natural Capital and Biodiversity 2024-2025” which aims to promote the integration of biodiversity and natural capital in the Bank’s operations, in areas where nature can support economic, social and climate-smart development.

The Plan articulates the way in which the IDB Group will integrate natural capital into its work, from the dialogue it holds with the countries in relation to project preparation and implementation, as well as the knowledge products generated by the IDB Group, among other actions. The Action Plan will be reviewed by IDB every two years to reevaluate socioeconomic and environmental conditions in Latin America and analyze achievements, limitations and areas of possible improvement.

This Plan is especially relevant given that the Latin American and Caribbean region is home to 7 of the world’s 25 critical zones for biodiversity, accounts for 40% of the world’s biodiversity, 30% of fresh water and almost 50% of tropical forests.