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Nature Finance Takes Centre Stage at UNCCD COP16

Media Contact: Susie W. Sheppard, sweller@panthera.org

Riyadh – The UNCCD COP16 hosted the impactful panel discussion, "Unlocking the Power of Nature Finance for Global Resilience: Lessons Learned and Benefits for Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality," on December 3 in the Blue Zone. Organized by Panthera and the Arabian Leopard Fund (ALF), the event brought together global experts to discuss the transformative role of innovative financing in combating land degradation and desertification.

Moderated by HH Princess Abeer Al Saud, Director General of Panthera, the panel featured insightful contributions from Waleed Al Dayel, Managing Director of the Arabian Leopard Fund, Koustubh Sharma, Director of Science and Conservation at the Snow Leopard Trust, Ahmad Al Saidlani, Founder and CEO of ROOTS Venture Studio, and Gilles Moynot, Head of Climate at Livelihoods Venture.

The panel addressed key topics such as public-private partnerships, green financing, and carbon market innovations. Speakers highlighted the critical challenges and opportunities in mobilizing resources for conservation, showcasing how biodiversity efforts contribute to global resilience and sustainable development.

Both Panthera and ALF emphasized the urgency of conserving wild cats, whose role in maintaining ecosystems is essential to preventing desertification. Their efforts demonstrate how strategic nature finance supports conservation neutrality while fostering climate adaptation.

Aligned with the overarching UN COP16 theme, “Our Land, Our Future,” the discussion underscored the necessity of innovative funding mechanisms in advancing conservation efforts and addressing global climate challenges.

Follow the conversation and stay updated through the Arabian Leopard Fund and Panthera for more insights on nature finance and conservation.

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About Panthera

Founded in 2006, Panthera is devoted to preserving wild cats and their critical role in the world’s ecosystems. Panthera’s team of leading biologists, law enforcement experts, and wild cat advocates develop innovative strategies based on the best available science to protect cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, lions, pumas, snow leopards, tigers, and the 33 small cat species and their vast landscapes. In 39 countries around the world, Panthera works with a wide variety of stakeholders to reduce or eliminate the most pressing threats to wild cats—securing their future, and ours. Visit Panthera.org.

About ALF

The Arabian Leopard Fund was established upon a royal decree with initial funding of $25 million to support Arabian Leopard conservation efforts regionally and globally, following a sharp decline in their population. The Arabian Leopard is classified as a "critically endangered" sub-species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Through its programs, ALF plays a pivotal role in engaging local communities and policymakers to protect the Arabian Leopard and restore ecological balance in the region. Visit www.alf.org.