Benjamin Thompson (Monash University, Australia) 'Private sector financing of marine and forest conservation'.

Terrestrial and marine conservation remains severely underfunded, with the private sector increasingly promoted as a solution. Corporations, entrepreneurs, and investors are now redefining the role of financial capital and how it is channelled to solve environmental problems. This seminar will cover some current financing approaches for biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration, including corporate social responsibility, ecotourism, blockchain technology, and impact investing. I will scrutinise the implementation of these approaches, highlighting challenges related to an array of political, social, and institutional factors. The talk will feature case studies involving mangrove forests in Southeast Asia (Thailand and the Philippines), seafood supply chains in Australia, and marine protected areas in countries such as Kiribati and the Seychelles.