Funding conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems

This publication analyses the advantages and disadvantages of emission certificates compared to other financing instruments for the protection and restoration of coastal ecosystems. Nine instruments are examined, including carbon credits, biodiversity credits, development cooperation and blue bonds. Various aspects such as scalability, financial stability, carbon accounting and project integrity are highlighted. The results suggest that carbon credits offer scalability and long-term yield potential, but also have disadvantages such as high transaction costs, market volatility and risks to environmental integrity. The latter is particularly relevant when they are used for offsetting. The report is aimed at professionals in the fields of climate change, nature conservation and sustainable finance.