Conservation Strategy Fund is pleased to announce the next webinar in our Conservation Economics Initiative series. Presented in partnership with the Marine Ecosystem Services Partnership (MESP) at Duke University, "An Economic Instrument for Coral Reefs" is coming up on Wednesday, October 22nd at 11:00am EDT (10:00am CDT, 8:00am PDT, 5:00pm CET).

Speaker Christopher LaFranchi, Founder & CEO of OneReef Worldwide Stewardship, will discuss a specific economic instrument designed to protect coral reefs.

While some goods and services provided by reefs, such as fish and tourism, already have a monetary value, others do not. There is no market mechanism that ensures we invest in maintaining the ecological capacity of reefs to continuously provide these benefits. Because ecosystem services cannot be readily sold to generate revenues, conservation of reefs incurs an opportunity cost for local communities. Local communities who value reefs struggle to reconcile the short-term costs of protecting them, with the long-term benefits they seek, e.g., healthy and productive reefs to pass to their descendants. We will discuss an instrument designed to attract outside groups who also value coral reefs, and who provide resources under long-term agreements that make reef protection an economically viable option for local communities.

To join the event, go to:
https://dukeuniversity.webex.com/dukeuniversity/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=730278944

We hope you will join us for another stimulating session!