Iskra Talevska

Circular economy: Using food waste as a resource through ReFeed Circular Nutrition™

Iskra Talevska 20:59 · 28 Oct 22 20:59

Enormous amounts of food are wasted worldwide, and more and more people are aware and concerned about this. According to UN FAO, one-third of all food produced globally is thrown away, that is 1.3 billion tons of food waste per year. We are all facing an evident need to rethink food production.

It is true that food production systems aim to feed the rapidly growing population and raising demand, but not only world hunger is on the rise, also environmental consequences are up: rising CO2 emissions, pollution and loss of productivity, energy abuse, and natural resources wasted. Current waste management methods are built on a linear consumption model, and are obviously unfit to satisfy the longer-term needs of current populations. As the need of a shift is more than evident, a circular design for handling food waste, and more and better regenerative practices would help restructuring the food economy.

Current waste management methods are built on a linear consumption model, unfit to satisfy the longer-term needs of current populations.

A linear economy operates on a traditional approach in which products are created and utilized only once before being discarded as waste, a circular economy recreates the whole food system by eliminating the concept of waste. With a circular economy, waste is now a resource. This type of design entails reusing, repairing, and recycling preexisting commodities to ensure optimal food patterns and decrease actual waste. A circular economy for food mirrors natural regeneration systems by giving organic resources back to the soil as organic fertilizers, and thus repurposing waste as fuel for the next cycle. This process helps living systems regenerate, promotes biodiversity and supplies renewable resources.

Solutions supported by a circular economy provide a diverse range of benefits. By renewing biological ecosystems, circular food systems enhance soil and water quality, reduce land conversion and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, this can greatly improve the general health of local ecosystems while also fostering excellent human health and conserving natural habitats. Circular economies also contribute to higher supply chain resilience and diversity, as well as food insecurity reduction. Furthermore, they offer environmental and economic advantages by preserving raw material sources and decreasing the environmental effects of production and consumption. A circular economy for food increases food security for people, and fosters resilience in local communities. Is this amazing or not?

A perfect example of a modular, multi-step circular system that recovers 100 percent utility from unused food and food waste is ReFeed’s Circular Nutrition™. With this model, ReFeed Farms has succeeded in what many strive to achieve- feeding people, livestock, and land with recovered produce and agri-food byproducts, and repairing the dysfunctional food system.

ReFeed Farms has succeeded in what many strive to achieve- feeding people, livestock, and land with recovered produce and agri-food byproducts, and repairing the dysfunctional food system.

With this system, ReFeed Farms firstly transfers usable food to food banks to address food insecurity for local communities, and then converts some of the usable excess into livestock feed. Food for livestock is sent to several farms that work with Refeed Canada, most of which are dairy farms, where the cattle ingest tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and other vegetables. Everything that cannot be used in these two ways is channeled into ReFeed’s innovative vertical worm farm, which creates organic, natural fertilizer and soil amendments to aid growers and farmers in reducing their usage of synthetic fertilizers, while also replenishing their soil. Worms assist ReFeed in closing the virtuous Circular Nutrition™ cycle by consuming everything that people cannot use and converting it into organic, microbially dense castings. This methodology is modular, scalable, and exportable everywhere there is food waste and insecurity. And, with the world’s food system being in shambles, it can be applied anywhere.

ReFeed’s vision matches ours. We partnered with them to revolutionize a circular design for food waste. Nature + enables companies and private investors to invest directly in regenerative activities, while accessing a range of benefits including impact offsets and building up a positive ESG sustainability score with audited and transparent year-end impact reports. Through Nature + and Reality Gaming Group’s Digital Assets Certificate (DAC), ReFeed is able to invest in specific incentives to follow their impact, and as a result harvest on the external value in an updated and transparent way.

On top of this, ReFeed Farms is also constantly experimenting with new ways in to support regenerative agriculture, eliminate synthetic fertilizers and promote circularity. They have started working on bioreactors to produce biocomplete compost, which is directly linked to concentrated soil microbiology. This will provide them with a product that can be microbially balanced and boosted to become fungal or bacterial dominant. Moreover, because this product is backed up by microscopy verification and full traceability, it will increase beneficial microbial populations in ReFeed’s castings, creating a bio complete soil amendment which can serve as fresh tea in agriculture applications and seed inoculation. With suh a product, ReFeed Farms is able to scale their impact with a microbial technology system which focuses on carbon sequestration, balanced soil microbiology to support regenerative agriculture, elimination of synthetic fertilizer and plant nutrition.

As the environmental and economic benefits of a circular economy for food become evident, and more businesses allow nutrients to be continuously cycled, the system will start working better for everyone — working with nature to protect biodiversity, encourage human health, and stabilize our climate. Circularity in food systems emphasizes that natural systems have the ability to support food production, while also keeping nutrients in their highest and best use. By using circular systems that treat and respect food as a source of life, we can create an economy that values regenerative practices and promotes biodiversity, resilience in local communities and the use of renewable resources.

Get inspired! Check the detail of the project we are running with Refeed Farms

Fostering Resilience To Climate Change Within The Western Wildlife Corridor Of Northern Ghana

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 27 Oct 22 00:00

In an increasingly industrialized world, the loss and fragmentation of habitats pose significant threats to our wildlife. An example of this degradation is the Western Wildlife Corridor in northern Ghana, a repository for biodiversity, suitable habitats, foraging grounds, and migratory routes for important terrestrial megafauna such as elephants.

How does this happen? Because of human activity and global warming, animal populations have been divided into smaller subpopulations which jeopardizes their survival. Overpopulation and overconsumption have led to the depletion of forests and wildlife. A lack of effective enforcement of institutional and policy frameworks for implementing ecological and socio economically sustainable management systems for wildlife resources is constantly noticed.

The Western Wildlife Corridor (WWC) in Northern Ghana is a vast ecological landscape spanning 3,713 km2. It is characterized by savanna ecosystems, bush and woodland savannas, and gallery forests. As an assemblage of protected areas, poorly managed forest reserves, farmlands, open woodlands, and shea parkland, it contains a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna relevant for local livelihoods. It serves for agroforestry, small-scale cash crop plantations like mango and cashew and swidden agriculture. However, its main focus though is preservation of biological diversity, reduction of rural poverty, and support of the local economy. The Western Wildlife Corridor is formed by three Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs), non-reserved land masses inhabited by local communities and containing important components of highly accessible biodiversity. Each of three official CREMAs is made up of a number of communities that rely on the landscape’s resources for a living and contribute to the management of those resources through local governance bodies.

Northern Ghana is characterized by a difficult socioeconomic and climatic context, as well as a high poverty rate. As a result, the local population is heavily reliant on natural resources. Natural ecosystems are under severe stress, resulting in landscape degradation and fragmentation. Furthermore, the WWC is constrained by the governance of the CREMAs that comprise it. While these constraints limit the implementation of integrated landscape approaches, Conservation Partners Ghana, an inspiring local organization, has developed a project with the potential to improve the governance of this landscape and reach a sustainable and inclusive economic development that responds to climate change and biodiversity.

To achieve a more sustainable and integrated management and conservation of natural resources along the western wildlife corridor, Conservation Partners Ghana’s involves rural communities and engages in more inclusive, participatory, and interest-based negotiating with stakeholders.

Projects like this, with enormous potential of recovery, and significant impact for people, animal and plant species exactly match our vision. We are proud partners of Conservation Partners Ghana.

Nature+ diverts funds directly proceeding from our investors. In the case of this project, funds are used to involve and train local communities in sustainable land management, biodiversity monitoring, resource inventories and wildfire management. Additionally, we support 500 women through training and equipment to develop the value chain for shea, including building warehouses for women shea cooperatives, and supporting farmers with agroforestry by establishing forest restoration through assisted regeneration, or landscape restoration through natural regeneration.

So, how is investment value generated? Ecosystems like the Western Wildlife Corridor are natural assets, with a specific value. The right intervention, basically enhances the natural and human cycles, and creates an impact in a number of indicators (67 in total) that together increase the value of that natural asset.

What makes this opportunity unique is that Nature+ is a deep tech company, not an NGO. With a sophisticated data structure, and both digital and manual monitoring we gather all data generated for the impact we produce. Base-line data and monitoring allows us to create both a very solid Life Cycle Assessment on the different phases of the intervention, and very accurate impact goals as projections, that in turn translate in ROI projections, and yields for our investors.

Investing in natural assets is nothing new, traditional pension funds have been doing it for years. However, investing in an intervention project that enhances the value of the natural asset, and supporting it with a sophisticated data layer registered in a blockchain makes a world of a difference: Without intervention, data and impact goals, traditional “pension fund style” in natural assets is modest. However, by tapping into the factors that boost impact, we proudly offer a significantly more interesting investment option that does not necessarily increase risk.

This is an amazing start, the more funds we can divert into projects, the more hectares, species, youth groups, women groups and farmers we can support, not to forget research institutions and universities involved.

Project expected outcomes

500 individuals from 20 resource-dependent communities will fully participate in the governance of their resources while effectively adapting to climate change. This outcome will come as a result of training and equipping communities with the right skillset that will help them implement sustainable land management and wildfire management practices.
Restoration and integrated management of natural resources will improve ecological connectivity. This means to create pathways to scale-up landscape restoration across the Corridor in a more consultative manner: functional multi-stakeholder processes with long-term vision for a climate-smart shea industry in Ghana. Training and supporting farmers is key to integrate multi-purpose agroforestry trees to provide for fuelwood, nitrogen fixation, water retention and carbon storage.
550 local people will derive livelihood benefits as a result of improved non-timber-based commodity value chains. Shea pickers to help women collect three times more nuts per given time, building warehouses for storage, and establishing a community cooperative fund to support shea business start-ups.

This project deserves our attention and support because it looks at the bigger picture. It aims to improve livelihoods while engaging the community to fully participate in the governance of their resources, establishing ecological connectivity and fostering resilience to climate change.

This project is a model, and business case of a sustainable and inclusive economic development that enhances biodiversity, and we hope an example for many others to get inspired. That is where a nature positive happens, and that is where we want to be.

Get inspired yourself! Read more about the Western Wildlife Corridor Project.

Combining Nature-based Solutions And Sustainable Investment

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 29 Sep 22 00:00

When it comes to climate change and land degradation, the major unseen problem is that the earth’s ability to produce oxygen and absorb CO2 is steadily decreasing. Experts refer to this as oxygen depletion and increase in eco-toxicity. For you, this means massive amounts of CO2 released in the environment, declining fertility of soil and a more than evident biodiversity crisis.

The carbon cycle is essential for life on Earth,. Within the carbon cycle, the soil is the major reservoir. In the face of this pressing need for soil, ecosystem and biodiversity preservation, comes the introduction of nature-based solutions. To extract (let’s call it sequester) carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, nature-based solutions entail preserving, repairing, or improving the management of ecosystems. They play a significant role in climate change adaptation and the development of resilience in communities and landscapes, protecting human well-being and the environment. That is why adoption of nature based solutions is increasing, they work, and there is data to prove it.

As all things, real impact is achieved when solutions are applied at scale. One of the motivations we had to launch Nature+ is that interesting options for investing in Nature are lacking. So, with science, technology and entrepreneurship we created a model that produces real measurable impact on ecosystem, but also offers and attractive return for investors. Models like this have been successfully applied by IKEA, or the Rockefeller Foundation.

Simply put Nature+ is creating an investment pathway to restore Earth’s regenerative capacity and facilitate scaling of sustainable investment, for the benefit of all.

As Sinnet Bödewadt, our Chief Visionary Officer puts it, “We are enabling investment for solutions which, when given the proper environment and conditions, produce the fastest results, the most impact on ecosystems, and the best return for our investors.”

Adoption of Nature based solutions is actually a shift from conventional industrial production methods to regenerative agricultural approaches, starting from continuous soil cover, minimization of soil disturbance and the integration of livestock. Applied to wild land it is about forestry, wetland-related and ocean-based practices to allow the complete rebirth of forests, peatlands and coastal wetlands, and the marine ecosystem.

“When playing the cards right, i.e. creating the proper environment for soil, we can rebuild it in a period of 2 to 5 years, all with the right plants, conditions and above & underground working in synergy. The same principle applies in 1 hectare, or in 10 million hectares. Time is of valuable essence, so we look for solutions that are practical, easy to implement, effective and low-cost- all characteristics of nature-based solutions.

“Our intervention helps kickstart the process and provide the right conditions for soil, then, with an amazing synergy, the natural cycles do the work in favor of every living creature’s health and well-being.”

As a result, all impact indicators improve, the natural asset increases value, data is generated and turned into an asset, and a yield is produced for our investors. By turning degraded ecosystems into productive land and powerful Carbon sinks, Nature+ is turning the tide from potentially disastrous consequences to Nature positive (Nature+!) ecosystems.

Capital greatly contributes to the advantages of nature-based solutions on weather and climate resilience by boosting farmer adoption of regenerative approaches and by producing tools that enable it, at scale. Nature+ represents an attractive opportunity for Corporations, Venture Capital firms and even traditional funds with a bold vision, and who can benefit of uplifting their value chain (like the food industry), their brand and customer engagement, and naturally their ESG profile. In the future, we dream of making this opportunity accessible to people.

To put things in perspective, investing in nature-based solutions produces incredible impact in the very short term, and is a proven way to sequester more CO2 and lock it on the earth than other approaches. On the other extreme you have all sorts of investments on emission reduction strategies and technologies (like electric cars and efficient batteries), but if you think of it, these are long shots, that hypothetically would bring a benefit when/if implemented at scale within the right time frame. That means a distant future/hypothetical approach to the most pressing problem we are living right now.

Fundamentally, the Nature+ solutions emanate from our vision: to rebuild and restore Earth’s regenerative capacity for the people and the planet.

This vision helps us to constantly increase the number of holistic solutions that are rooted in an inclusive surplus mindset, rather than a reductive controlling one. This includes connecting companies with farmers, and farmers with customers, creating a combined ownership through which farmers who are handling the natural resources are helped, impact is followed, and every individual involved in the process is making a difference. Improvement and optimization comes from every direction.

Imagine, nature-based solutions CAN actually create the basis of a production system free of artificial input to produce the best yield and only get stronger and stronger. A combination of nature-based solutions and sustainable investment can lead to lower and hopefully eliminate chemical inputs and runoff, improve soil water-holding capacity, and increase the ecosystem’s overall resilience.

Inspired?

or get to know us a bit better here.

Microorganisms: A Tool To Revolutionize Agriculture

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 10 Sep 22 00:00

Years of studies point out that use of synthetic fertilizers can deplete soils of natural microorganisms and nutrients over time, but also provoke water pollution, toxic waste and killing or prevention of weeds. Consequently, implementing plant beneficial microorganisms that will help farmers improve crop yields, reduce disease severity, and totally substitute chemical additives with more natural alternatives is of the utmost importance. Microorganisms found in the soil that we walk on every day can provide the support that farmers and, we as consumers, desperately need. Microorganisms are the necessary step toward supplying farmers with the tools they need to continue feeding the world in a sustainable manner.

Although microorganisms are regarded by some as pests that harm crops or livestock, they can be, in fact, exceptionally useful. But in what ways? Soil microorganisms do not only aid plant growth by increasing phytomass production, nutrient uptake, photosynthesis rates, and grain yield, but also help prevent disease, reduce plant stress and convert dead plant materials into soil organic matter quickly and efficiently.

To be more specific, soil microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi form relationships with plant roots, supplying essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, fungi can repopulate the top parts of plants and produce numerous substantial advantages like drought tolerance, heat tolerance, insect and plant disease resistance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are a category of soil microbes that form spores and filaments inside and around plant roots to help them acquire phosphate. Applying fungi to cassava plants, a project of Colombian researchers, allows the roots to obtain phosphate without the use of overpriced fertilizers, a major boost in tropical countries where the amount of nutrients that can be obtained from the soil is particularly low.

Other microorganisms such as Rhizobia, Azospirillum, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Trichoderma are also widely utilized in the agricultural world in a similar way. Some evidence even indicates that soil microorganisms can help to fine-tune the flavors of high-quality produce, a phenomenon that has been observed in strawberries in particular.

Farming methods that include microorganisms also provide farmers with greater flexibility. Plants that have been bioengineered for drought resistance have a problem: they underperform in wet seasons. As a result, farmers must attempt to forecast the weather when selecting seeds at the start of the growing season. However, a combination of microorganisms may allow plants to acclimate even when growing conditions change abruptly.

Besides the many benefits that microorganisms provide for the soil, they can also lead to higher profits for farmers.

According to some research, organic farms typically require two and a half times the labor of factory farms while yielding ten times the profit. This means that, through this practice farmers will be able to increase their productivity while reducing the overall environmental impact of industrial farming.

Furthermore, by using this untapped potential of microorganisms and avoiding pathogens, toxins, and other hazardous pollutants, farmers can cultivate fruits, vegetables and other crops which are healthier for consumers and the communities they live in. By adopting this practice, farmers will not only minimize their reliance on chemical use and conserve scarce resources, but will also be able to improve their yearly yield and promote much hardier crops, thanks to the properties of decent, nutrient- rich soil. This helps reduce their reliance on government subsidies while also strengthening rural communities.

In short, microorganisms can undoubtedly play a role in revolutionizing agriculture in the coming decades to help meet the demands of a growing population. This microorganism revolution seeks to capitalize on what is already available: as many as 40,000 microbe species in a gram of soil. Soil microorganisms play a key role in helping farmers improve soil fertility, and as a result, their own livelihoods. Nitrogen fixation, acquisition and uptake of major nutrients are just some of the beneficial effects of microorganisms on plant growth. These tiny helpers provide new opportunities for farmers. Besides being able to increase yields by defending crops from specific stresses like insect pests and diseases, they can also help them in improving the overall soil structure and promoting shoot and root growth. By using the benefits that microorganisms offer, farmers can once again trust the invisible powers of soil as a solution to their challenges and pave the path towards effective farming.

Pollinators: The Ideal Allies In Our Battle Against Climate Change

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 7 Aug 22 00:00

In this day and age, we frequently overlook the fact that we live in an inextricably intertwined world in which no creature exists in isolation. No matter how big or small, every single organism contributes to the system’s productivity and health, and is therefore an essential component for the survival of humankind and the planet.

However, there is one specific biodiverse group of animals that includes various types of invertebrates like bees, butterflies, flies, moths, beetles, but also over a thousand birds, reptiles, mammals such as bats, and amphibians, which serves a pivotal role in the internal dynamics of an ecosystem by assisting plants with their reproduction. Although it may not seem like it on surface level, pollinators have a very important and growing part in preserving biodiversity and maintaining habitats on which many species rely for basic necessities like food and shelter.

It is generally known that plants and pollinators have coexisted abreast for millions of years. Therefore, it is no surprise that they have both developed numerous techniques on how to attract each other and benefit from their interaction. But how do pollinators help thousands of flowering plants to reproduce? In short, pollinators assist in the transport of pollen from the male part of the flower to the female part of the same or another flower by carrying the nectar they have sipped from the flower blossoms. Pollen movement is required for the plant to be fertilized and generate seeds, and every pollinator has its own unique way of pollinating. Many species of bees deliberately collect and deposit pollen, while other species like birds, bats and butterflies unintentionally transfer pollen.

According to IPBES, nearly 90% of wild flowering plant species worldwide rely on animal pollination. Pollinators, as a result, are critical for the regulation of ecosystem services that support food production, habitats, and natural resources. According to some experts, animal pollinators such as native honey bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat. In addition, pollinators boost crop productivity and quality in a variety of crops that provide vital goods like biofuels and fibers such as cotton and linen. These crops, which include fruits and vegetables, are necessary for human diets and nutrition because they provide vitamins and minerals.

Because pollinators affect 35% of global agricultural land (FAO, 2018), they can also have a positive impact on farming by preventing soil erosion and increasing biodiversity. At the end of the day, by buffering the effects of climatic change and changing land use, adequate pollination can promote agricultural production stability, and result in more tasty fruits and increased crop yields.

Unfortunately, pollinator abundance, variety, and health are all declining globally. Many human activities, which have led to climate change, habitat loss and the damages caused by excessive use of pesticides, have made the survival of pollinators particularly challenging. Bee population declines, in particular, pose a significant threat to both our agricultural economy and the habitat that feeds other creatures. Being aware of their significance and potential endangerment, we as human beings have the responsibility to protect pollinators, and what better way to do it than to invest in and support projects that create a pollinator-friendly environment.

Taking into consideration importance of pollinators, Nature+ invests in projects that aim to create a compact environment for local pollinators, in order to secure pollinator species by constructing a new and safe habitat for them. One of our investments in this area is Buglife.

Buglife is Europe’s only organization dedicated to the conservation of all invertebrates and production of invertebrate populations that are sustainable.

They achieve their cause through promoting the relevance of invertebrates in the environment and raising awareness about the threats to their survival, but also by encouraging and supporting invertebrate conservation initiatives by other organizations in the UK, Europe, and around the world. Buglife, for instance, promotes the use of green or “living” roofs as a means of increasing bug habitat and therefore supports the creation of land which can be used by pollinators during extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change. This plays a very important role, as this land can serve as a safe and protected area for migration when pollinators desperately need a habitat.

In essence, pollination is more than simply an interesting biological phenomenon. It is an important tool to ensure ecological survival. Pollinators play a key role in the health of food systems and natural ecosystems and are rooted in local cultures and customs. The human race and all earthly ecosystems would perish if pollinators were not present, and that is why efforts need to be made to create more pollinator habitats in agricultural and domestic settings.

Building Environmental Transparency with a Blockchain + Life-cycle Assessment Approach

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 7 Jul 22 00:00

As human progress has steadily eroded our environment, we urgently need a more transparent, accountable, legitimate, effective and systematic framework to quantify and understand, either the damage we’re making, or the impact of our solutions. Good news is, a Life-Cycle Assessment framework combined with Blockchain technology is an incredible response to process impact data with accuracy and transparency.

Transparency entails gathering, storing and disclosing information and data on the impact of products, services, or projects. Impact of a product, service or project should include the entire life cycle, even the period before the raw materials reach the manufacturing. Using the right tools and approaches to assess the influence of the economy, industry, or the creation of individual products, services or projects is critical to successfully and efficiently protect the environment.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is the process of analyzing the environmental effects of a product across its full life cycle, including sourcing, production, distribution, usage, and end-of-life phase. Why? To increase resource-use efficiency and decrease environmental damage. It is a strategy to detect potential concerns throughout the life-cycle of a product or service, give qualitative/quantitative data to back up the steady-state risk assessment, and correct deviations.

LCA is likely the most comprehensive objective method for assessing the environmental impact of products, projects, and services.

And it is the approach we use for measuring the impact we create in our projects. It holds huge potential not only for registering a base-line, but for projecting impact goals related to chosen indicators. Think use of pesticides, pollutant load, carbon absorption, water efficiency, quality of produce… Our list is long, actually 67 values.

Blockchain technology? Originally associated with the financial sector, blockchain is gradually finding its way for multiple purposes. If the LCA approach allows focusing on the right indicators, accuracy in gathering data, and thus considerably more detailed analyses and a more precise estimate of the potential influence in different impact categories, then registering this data on a blockchain ads for integrity of the data and transparency.

Blockchain technology is the perfect companion to LCA. If the latter allows gathering, storing and analysing data, the former ensures integrity of data and transparency.

At Nature+, environmental transparency and protection are core values. We use Reality+ Blockchain design in the life-cycle assessment of our projects to create high quality data based on real time measurements. This is the foundation for assessing the different external values generated by a Nature+ incentive.

Gathering and registering data is half the deal, what about sharing it with relevant stakeholders? Investors and project stakeholders can access relevant data in a beautiful dashboard. But that is not all, data can be made available in the Nature+ Digital Assets Certificate (DAC). With the DAC, we enable companies that invest in specific incentives to follow the impact they invested in, share it in product labels, for example, or for ESG reporting, and as a result harvest on the external value in an updated and transparent way.

This DAC-LCA approach supported by our Blockchain design gives us a holistic view on projects, enabling us to go beyond the zero-carbon target by creating solutions that are practical and scalable, and focus on regenerating, rebuilding and assisting people, the community and the planet. Holistic, for us, is looking at regenerative and climate impact, social impact, practicality and scalability, accessibility, proof of solution, as well as data transparency and controlling in the potential projects to determine whether the project guarantees the best solutions. You can probably see that this is many times more impactful than focusing on “Carbon only”.

How exactly do we create this foundation?

We have identified 5 phases as part of the journey of our project data. In the first phase, we run initial due diligence assessment phase, a 100 point scoring system to sustain a holistic view on effects, practicality, transparency and scalability.

During the second phase, the LCA method is used to define indicators relevant for the specific project, and start gathering data. The first data recorded defines the base-line value, against which impact and progress will be measured, and goals and projections defined. Measuring allows to identify deviations, and potential side effects in a “cradle to grave” view.

During the third phase, or the real-time operational blockchain data dance, investors are able to follow the impact through the Digital Asset Certificate (DAC) they buy.

Blockchain adds the operational excellence level we require and phase number 4 is a formal third party audit to ensure data accuracy and integrity. We are delighted to have Deloitte on board.

Finally, researchers are invited to follow the long-term progress on identified projects.

This is what separates Nature+, from other companies who strive to achieve similar results. As a deep-tech company, we prioritize data quality, and turn impact data into an asset, independent of the amazing real impact we achieve on projects. Through the Blockchain data is transparent, protected, and impossible to tamper with. This is how environmental transparency is achieved.

Wetlands: Slowing Down The Pace Of Climate Change

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 28 Jun 22 00:00

Earth’s constantly changing climate has proven to be one of the biggest threats to face modern civilization. Since pre-industrial times, human activity has increased the concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere by 40%, intensifying the natural greenhouse effect of the Earth and increasing temperatures. These rapidly rising temperatures caused by global climate change have already significantly contributed to species extinction and ecosystem collapse, water shortages and rising sea levels, but also to melting glaciers and warming oceans, and extreme weather events like intense droughts, storms, floods and heat waves. To properly tackle these problems, reducing carbon emissions should become our central priority.

Even though rainforests are typically recognized as “earth’s lungs” and the main tool for carbon emissions reduction, new research suggests that another natural solution for climate change mitigation is gaining popularity because of its numerous beneficial services: wetlands.

Wetlands, which occupy around 6% of Earth’s surface, are among the most prolific and biologically varied ecosystems on the planet. Simply put, wetlands are geographic regions where water covers or is near the soil’s surface. They are distinguished from other types of land and bodies of water chiefly by the vegetation that has acclimated to their wet soil. Because water determines their biological, physical, and chemical properties, wetlands can take the forms of rivers, swamps, ponds, lakes, lagoons, but also marshes, bogs, mudflats, floodplains and mangroves. These dynamic systems have seasonal, yearly and decadal cycles of dry and wet phases which enables them to provide ecosystem services even while climate change continues.

Known as “biodiversity hotspots” and “biological supermarkets”, they contain a wide range of microbes, insects, plants, reptiles, birds, fish and mammals and produce a large amount of food which attracts these species.

Wetlands capture pollutants like phosphorus and heavy metals in their soils, convert nitrogen into a form that plants can use, and physically and chemically degrade bacteria. Although they cover a small percentage of earth’s surface, they are vital for our survival.

As a result of their unique natural characteristics, wetlands offer numerous advantages. While coastal wetlands like salt marshes and mangroves act as natural coastal barriers that prevent coastal erosion, urban wetlands can protect cities from storm surges and floods by acting as natural absorbents for excess rainfall. Some wetland vegetation like trees and root mats can decrease the pace and distribution of flood waters throughout the floodplain. Because they have the ability to absorb energy and retain water, wetlands can assist in maintaining stable flow rates, supply water during periods of drought and reduce downstream flood damage during storms. Moreover, certain plants and microorganisms that reside in wetlands may assist in the purification of water from excess nutrients and pollutants, and consequently create a vital source of freshwater. Wetlands in Florida’s Everglades, for instance, assist refill the Biscayne Aquifer, the city of Miami’s primary source of drinking water.

Many varieties of aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal species rely on wetlands for their survival. In addition to providing a home, wetlands also produce large amounts of food, supporting a very high level of biodiversity. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wetlands provide fully 60% of all threatened species and 40% of all endangered species listed in 1991 with essential habitat. For example, without wetlands, marine life animals like shrimp, oysters, crab, trout and clams would be left without food, shelter, breeding and nursery grounds.

However, the most important feature of wetlands is probably their ability to serve as huge carbon sinks- capturing, storing and regulating greenhouse gasses in their soil and plant communities. Wetlands’ vegetation cover and algal activity assists in controlling processes that produce GHG such as decomposition. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, in comparison to rainforests, wetlands can store around 50 times more carbon. For this reason, wetlands represent a viable technique for mitigating the effects of climate change.

Wetlands are essential, productive ecosystems which offer humanity and the planet nothing but benefits. They are valuable resources that should be maintained and protected because of their important role in the survival of countless plant and animal species, as well as in flood control, shoreline erosion protection, groundwater recharge, freshwater supply, and climate change mitigation.

Wetlands that are well-managed can thus play an essential role in assisting society in adapting to climate change, but also in ensuring human safety and well-being. The quicker we shift our focus in seeing wetlands as part of the solution rather than part of the problem, the faster we build up our resilience to climate change.

A Guide To Building A Better Future: The Regenerative Approach

Iskra Talevska 00:00 · 28 Apr 22 00:00

For much of human history, the global community has caused unbridled environmental damage for the sake of economic growth. The continuous extraction of natural resources and intensive use of fossil fuels threatens the livelihood and wellbeing of people who depend on these resources and jeopardizes the overall health of ecosystems.

In the face of the climate crisis, rapid and effective solutions, as well as more sufficient economic models, are clearly required. So, the main question is: how can we work alongside nature to replenish and restore what the planet has lost? The answer is quite simple- by supporting activities that have a regenerative impact on the planet and reduce our planet’s prevailing pollution levels, environmental deficits, and emissions.

When we think about giving back to the natural environment by using less energy or producing less emissions and waste, we think of sustainability. However, after so many years of utilizing exploitative practices, is sustainability merely enough to transform destructive habits of thought and behavior into patterns that nourish all life? This is where the regenerative approach to the climate crisis comes into play.

The regenerative approach to the climate issue entails taking steps to effectively reverse the environmental damage, thereby fostering greater durability and ongoing conservation. It strives not only to reduce resource depletion, but also to raise productivity, improve soil fertility and health, increase biodiversity, restore lands, foster community, improve watersheds, and support local economies.

The regenerative strategy employs ecological practices that remove billions of tons of carbon from the atmosphere and return it to the soil, reversing today’s global patterns of atmospheric accumulation.

Its practices encourage a holistic way of thinking and acting, as well as across-the-board development of processes for transformative change in the field of sustainability. In addition, this approach also deeply and continually engages residents of local communities to understand a place’s dynamics and potential for the creation of a thriving living system.

Taking inspiration from this approach and ensuring that commerce and the community work together, Nature+ invests in solution providers that enrich the value chain for our planet and people, as well as in activities that strengthen the regenerative capacity of our planet.

We provide a blockchain-based financial infrastructure and marketplace that enables companies and private investors to invest directly in regenerative activities. This is a game- changer when it comes to regenerative development, as we enable businesses to go beyond zero emission. By using technology that will secure data and the gateway to investment, while also applying low energy consumption and a renewable source of energy, Nature+ creates a unique opportunity to channel funds to those who make a difference to the planet’s regenerative capacity.

According to Sinnet Bödewadt, Chief Visionary Officer at Nature+, the main aim is to create a movement that supports the idea of doing a little more than just prevention and reduction, but encourages solving issues by supporting innovation projects through technology to find the best creative solutions. Nature+ not only works on projects connected with circular economy, regenerative agriculture ecosystems, bio-diverse and resilient habitats, but also supports restorative clean up actions, resilient food systems, and climate smart technologies.

By actively supporting companies that work alongside the natural world, we can build not only a carbon neutral future, but one that has the potential to go beyond sustainability and become climate positive.

Relying less on finite energy sources can only have a positive influence on the planet. This is not to say that efforts to reduce negative impact should cease, but they should work in conjunction with ongoing innovation to bridge the gap between the sustainable and the regenerative approach.

In the quest for building a better future, there is work to be done on multiple fronts. As a society, we require infrastructures and economic models capable of replenishing and restoring what the world has lost. Moreover, as the discourse shifts, we can capitalize on the momentum to move beyond supporting the world in its damaged state and toward restoring it to its natural potential by integrating regenerative approaches.

Enormous amounts of food are wasted worldwide, and more and more people are aware and concerned about this. According to UN FAO, one-third of all food produced globally is thrown away, that is 1.3 billion tons of food waste per year. We are all facing an evident need to rethink food production.

Current waste management methods are built on a linear consumption model, unfit to satisfy the longer-term needs of current populations.

ReFeed Farms has succeeded in what many strive to achieve- feeding people, livestock, and land with recovered produce and agri-food byproducts, and repairing the dysfunctional food system.