This discussion paper examines the notion of safeguards and explores guiding principles that may be useful for the design and application of safeguards in the process of scaling-up biodiversity financing under the Convention on Biological Diversity. It builds on lessons learned from existing legal and policy processes, in particular the REDD+ discussions on safeguards under the UNFCCC and beyond. While scaling up biodiversity finance can be a means for contributing to the achievement of the three goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the development of new Biodiversity Financing Mechanisms (BFM) has also generated concerns over potential problems. To address these concerns, various stakeholders have stressed the importance of safeguards as prerequisites for reaching the CBD objectives. “Safeguards in BFMs” refer to measures for maximizing the protection of biodiversity and people’s livelihoods while minimizing negative impacts.
