Global Warming Images / WWF
Jaap de Jong
20 januari 2023

“Businesses in emerging markets are key in moving the needle to improve climate resilience”

Deze content is in het Engels. Wil je meer informatie? Neem dan contact op!

The WWF DFCD team is happy that after a transition period Jaap de Jong can now fully dedicate himself to his role as the new program manager. In this short blog he shares his passion for engaging business as a force for good.

Jaap de Jong

Before joining the DFCD team I worked at WWF Netherlands’ Business Engagement team. We work with organizations that have the greatest potential to reduce the most pressing threats to nature and biodiversity. In forging partnerships with businesses and financial institutions I focused on helping companies transform their value chains- making them more sustainable - and drive nature stewardship.

 

The DFCD’s unique approach

When we started working with a large agricultural bank on nature-related financial disclosures, I once again realized that companies often negatively influence climate and nature, but at the same time depend on them. The impact and dependencies on nature are huge, especially in countries or landscapes most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. It is in those places that the DFCD makes a concrete difference by investing in businesses to improve the climate resilience of landscapes and enhance biodiversity.

I believe companies in Africa, Asia and Latin America are key in moving the needle to combat climate change. That’s why I feel privileged to join the DFCD. Especially when you consider the fund’s unique approach of combining the improvement of nature, the well-being of vulnerable communities and sustainable businesses with private capital investment.

A few years ago I lived and worked in South Africa, where I assisted organizations with identification and development of climate projects. It was there that I truly experienced that climate resilience, socio-economic development and nature conservation are interdependent. With local embedding as the key to success, well-designed projects can benefit communities all the way to household level.

Man in een rijstveld, Indonesië Evaluation report Place Indonesia

Growing our impact

The first two months in my new position already proved to be exciting and I look forward to unlocking the potential of scaling bankable nature solutions. With our wonderful team of the Origination Facility we strive to make even bigger impact in the next coming years.

WWF has already developed a great portfolio of about 18 projects. Our main priority this year is to assist these companies in implementing their workplan to ultimately hand them over to the investment managers of FMO and CFM.

Raising our visibility

We will also try to raise the profile of DFCD and strengthen the position of Bankable Nature Solutions as a successful contributor to nature conservation. For example, by increasing our visibility at meetings and conferences where we will showcase DFCD's projects.

To grow the fund and secure funding, we will increase our engagement with potential investors. To begin with an investor workshop on March 6 in Luxembourg. We strengthen our relationship with similar funds and look for opportunities to cooperate. Raising private capital for bankable climate adaptation projects has proven to be a true challenge that we need to tackle.

I invite you to stay engaged in this exciting journey. Let’s grow our impact together!

 

Best,

Jaap

About DFCD

The DFCD enables private sector investment in projects aimed at climate adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made available € 160 million to increase the resilience of communities and ecosystems most vulnerable to climate change. The DFCD is managed by a pioneering consortium of Climate Fund Managers (CFM), Worldwide Fund for Nature Netherlands (WWF-NL) and SNV, led by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank, FMO. 

Read more about DFCD

More results & Updates

Cyrille Cornu

DFCD supports Société Générale Madagascar in a first of its kind Sustainability Bond

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development intends to partner with Société Générale Madagascar to de-risk a groundbreaking financial solution for the country.
Meer info
Gabriel Porras, Unsplash

Transforming dairy waste into opportunity and impact in Colombia

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development intends to partner with ALSEC to enhance its waste-to-value stream in the dairy sector.
Meer info
Financoop - DFCD-supported project in Ecuador

DFCD receives €40m top-up for climate adaptation projects in vulnerable countries

Tropical storms, floods, extreme drought and forest fires – across Africa, Asia and South America, the effects of climate change are an increasingly visible reality. Adapting to its effects is essential, but also requires action: collaboration from multiple stakeholders - global, local, public and private – as well as a steep rise in the mobilization of finance. In fact, an estimated $700 billion more a year necessary to reverse nature loss by 2030.
Meer info

Meld je aan voor de nieuwsbrief

Meld je aan voor onze tweemaandelijkse nieuwsbrief. Dan houden we je op de hoogte van nieuwe inzichten en tools voor de zakelijke markt en krijg je updates over grote WWF-projecten en tips voor duurzaam ondernemen.