Donor funding has never been enough for conservation, says Dr Lahiru Wijedasa, Asia Forest Coordinator at BirdLife International. BirdLife has traditionally relied on donor funding but will issue carbon credits next year from its Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia. 

In this episode, Dr Wijedasa chats about:

• Why carbon financing, while flawed, is the most promising avenue for conservation
• Why claims that 90% of forest carbon credits are “worthless” rest on scientifically shaky ground
• Why technology can solve some supply-side problems, but broader issues related to lack of on-ground expertise remain
• Difficulties in funding the Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary, given that rainfall is seasonal and six months of dry season means half the amount of carbon credits compared to a tropical forest with constant rainfall
• Why sustainability professionals and carbon buyers should visit the projects themselves to witness the impact of their purchase

Read highlights of the interview on Medium here. 

Bonus post for the ReFi community here. 

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