What are co-benefits? 

Co-benefits are additional benefits that go beyond the main objective of a climate protection initiative. Companies are increasingly recognizing the relevance of co-benefits, especially when communicating about investments in climate protection projects. In 2020, the World Bank committed to allocating 35% of its investments to climate co-benefits over the next five years. It presents its investments in climate protection as climate co-benefits investments in order to illustrate how climate protection measures and sustainable development can be meaningfully linked.

Co-benefits can include multiple advantages for biodiversity, water supply, social justice, economy, health or climate resilience. For example, reforestation projects have a direct positive impact on human health by improving air quality, while investments in sustainable agricultural practices increase the resilience of farmers to the effects of the climate crisis.

Emphasizing co-benefits in your sustainability communications can be a successful strategy to gain broader support for your actions and achieve greater impact. This can help you gain a competitive advantage, increase customer loyalty and have a positive impact on society. Because although the transformation to a net-zero economy is one of the biggest challenges facing our society, our experience shows that issues such as the extinction of animals and plants are more tangible for most people than the climate crisis. Do you feel the same way?

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The power of nature-based solutions

With a stronger focus on the co-benefits of climate protection projects, nature-based solutions are coming to the fore. More and more companies are deciding to invest in nature-based climate protection projects. In contrast to purely technical climate solutions, these focus on climate protection through the protection, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems. With nature-based solutions, we harness the natural ability of plants to convert and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into sequestered carbon through photosynthesis.

Using nature to combat climate change can offer numerous socio-ecological and economic benefits. Regenerative agriculture is an example of a nature-based solution that not only promotes the sequestration of CO₂ from the atmosphere into soils, but also brings multiple co-benefits for sustainable development. Important co-benefits include promoting biodiversity, improving soil health, increasing the water storage capacity of soils and sustainably securing our livelihoods through the production of nutrient-rich food.

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Regenerative agriculture: a way to promote biodiversity

An important additional benefit of nature-based climate protection projects lies in the protection and promotion of biodiversity. The current overexploitation and destruction of habitats is bringing more species to the brink of extinction than ever before in human history. In Europe, around 40% of bee species are currently under serious threat. According to a study by Allianz Trade, the loss of the pollination services of bees in Germany alone would lead to an annual loss in gross domestic product of over 3 billion euros.

The biodiversity crisis is being exacerbated by the effects of climate change. At the same time, intact ecosystems teeming with diverse species play an essential role in effectively combating climate change. Researchers emphasize that we must consider climate and biodiversity protection together. Both systems are interdependent and only function in harmony with each other.

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Regenerative agriculture counteracts the loss of biodiversity in many ways, both above the ground and in the soil. Nature does not leave the soil uncovered - and neither does regenerative agriculture. Flower strips, catch crops or reseeding ensure permanent ground cover and a diverse range of food and refuge options for insects and other animals. In addition, the reduced use of insecticides protects beneficial insects. In the soil, the molecular diversity of the plants promotes the diversity of microorganism communities, while the reduced tillage promotes the integrity of the soil structure and protects the meso- and macrofauna. What other benefits do you see in the picture above?

However, the promotion of biodiversity is by no means the only additional benefit. Regenerative agriculture can increase the water storage capacity of the soil and improve the quality of groundwater by reducing nitrate runoff. In addition, a recent study has shown that regenerative practices increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, resulting in higher nutrient content in the produce grown, which is tastier and healthier. By building soil health, regenerative measures are key to strengthening the resilience of farms to the challenges of climate change. It can ensure their future profitability and our food supply

Are you investing in climate protection projects? Don't forget to consider the positive impact on sustainable development. If you would like to find out more about climate protection projects in the field of regenerative agriculture in your region, please ask our team for more information.