Myth: Tourism is always necessary for conservation funding.

MAR 21 2025 · 21:42

Myth: Tourism is always necessary for conservation funding. 🕵️‍♀️ Reality check: Tourism is not the only option and when it is used as a justification for the destruction of biodiversity, there are alternatives. Debt-for-nature swaps are an example of an alternative source of funding – a financial tool that allows countries to reduce or restructure their national debt in exchange for commitments to invest in environmental conservation. In 2016, the Seychelles used this tool to convert USD 21.6 million to funds dedicated to marine conservation and climate adaptation, a project supported by the Nature Conservancy (UNFCCC). Important to note: Innovative financing is not a silver bullet for our biodiversity and climate crises, but it can significantly contribute to a government’s funds for conservation. There is an alternative to luxury developments that destroy biodiversity and reduce a country’s ability to be resilient to climate change. #Mythbuster #FriendsOfAldabra