Sydney Environment Institute

We live at a fascinating time in which key actors are redefining the role of financial capital and how it is channelled to solve environmental problems. This talk will cover some current financing strategies for environmental conservation, including Payments for Ecosystem Services, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Impact Investing. Dr Benjamin Thompson will discuss the economic viability of these strategies, and highlight implementation challenges related to politics, institutions, and social inequalities. The talk will feature case studies from tropical forests in Southeast Asia (Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia), and also a marine protected area in Kiribati.

Speaker

Benjamin S. Thompson is a postdoctoral research associate in the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre at The University of Sydney. His research investigates the role of the private sector in financing environment management. Much of his research has been conducted in socio-ecological systems of coastal Southeast Asia. He holds a PhD from the National University of Singapore, an MSc from Imperial College London, and also spent two years as a research coordinator with NGOs in Bangladesh and the Seychelles.