Financiarización de la Biodiversidad

This position paper by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) argues against the 'financialization' of biodiversity, which it defines as the process of converting nature into financial assets and commodities. The document critiques market-based mechanisms such as biodiversity banking, natural capital bonds, and payment for ecosystem services, asserting that these tools facilitate corporate control over nature, marginalize Indigenous and local communities, and provide 'false solutions' that allow continued environmental destruction through offsetting.

• Friends of the Earth International (ATI) rejects the commodification of biodiversity and any policy that assigns a monetary price to it, asserting that biodiversity is a public domain and an irreplaceable part of nature with an inherent right to life.
• The 'financialization' of nature involves segregating natural elements (such as water, air, and biodiversity) to create new property titles or 'natural capital' assets. These assets are then used by corporations for capital accumulation, speculation in financial markets, and to compensate for environmental degradation.
• The document argues that assigning a price to biodiversity is a political act rather than a neutral technical process. It claims that economic valuation ignores spiritual and cultural values, promotes the protection of only profitable ecosystems, and marginalizes the voices of those most affected by biodiversity loss.
• The concept of 'ecosystem services' is criticized for shifting the perception of nature from a responsibility to a utilitarian product. This framework allows ecological functions to be treated as exchange values subject to monetization and sale.
• Biodiversity offsetting and compensation mechanisms are described as 'perverse' because they assume biodiversity is interchangeable. The document claims these mechanisms allow companies to continue destructive activities in one location by paying for conservation elsewhere, effectively paying the polluter through financial gains.
• The report identifies several specific financial instruments used in the financialization of biodiversity, including 'Biodiversity Banks' (where credits are sold to developers to offset habitat loss), 'Natural Capital Bonds' (debt instruments used to attract private investment for environmental purposes), and 'Cap and Trade' proposals for biodiversity.
• The financialization of biodiversity is linked to human rights violations, including the physical violence and forced resettlement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities who depend on forests and biodiversity for their livelihoods.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2014). Financiarización de la Biodiversidad. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06-foei-position-paper-ESP-lr.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Financiarización de la Biodiversidad. 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06-foei-position-paper-ESP-lr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Financiarización de la Biodiversidad |date=November 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06-foei-position-paper-ESP-lr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2014financiarizacin, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Financiarización de la Biodiversidad}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06-foei-position-paper-ESP-lr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }