A. M. 
The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) has announced the launch of a US$300 million financing program for the protection of strategic ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean. This effort seeks to mobilize more resources in favor of nature, according to Sergio Diaz Granados, president of CAF.
He also highlighted a recent debt-for-nature swap in El Salvador, worth US$1 billion, which seeks to recover the Lempa River. These actions add to the institution’s commitment to environmental protection.
CAF has also launched a methodological approach for the creation of a portfolio of Strategic Ecosystems in the region. This approach aims to prevent the loss of biodiversity in 14 key ecosystems, the necessary financing for which is estimated at US$413.87 billion.
More than 60 organizations, including communities and universities, have participated in the creation of this portfolio. These institutions have collaborated in CAF’s efforts to protect ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The program has used nearly 80 million data points to identify the most cost-effective solutions to close the financing gap, guaranteeing positive impacts for biodiversity and human communities.
